Blocky review
A powerful open-source DNS filter for teams comfortable managing their own infrastructure.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Blocky is an open-source, self-hosted DNS proxy and ad blocker for local networks. It suits technical teams that want configurable network-level filtering under their own operational control. Administrators can run it as a standalone binary or Docker container, apply external domain and IP lists, and create allowlisting or denylisting policies by client group. Custom DNS resolution, conditional forwarding, caching, and query prefetching support more tailored network configurations than a basic blocklist-only resolver.
Blocky uses a single Open source plan licensed under Apache-2.0, with self-hosted deployment as its core model. Its ecosystem includes Docker and Kubernetes Helm, while Prometheus and Grafana support monitoring workflows. Database integrations include MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and TimescaleDB, with Redis also supported. The REST API provides endpoints for queries and blocking control, making the product suitable for teams that want to connect DNS filtering with internal tooling or operational dashboards.
The standout capability is policy and resolver control in one service. Regular list downloading and refreshing, regex-based filtering, deep CNAME inspection, conditional forwarding, and custom DNS resolution give administrators several ways to shape DNS behavior. DoH, DoT, and DoQ support extends that control to encrypted upstream resolver connections, while in-memory DNS statistics and Prometheus metrics provide visibility into activity. Blocky is a strong fit for infrastructure teams that prefer open-source, self-managed DNS filtering. Teams seeking a hosted service, simplified deployment, or a broader security platform should consider a different type of product.
Blocky pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Client-group policies with allowlists, denylists, regex, and CNAME filtering
- DoH, DoT, and DoQ upstream resolver support
- REST API, Prometheus metrics, and database integrations
- Where it doesn't
- Requires self-hosted deployment and infrastructure management
- Focused on configurable network-level filtering rather than broader security controls
- Commercial pricing tiers are not part of its open-source model
Blocky fact sheet, pricing and score →
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