DNS for Family
DNS for Family: A free family DNS filter with broad threat blocking but no controls for customization or reporting. Ranked #38 of 65 in Internet Filtering Software by our editors (5.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for free adult-content and threat blocking.
At a glance
- Editor score5.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forFree adult-content and threat blocking
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Founded2018
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Blocks adult content, malware, phishing, gambling, ads, and scams
- Enforces SafeSearch across Google, YouTube, Bing, and other engines
- Supports encrypted DNS, DNSSEC, IPv4, IPv6, and daily blacklist updates
Where it doesn't
- No customer-managed custom blocklists
- No scheduling controls
- No activity reports
Our verdict on DNS for Family
DNS for Family is a free public DNS service for families seeking to block adult, pornographic, gambling, advertising, malware, phishing, ransomware, scam, drug, and anonymization websites. It also enforces SafeSearch on Google, YouTube, Brave, Ecosia, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yandex. The service is suited to households that want category-based filtering without a paid subscription or a separate monitoring dashboard.
Its main strength is broad platform and protocol coverage. DNS for Family supports Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Wi-Fi routers, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and an API for checking whether hostnames are blocked. It supports standard DNS alongside DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, DNSCrypt v2, IPv4, IPv6, and DNSSEC. Daily blacklist updates add ongoing maintenance to the filtering layer, while SafeSearch enforcement extends protection beyond domain blocking to supported search and video services.
The trade-off is a narrow control set. DNS for Family focuses on predefined blocking categories rather than household-specific policy management: customer-managed custom blocklists, schedules, and activity reports are not part of the product’s documented feature set. That makes it a clear fit for families who want free baseline filtering and threat blocking across common devices and browsers. Choose an alternative if you need time-based rules, detailed visibility into browsing activity, or the ability to tailor blocked domains to individual users.
Your product? Our editors can test DNS for Family in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
DNS for Family pricing
DNS for Family fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Device limit | Not verified |
| Custom blocklists | Not verified |
| Safe search controls | Yes |
| Filtering schedules | Not verified |
| Activity reports | None |
| Platform support | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Wi-Fi routers, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Support | Email, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | dnsforfamily.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to DNS for Family
- Cloudflare GatewayA broad filtering gateway with strong policy controls and basic reporting.9.2
- Cisco UmbrellaA mature enterprise filter with broad controls, integrations, and contact-sales pricing.9.1
- Pi-holeFree, open-source network blocking for self-hosted administrators.9.0
See all DNS for Family alternatives →
Also Ranked In
DNS for Family is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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