NextDNS vs SafeDNS

NextDNS9.2Visit SafeDNS8.4Visit

Higher score NextDNS #3 in DNS Filtering Software 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit NextDNS

vs

SafeDNS #8 in DNS Filtering Software 8.4/10 15-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 4 features Visit SafeDNS

• NextDNS fits best

  Privacy-focused personal and family filtering

• SafeDNS fits best

  Families and organizations wanting detailed controls

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Side by side

Feature	NextDNS 9.2/10 Visit ↗	SafeDNS 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.4
Ranking	#3 in DNS Filtering Software	#8 in DNS Filtering Software
Best for	Privacy-focused personal and family filtering	Families and organizations wanting detailed controls
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	—	$25.95/yr
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	15 days
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Email, Phone, Live chat, Docs · 24/7
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features NextDNS 0/4 · SafeDNS 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	Free plan includes all features and unlimited devices Blocks malware, phishing, ads, trackers, and selected content Supports encrypted DNS, schedules, logs, and custom domain rules	Filters across 66 content categories with custom allowlists and denylists Adds AppBlocker, schedules, per-user policies, and Safe Search Supports routers, roaming clients, OpenWRT, and major desktop and mobile platforms
Cons	Free usage is limited to 300,000 queries per month Custom blocklists must be entered manually rather than uploaded Business and Education pricing is tied to employee or student groups	No free plan is available Advanced business controls are distributed across higher paid tiers Deployment requires choosing among router, DNS, or agent-based approaches
Our verdict	NextDNS is a DNS-based Internet filtering and security service for individuals, families, schools, and businesses. It applies filtering policies across computers, mobile devices, routers, and other supported network environments. Core… Read the review →	SafeDNS is a cloud-based DNS security and internet-filtering service for households, schools, small and midsize businesses, enterprises, managed service providers, internet service providers, and Wi-Fi providers. It filters traffic at the… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• NextDNS — where it wins

  • Free plan includes all features and unlimited devices
  • Blocks malware, phishing, ads, trackers, and selected content
  • Supports encrypted DNS, schedules, logs, and custom domain rules

  Where it doesn't

  • Free usage is limited to 300,000 queries per month
  • Custom blocklists must be entered manually rather than uploaded
  • Business and Education pricing is tied to employee or student groups

• SafeDNS — where it wins

  • Filters across 66 content categories with custom allowlists and denylists
  • Adds AppBlocker, schedules, per-user policies, and Safe Search
  • Supports routers, roaming clients, OpenWRT, and major desktop and mobile platforms

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is available
  • Advanced business controls are distributed across higher paid tiers
  • Deployment requires choosing among router, DNS, or agent-based approaches

• NextDNS9.2/10 · Free plan

  Flexible DNS filtering for families, personal privacy, schools, and businesses.

  Visit NextDNSFull verdict →
• SafeDNS8.4/10 · 15-day trial

  Detailed DNS controls for households and organizations, with paid plans for broader management.

  Visit SafeDNSFull verdict →