Control D vs Pi-hole

Control D9.3Visit Pi-hole8.6Visit

Higher score Control D #2 in DNS Filtering Software 9.3/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Control D

vs

Pi-hole #6 in DNS Filtering Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Pi-hole

• Control D fits best

  Affordable, highly configurable DNS filtering

• Pi-hole fits best

  Self-hosted network-wide ad blocking

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Side by side

Feature	Control D 9.3/10 Visit ↗	Pi-hole 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.6
Ranking	#2 in DNS Filtering Software	#6 in DNS Filtering Software
Best for	Affordable, highly configurable DNS filtering	Self-hosted network-wide ad blocking
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	$2/device/mo	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	14 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Self-hosted, Cloud
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Web, Linux
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Community, Docs
Integrations	20 integrations	2 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Control D 0/4 · Pi-hole 0/4
Category filtering	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Custom domain policies	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Roaming protection	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Activity reports	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment modes	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Device limit	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Encrypted DNS support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Custom block, bypass, redirect, and wildcard domain rules Profiles, schedules, Safe Search, and detailed DNS analytics Supports major platforms, browsers, APIs, self-hosting, and routers	Blocks unwanted domains across an entire network Supports custom lists, regex rules and group-based policies Provides dashboards, long-term statistics and an interactive API
Cons	Personal paid plans cost $3 or $6 per month Traffic redirection requires the Full Control plan SMB billing is based on endpoints rather than a flat fee	Deployment centers on supported Linux distributions or Docker Requires self-hosted administration and DNS configuration Offers fewer family-policy features than some alternatives
Our verdict	Control D is a cloud-based DNS filtering and security platform for individuals, families, businesses, and organizations. It blocks malware, phishing, ads, trackers, unwanted content, and selected services at the DNS level. Users can… Read the review →	Pi-hole is free, open-source DNS filtering software for administrators who want to block unwanted domains across an entire network. It runs on supported Linux distributions, Raspberry Pi OS, or Docker, with administration available through… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Control D — where it wins

  • Custom block, bypass, redirect, and wildcard domain rules
  • Profiles, schedules, Safe Search, and detailed DNS analytics
  • Supports major platforms, browsers, APIs, self-hosting, and routers

  Where it doesn't

  • Personal paid plans cost $3 or $6 per month
  • Traffic redirection requires the Full Control plan
  • SMB billing is based on endpoints rather than a flat fee

• Pi-hole — where it wins

  • Blocks unwanted domains across an entire network
  • Supports custom lists, regex rules and group-based policies
  • Provides dashboards, long-term statistics and an interactive API

  Where it doesn't

  • Deployment centers on supported Linux distributions or Docker
  • Requires self-hosted administration and DNS configuration
  • Offers fewer family-policy features than some alternatives

• Control D9.3/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

  A broad DNS filtering platform with free access, detailed controls, and flexible deployment.

  Visit Control DFull verdict →
• Pi-hole8.6/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source choice for self-hosted network-wide ad blocking.

  Visit Pi-holeFull verdict →