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Control D alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Control D: main plans are now aimed at businesses, and full service needs a paid plan after the trial. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Control D, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. NextDNS currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1NextDNS logoNextDNSFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +34 of 466.5
2AdGuard DNS logoAdGuard DNSFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +33 of 362.6
3Quad9 logoQuad9FreeNoWindows, macOS, Linux +24 of 459.6
  1. NextDNS logo

    1. NextDNSTop pick

    Best for: People who want Pi-hole-style blocking on all devices without running a server

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Control D

    Simpler hosted DNS filtering with a generous free tier for individuals.

    Pros

    • Works everywhere, including on mobile data
    • All features available on the free plan
    • Very cheap paid plan with unlimited queries

    Cons

    • Free plan stops blocking after 300,000 queries a month
    • DNS queries are handled by a third party
    • Can't remove ads served from the same domain as content
    Visit NextDNS Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is NextDNS a good Control D alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    300,000 queries/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextdns.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Over quota
    Resolves without blocking
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextdns.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid plan
    Unlimited queries
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextdns.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Payment methods
    Cards, PayPal, crypto
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextdns.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. AdGuard DNS logo

    2. AdGuard DNS

    Best for: Households wanting DNS filtering and parental controls without running a server

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Control D

    Hosted DNS filtering with family features and a free Starter plan.

    Pros

    • No server to run; works on any device or router
    • Per-device statistics and rules
    • Parental controls with screen-time schedules

    Cons

    • Can't block ads served from the same domain as content
    • Your DNS queries go through AdGuard's servers
    • Free plan has usage limits
    Visit AdGuard DNS Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is AdGuard DNS a good Control D alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Starter, included by default
    Checked Oct 25, 2026adguard-dns.io(opens source in a new tab)
    VPN bundle
    Personal plan free with AdGuard VPN
    Checked Oct 25, 2026adguard-dns.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Statistics
    Real-time, per device
    Checked Oct 25, 2026adguard-dns.io(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Quad9 logo

    3. Quad9

    Best for: Anyone wanting free malware and phishing protection at DNS level with no setup

    FreeWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Control D

    Free non-profit resolver blocking malicious domains, no account needed.

    Pros

    • Free, with no account needed
    • Blocks malware and phishing domains
    • No logging of IP addresses; Swiss non-profit

    Cons

    • Does not block ads or most trackers
    • No custom blocklists or dashboard
    • Protection depends on threat feeds catching new domains
    Visit Quad9 Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Quad9 a good Control D alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026quad9.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Resolver address
    9.9.9.9
    Checked Oct 25, 2026quad9.net(opens source in a new tab)
    IP logging
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026quad9.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Blocks
    Malware, phishing, spyware, botnets
    Checked Oct 25, 2026quad9.net(opens source in a new tab)

The best Control D alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

NextDNS logo

Best Control D alternative for most people

NextDNS

Simpler hosted DNS filtering with a generous free tier for individuals.

Quad9 logo

Best Control D alternative for a free option

Quad9

Free non-profit resolver blocking malicious domains, no account needed.

AdGuard DNS logo

Best Control D alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

AdGuard DNS

Hosted DNS filtering with family features and a free Starter plan.

AdGuard Home logo

Best Control D alternative for open source

AdGuard Home

Run your own filtering DNS server for free.

AdGuard Home logo

Best Control D alternative for self-hosting

AdGuard Home

Run your own filtering DNS server for free.

NextDNS logo

Best Control D alternative for Mac

NextDNS

Simpler hosted DNS filtering with a generous free tier for individuals.

NextDNS logo

Best Control D alternative for Windows

NextDNS

Simpler hosted DNS filtering with a generous free tier for individuals.

NextDNS logo

Best Control D alternative for Linux

NextDNS

Simpler hosted DNS filtering with a generous free tier for individuals.

NextDNS logo

Best Control D alternative for iPhone and Android

NextDNS

Simpler hosted DNS filtering with a generous free tier for individuals.

NextDNS logo

Best Control D alternative for working in the browser

NextDNS

Simpler hosted DNS filtering with a generous free tier for individuals.

Control D alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Control D?

NextDNS ranks first right now. Simpler hosted DNS filtering with a generous free tier for individuals. AdGuard DNS and Quad9 follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Control D?

Yes. NextDNS (free plan + paid), AdGuard DNS (free plan + paid), Quad9 (free) and AdGuard Home (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Control D?

Yes: AdGuard Home. AdGuard Home can also be self-hosted.

Which Control D alternatives work on Linux?

NextDNS, AdGuard DNS, Quad9 and AdGuard Home run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Control D?

The complaints we hear most: main plans are now aimed at businesses; full service needs a paid plan after the trial; DNS-level blocking can't catch same-domain ads.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Control D, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.