AhaDNS review
A free DNS filtering service with encrypted protocols and configurable blocklists.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
AhaDNS is a public DNS filtering service for individuals and networks. Its Blitz service provides configurable DNS-over-HTTPS filtering, while legacy endpoints support DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS. Filtering covers advertising, malware, trackers, viruses and telemetry domains, and configurations can apply to entire networks or individual devices. It suits users who want free encrypted DNS with control over which domains are blocked, rather than a broader family-safety or managed-security platform.
The service is free and operated as a hobby project funded by donations. Its platform coverage includes web, iOS, Android, macOS and an API, with setup guidance for iOS, Android, macOS and Microsoft Edge. AhaDNS also supports HTTP/2 and HTTP/3, global load balancing, custom whitelist requests and anonymized aggregate statistics. The configurable blocklists make it more adaptable than a fixed filtering endpoint, while the API and network-level configuration provide options for devices and wider environments.
Privacy and operational details are important to evaluate before adoption. DNS traffic can use encrypted DNS protocols, and the service describes anonymized statistics for requests and blocked requests. Encrypted requests may include limited masked-IP logging retained for up to 24 hours. Legacy DoH and DoT endpoints are deprecated in favor of Blitz, so new configurations should use the current service. AhaDNS is a good fit for free ad, tracker and malware blocking with configurable rules; users seeking verified family controls, broader integrations or a paid support model should choose another service.
AhaDNS pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free DNS filtering with no paid tier
- Blocks advertising, malware, trackers, viruses and telemetry domains
- Supports DoH, DoT, global balancing and request statistics
- Where it doesn't
- Legacy DoH and DoT endpoints are deprecated
- No verified family controls
- Limited masked-IP logging is retained for up to 24 hours
AhaDNS fact sheet, pricing and score →
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