OpenBLD review
A free protective DNS service with broad filtering modes and organizational deployment options.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
OpenBLD is a community-supported protective DNS service for individuals, households, small offices and organizations. It blocks malware, phishing, tracking, advertising and other unwanted domains through classic DNS, DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS. The service can be configured on browsers, desktops, mobile devices and routers without agent software or registration. Adaptive ADA, strict RIC and child-protection modes extend its use from general browsing protection to household and organizational filtering. Android 9+, iOS 14+, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome and web access are supported.
The free plan is the main draw. OpenBLD Free includes malware and phishing protection, DoH, DoT and classic DNS, with no registration required. The published feature set also includes custom allow/block lists, filtering for advertising and tracking domains, adult-content and gambling protection, and DNS analytics and metrics compatible with Prometheus and Grafana. URLhaus and Active Directory appear among the integrations, while the platform supports personalized profiles and multiple filtering modes. This makes OpenBLD a practical fit for buyers seeking protective DNS without a conventional paid entry point.
OpenBLD Plus is aimed at organizational use and adds personal support, security and technical incident analysis, organizational policies, analytics, integrations, and managed-cloud or on-premise deployment. According to the vendor's pricing description, Plus starts at $15 per month, but the arrangement is donation-based and conditions may be negotiated individually rather than presented as a conventional subscription. Choose OpenBLD if free DNS filtering, privacy-oriented DNS protocols or organizational deployment are priorities. Buyers seeking a fixed, standardized commercial plan may prefer an alternative with more conventional pricing terms.
OpenBLD pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free plan covers malware, phishing, ads, trackers and unwanted domains
- Supports DoH, DoT, classic DNS and custom allow/block lists
- Managed-cloud or on-premise deployment supports organizational use
- Where it doesn't
- Organizational policies and professional support are reserved for Plus
- Plus is donation-based and may be negotiated individually
- Configuration spans multiple devices, browsers, phones and routers
OpenBLD fact sheet, pricing and score →
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