The Top 9 DNS Servers for Use (Free and Open Source)
You may be acquainted with Domain Name Servers, or DNS, if you understand how the internet works. One of the fundamental components of the internet, DNS is necessary for the operation of the internet as we know it today. Even while our Internet service providers, or ISPs, provide us access to a default DNS server, there may be circumstances in which it would be preferable to use a different DNS server. These are the top 12 free and open DNS servers that you need to be utilizing in 2024.
Why Should You Change DNS Servers and What Do They Mean?
In order to facilitate the loading of online resources by browsers like Chrome, DNS, also known as Domain Name Server, is intended to transform domain names into machine-friendly IP addresses. Every internet-connected device has an own IP address that allows it to establish connections with other computers.
More significantly, DNS servers translate IP addresses into names so you won't have to memorize and enter in the full IP address, such as 172.67.157.143, when you wish to visit us for tech-related content.
The following factors have to be taken into account while selecting a DNS:
Reliability: Most DNS servers work smoothly, but not all can deliver the needed performance.
Speed: Plays a vital role in accelerating internet activity.
Protection: Never fail to check out is the safeguard against DNS-based attacks. Ensure that the service offers the required shield to your personal information.
Top DNS Providers
1.
Cloudflare DNS
One of the leading companies in the world for online security and performance is Cloudflare. In 2018, the business unveiled a new DNS service. Before long, the service proved to be among the top publicly accessible, free DNS servers available.The fastest and most private DNS server on the internet is Cloudflare's new "1.1.1.1" server.
While your ISP tracks your online activities, the company never records your IP address. To make sure they're keeping their privacy pledges, the firm has even engaged KPMG, a cloud-based audit platform, to audit its systems once a year.
Second, the firm claims that its DNS servers enhance internet speeds by over 28% when compared to other providers. I tried this on my Mac, and while I was at the workplace, I could feel the difference in speeds from my home WiFi. With all these benefits, it's among the top DNS servers available.
Pros
Cons
Free to use
Nothing I can nitpick about
Doesn’t log your browsing data
Faster than usual DNS servers
DNS IP Addresses: 1.1.1.1
2. Public DNS for Google
For experienced users, the Google Public DNS service is a fantastic choice. It was introduced in December 2009. It seeks to improve the security and dependability of the internet. But for a person unfamiliar with the subject, it is challenging to set up. "Only users who are proficient in configuring the OS settings should make the changes," the website states explicitly. Users are protected from many types of phishing attempts via Google Public DNS , particularly if they are accessing the internet with outdated technology.Using Google Public DNS has many benefits, including improved security and faster performance. Google locates the nearest server for data exchange via Anycast routing. This guarantees that you will get information as soon as possible.Users must set up their network settings to utilize 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 as their DNS servers in order to use Google Public DNS. IPv6 addresses are also supported by Google Public DNS. However, you can find out more about it by going here. It requires a little more setting. All things considered, it's a great choice for anybody wishing to experiment with a third-party DNS server or understand the basics of utilizing one.
Pros
Cons
Free to use
Google might still log your data
Enhances speed
Protects against phishing and DDoS attacks
DNS IP Addresses:8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4
3. OpenDNS
OpenDNS is a publicly available and free service offered by Cisco, a well-known industry leader in networking.It provides you with capabilities to avoid assaults from fraudulent and substandard clone websites in addition to enabling safe internet access.In addition, it prohibits phishing websites in addition to those that have been identified as harboring malicious content. Similar to Google Public DNS, OpenDNS routes your connection using Anycast routing to the DNS servers closest to you, allowing for quicker page loads.OpenDNS's servers are dispersed across three continents and it also includes self-healing technology. Its self-healing technology is built to endure almost any kind of system breakdown, including massive disruptions to its infrastructure, all without compromising client service.All things considered, give OpenDNS a try if you're looking for a trustworthy, long-standing DNS provider that you can always rely on.DNS IP Addresses:
Pros
Cons
Free for personal use
Protects against phishing, malware, cloned websites, and DDoS attacks
Enhances speed
Protects against phishing, malware, cloned websites and DDoS attacks
208672-2222, 208672-2220
4. Secure DNS from Comodo
With the help of its global network of redundant DNS servers, Comodo Secure DNS is a domain name resolution service that answers your DNS queries. Compared to utilizing the DNS servers your ISP provides, this may provide a much quicker and more dependable online surfing experience.Furthermore, there is no need to install any software or hardware. Currently, the server architecture of Comodo Secure DNS covers 15 sites (nodes) across five continents.. Faster internet speeds will come from the majority having a DNS server close by.Comodo Secure DNS's malware domain filtering capability helps to keep users safe as well.A real-time block list of malicious websites is cited by SecureDNS. (phishing sites, malware sites, spyware sites, and parked domains, to name a few) and alerts users whenever they try to visit a website that could be dangerous.Having this protection guarantees that we may browse the web without worrying about the hidden threats of malware assaults, which are becoming more frequent every day. All things considered, we think Comodo Secure DNS is among the greatest DNS services available
Pros
Cons
Free for personal use
Might not be as reliable as others
Protects against phishing, malware, cloned websites, and DDoS attacks
DNS IP Addresses: 8.26.56.26, 8.20.247.20Go to:Go to Comodo and
5. DNS
Quad9You may divert your traffic from the DNS servers offered by your ISP by using Quad9 DNS, another free public DNS server. Once set up, Quad9 sends your DNS requests over a secure global network of servers, much like the other DNS servers on our list.The solution provides a real-time view on website threat assessments by using threat information from over twelve of the top cybersecurity businesses in the market. Its DNS servers protect your device and data by blocking your connection if they discover a compromised or replicated website. Furthermore, IBM, a major player in the IT industry, has supported the research, so you know it's legit.It is also noteworthy that Quad9 DNS is simple to configure and doesn't need any software installations. You may check out Quad9 if none of the DNS servers listed above suit your requirements.
Pros
Cons
Free for personal use
Might be slower depending on where you live
Protects against all kinds of attacks
Keeps a real-time watch on website threat analysis.
DNS IP Addresses: 9.9.9.9Go to:Check out Quad9 DNS
6. Verisign
The Verisign Public DNS server, which offers reliability, security, and privacy, is the second-to-last open and public DNS server that we suggest. Stability is crucial since it guarantees that you will always be connected and won't experience any downtime due to the DNS server you are using.Furthermore, the organization guarantees strong defense against online security vulnerabilities. It doesn't reroute your DNS requests to show you advertisements or sell them to unaffiliated data harvesting firms. To put it briefly, the Verisign Public DNS server is totally free to use and well worth investigating.
Pros
Cons
Free to use
Not the fastest
Doesn’t log your data
Protects against security flaws
DNS IP Addresses:64.6.65.6 and 64.6.64.6.
7.
CleanBrowsingCleanBrowsing is for parents who want their family's internet experience to be safe. As the name implies, it shields you from harmful domains and phishing websites while also enabling you to prevent pornographic material from the internet.Although it's largely a commercial service, there is a free tier that, in my opinion, is sufficient for the majority of users who just need a basic DNS server to filter online traffic. It provides three preconfigured filters (Security, Adult, and Family) under the free tier.You may prevent harmful activities on your home network by using the Security filter. In a similar vein, by using the Adult filter, you may block offensive information on the internet in addition to enjoying all the benefits of Security. And lastly, all of the features found in Security and Adult are incorporated in Family.Furthermore, websites like Reddit and Tumblr with mixed material are blocked by CleanBrowsing . Additionally, it puts YouTube in safety mode and, where appropriate, modifies the behavior of other websites that are comparable. Choose the Family DNS if you'd want more stringent filtering.All things considered, CleanBrowsing is among the top free DNS servers on our list since it contains all the necessary content filtering lists.
Pros
Cons
Free tier available
Not very customizable under the filters list, at least in the free plan
Customized filters for security, adult content auditing, and Family
Supports IPv6
DNS IP Addresses:Security: 185.228.168.9; Adult: 185.228.168.10; Family: 185.228.168.168
8. DNS AdGuard
You may utilize the well-liked and cost-free AdGuard DNS server on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS gadgets. Although blocking ads is its most well-known feature, it can do more. You may block trackers and analytics tools system-wide with the new AdGuard DNS. which are always watching to learn about your online surfing habits.It may also block harmful websites that attempt to reroute you to a number of dubious websites and pornographic material. In different web browsers, you may enforce safe search using the Family protection mode. In essence, search engines that include pornographic material will no longer provide any results at all.The greatest thing is that you may use all of these capabilities without installing any apps. All you need to do to get started is manually configure the AdGuard DNS. Not to add, neither AdGuard DNS nor Cloudflare record DNS requests or user activity.To put it simply, AdGuard DNS is one of the greatest free DNS servers available if you desire online privacy protections.
Pros
Cons
Free to use
Nothing we could find
Blocks trackers, analytics systems, ads, and adult content
Enforces safe search in browsers
Does not log DNS queries
DNS IP Addresses:Family protection (176.103.130.132), default 176.103.130.130)
9. DNS
YandexFor several reasons, Yandex DNS is a comprehensive DNS server. If you're searching for a different DNS provider that can provide stable performance This one can meet your demands in most areas, such as speed and protection without breaking the bank.Numerous aspects are what make this DNS server, located in Russia, unique. A variety of features also provide you the flexibility to adjust things to fit your workflow. Aside from that, it's also one of the quickest servers, which may significantly increase your productivity.Content filtering is one of my favorite features of Yandex DNS. enabling people to block objectionable or mature material. It guarantees improved security and smoothness by removing inappropriate or pornographic information.Not to mention, Blocks malware and bots is a powerful protective function offered by Yandex DNS. It has three settings to suit various requirements. Basic provides fast and reliable DNS; Safe adds virus protection. The purpose of family mode is to restrict access to pornographic material.With these noteworthy attributes, Yandex DNS is undoubtedly one of the world's top DNS servers.
Pros
Cons
Fast servers
Setup has a learning curve
Blocks malware and bots
Content filtering
Does not log DNS queries
DNS IP Addresses: 77-88.8, 77-88.1, 77-88.88, 77-88.2
Why Would You Want to Use a Different DNS?
You may need to utilize an alternative DNS for a number of reasons.
Depending on the location of the DNS server that you are using, you can get better speeds.
Using an alternative DNS server will also ensure that your ISP is not able to log every minute of your internet browsing history and serve you ads or sell your data.
The majority of paid DNS servers are superior because of their more sophisticated nameserver configurations and significantly better website performance, even though many free DNS servers are fully capable of providing dependable performance and even protecting the data thanks to crucial features like firewall policies, filtering, rate-limiting, and blocking to fend off DDoS attacks.More importantly, the premium DNS provides improved support and increased security along with uptime guarantees. Dynamic DNS (DDNS), designed to automatically map internet domain names to IP addresses, is provided by the commercial DNS service providers. You may now access your home computer from anywhere in the globe considerably more quickly as a consequence.Notably, two-way authentication, strong administrator control, and sophisticated reporting are all included with premium DNS. So, you should use premium DNS if you want your business website to operate at the highest level possible.
DNS optimization
Optimizing your device's DNS is a smart idea for improved security and speed. While few may consider lowering the milliseconds required to search for websites using the domain name system, individuals seeking optimal internet speed will value using this short cut.You ought to utilize the top free and open DNS servers on your device now that you have a list of them. If you are unfamiliar with the process, see our instruction in the link to learn how to modify DNS settings on Android. Here's our instruction on modifying DNS settings in Windows 10 PCs as well.We hope this list of the top free and public DNS servers has helped you experience fast, cost-effective, and secure internet on your gadgets. Even if the majority of us never change from the DNS servers given by our ISP, it's a good idea to do so, particularly if you respect your privacy.Please review the list and let us know which DNS server is your personal choice. Please let us know if you currently use a different DNS server and are satisfied with it by leaving a comment below.In 2024, Cloudflare and Comodo Secure DNS stand as the fastest DNS servers.Cloudflare DNS is marginally superior, even if a number of well-known competitors, like Google Public DNS and OpenDNS, may lay claim to being the best. It's not only among the quickest, but it also meets security and privacy standards.OpenDNS and Comodo Secure DNS are better suited to be ranked among the top DNS servers for gaming.The simple response to this query is, of course, "No." Google Public DNS lacks filtering and blocking capabilities, making it vulnerable since its main purpose is to function as a DNS resolution and cache server.