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Best FortiGuard DNS Filtering Service Alternatives in 2026

#16 of 51 in DNS Filtering ServicesIntrusion Detection and Prevention Software

The top FortiGuard DNS Filtering Service alternatives are AdGuard DNS, NextDNS and Control D: 15 DNS filtering services our editors would look at instead of FortiGuard DNS Filtering Service, in our ranking order.

7.9/10Editor score
FortiGuard DNS Filtering Service7.9 Visit Fortinet

FortiGuard DNS Filtering Service: A Fortinet-focused DNS security service for network-wide threat filtering and visibility. Where it falls short: requires an existing FortiGate or fortinet security fabric deployment.

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  1. Best forBroad consumer and family DNS protection

    Broad DNS protection with strong family controls, encrypted protocols, and wide device coverage.

    • Custom blocklists
    Free plan · 30-day trial Our AdGuard DNS verdict → Visit AdGuard DNS
    9.4/10★★★★★
    Visit AdGuard DNS
  2. NextDNS

    Best forPrivacy-focused users needing advanced DNS controls

    A flexible DNS filtering service with unusually broad controls on its free plan.

    • Custom blocklists
    9.3/10★★★★★
    Visit NextDNS
  3. Control D

    Best forPower users wanting flexible DNS policies

    A flexible DNS platform with detailed policies, schedules, analytics, and router deployment.

    • Custom blocklists
    Free plan · paid from $2/mo · 14-day trial Our Control D verdict → Visit Control D
    9.2/10★★★★★
    Visit Control D
  4. Best forAffordable households and small teams

    A capable free DNS filter for one device, with paid tiers planned for wider coverage.

    • Per-device policies
    • Ad blocking
    • Activity logs
    Free plan · paid from $2.32/mo (annual) Our QueryWarden verdict → Visit QueryWarden
    9.1/10★★★★★
    Visit QueryWarden
  5. Best forOrganizations needing DNS plus network filtering

    A flexible DNS and network filtering service with HTTP inspection from $7 per user monthly.

    • Custom blocklists
    Free plan · paid from $7/user/mo Our Cloudflare Gateway verdict → Visit Cloudflare
    9.0/10★★★★☆
    Visit Cloudflare
  6. Best forFamilies wanting free profile-based filtering

    A flexible DNS filter for families that need profiles, schedules, and privacy controls.

    • Per-device policies
    • Ad blocking
    • Activity logs
    Free plan · paid from $5.94/yr · 10-day trial Our DeCloudUs DNS verdict → Visit DeCloudUs
    8.9/10★★★★☆
    Visit DeCloudUs
  7. Best forOpen-source Android and self-hosted users

    A free, open-source Android DNS filter with detailed controls and monitoring.

    8.8/10★★★★☆
    Visit RethinkDNS
  8. Best forFamilies managing up to 25 devices

    A flexible DNS filter with family-focused controls, encrypted DNS, schedules, and broad device coverage.

    • Custom blocklists
    Free plan · paid from $75/yr Our CleanBrowsing verdict → Visit CleanBrowsing
    8.7/10★★★★☆
    Visit CleanBrowsing
  9. ScoutDNS

    Best forSchools and small networks on a budget

    Affordable DNS filtering with roaming clients, policy controls, logs, and directory integrations.

    From $2.50/user/yr · 14-day trial Our ScoutDNS verdict → Visit ScoutDNS
    8.6/10★★★★☆
    Visit ScoutDNS
  10. ArmorDNS

    Best forFamilies wanting paid per-device DNS policies

    Paid DNS filtering with per-device controls, logs, schedules, and encrypted DNS.

    • Per-device policies
    • Ad blocking
    • Activity logs
    From $5/mo · 7-day trial Our ArmorDNS verdict → Visit ArmorDNS
    8.5/10★★★★☆
    Visit ArmorDNS
  11. Best forEstablished enterprises needing security controls

    A broad DNS and web security service for enterprises with Cisco infrastructure.

    • Custom blocklists
    Pricing on request · 14-day trial Our Cisco Umbrella verdict → Visit Cisco Umbrella
    8.4/10★★★★☆
    Visit Cisco Umbrella
  12. SafeDNS

    Best forUsers wanting deep category and usage controls

    A broad DNS filtering service for households and organizations needing detailed controls.

    • Custom blocklists
    From $25.95/yr · 15-day trial Our SafeDNS verdict → Visit SafeDNS
    8.3/10★★★★☆
    Visit SafeDNS
  13. Best forOrganizations wanting mature DNS reporting

    A policy-focused DNS security service with detailed reporting and remote-device coverage.

    • Custom blocklists
    Pricing on request Our CIRA DNS Firewall verdict → Visit CIRA
    8.2/10★★★★☆
    Visit CIRA
  14. Best forEstablished organizations needing roaming filtering

    A mature DNS filtering service for organizations managing roaming users and devices.

    • Custom blocklists
    Pricing on request · 14-day trial Our WebTitan Cloud verdict → Visit WebTitan
    8.1/10★★★★☆
    Visit WebTitan
  15. Best forEnterprises needing off-network DNS protection

    Enterprise DNS filtering with roaming protection, policy controls, reporting, and security integrations.

    Pricing on request · 60-day trial Our Akamai Secure Internet Access Enterprise verdict → Visit Akamai
    8.0/10★★★★☆
    Visit Akamai

FortiGuard DNS Filtering Service Alternatives: Common Questions

What is the best alternative to FortiGuard DNS Filtering Service?

AdGuard DNS: #1 in our DNS Filtering Services ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. Broad DNS protection with strong family controls, encrypted protocols, and wide device coverage.

Is there a free alternative to FortiGuard DNS Filtering Service?

Yes. AdGuard DNS, NextDNS, Control D, QueryWarden and Cloudflare Gateway have a free plan or a free tier (8 of the 15 alternatives on this page).

FortiGuard DNS Filtering Service vs Each Alternative

#ToolFree planPaid fromMalware blockingAd blockingPer-device policiesAnalytics dashboardScore
16FortiGuard DNS Filtering Service——————7.9
1AdGuard DNSYes—————9.4
2NextDNSYes—————9.3
3Control DYes$2/device/mo————9.2
4QueryWardenYes$2.32/moYesYesYesYes9.1
5Cloudflare GatewayYes$7/user/mo————9.0
6DeCloudUs DNSYes$5.94/yrYesYesYesYes8.9
7RethinkDNSYes—————8.8
8CleanBrowsingYes$8.99/mo————8.7
9ScoutDNSNo$2.5/seat/yr————8.6
10ArmorDNSNo$5/moYesYesYesYes8.5
11Cisco UmbrellaNo—————8.4
12SafeDNSNo$25.95/yr————8.3
13CIRA DNS FirewallNo—————8.2
14WebTitan CloudNo—————8.1
15Akamai Secure Internet Access Enterprise——————8.0

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update