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Adguard-dns Review

Worth it

Should I use Adguard-dns?

AdGuard DNS is a free, privacy-focused ad-blocking DNS server - adguard-dns.io

· 2 weeks ago

Buy the free public DNS if you want painless network-wide ad and tracker blocking on phones, routers, and laptops. Skip it if you need enterprise DNS security, per-app blocking, or to eliminate ads served on the same domain as content.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 14+ public sources; most snippets truncated, so user sentiment is approximate. No named enterprise customers found in evidence.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support evidence in sources
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

Public DNS

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Freemium PersonalFree (limited)
Personal (paid)~$25 via deals

Best for

  • Households wanting network-wide ad blocking
  • Privacy-focused Android users
  • Parents needing family DNS filtering
  • Router-level tracker blocking

Not for

  • Anyone expecting it to fully replace a browser ad blocker
  • Enterprises needing managed DNS security — use Umbrella or DNSFilter
  • Tinkerers wanting local control — self-host Pi-hole or AdGuard Home instead
  • Heavy users unwilling to watch request limits

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Freemium plan limited to 300k requests/month; busy households can hit it

medium

StackSocial shows an inflated $719.64 'suggested price'; real deal is ~$25

medium

AdGuard Home (self-hosted sibling) had a DNS DoS CVE in 2026

low

Pay-to-subscribe debates exist even among fans; free public DNS covers basics

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free public DNS blocks ads and trackers network-wide
  • Custom DNS filtering rules syntax for advanced control
  • Dedicated family protection DNS endpoint
  • Setup is just changing DNS settings, no install
  • Positioned as a cheaper alternative to Cisco Umbrella

Cons

  • Freemium plan caps at 300k DNS requests monthly
  • Users report high latency (250ms+) in some cases
  • High-severity DoS vulnerability on record (CVSS 7.5)
  • DNS-level blocking misses same-domain ads; browser blocker still useful

Sources & method

- 14 sources - DoS vulnerabilities on record for AdGuard DNS and AdGuard Home; no breaches reported in reviewed sources.

official x6review x4security x2news x2
  • CVE-2023-41173 — AdGuard DNS denial of service, Remote DoS, CVSS 7.5, affects AdGuard DNS before 2.2.
  • CVE-2026-47703 — AdGuard Home DNS DoS, Denial-of-service vulnerability in the self-hosted AdGuard Home product, July 2026.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 14

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. Generous free tier; paid deals cheap
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Just change DNS settings; Android Private DNS
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Custom filter rules, family protection, per-device control
  • Support quality. No support evidence in sources
  • Security posture: 3/5. DoS CVEs on record, CVSS 7.5
  • 10+ Known CVEs AdGuard products tracked by OpenCVE
  • Yes Free tier Public DNS, no account needed
  • ~$25 Deal price Paid plan via StackSocial/Boing Boing deal

Pricing

Public DNS

Free

  • Ad and tracker blocking
  • Simple DNS change, no account

Freemium Personal

Free (limited)

  • 300k DNS requests/month cap
  • Basic customization

Personal (paid)

~$25 via deals

  • Removes request limits
  • 5-year plans sold via StackSocial

Security

DoS vulnerabilities on record for AdGuard DNS and AdGuard Home; no breaches reported in reviewed sources.

  • CVE-2023-41173 — AdGuard DNS denial of serviceRemote DoS, CVSS 7.5, affects AdGuard DNS before 2.2.10
  • CVE-2026-47703 — AdGuard Home DNS DoSDenial-of-service vulnerability in the self-hosted AdGuard Home product, July 2026.11

What users say

Users find it effective for blocking ads across phones and routers, but some report latency spikes and freemium request caps.

“Have paid account but ran out of 300k DNS requests”
Reddit, r/Adguard
“Is AdGuard DNS any good?”
Reddit, r/HomeNetworking
“I used AdGuard Home for self-hosting a DNS server”
Facebook, 2600net group

Alternatives

Compare Adguard-dns with each alternative.

  • AdGuard Home

    AdGuard's self-hosted version; free but needs patching

Full analysis

Based on 14+ public sources; most snippets truncated, so user sentiment is approximate. No named enterprise customers found in evidence.

Free public DNS makes network-wide ad blocking a no-brainer; pay only for custom rules. Not enterprise DNS security.

Methodology

Based on 14+ public sources; most snippets truncated, so user sentiment is approximate. No named enterprise customers found in evidence.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. AdGuard DNS — ad-blocking DNS serveradguard-dns.io
    official
  2. Connect to public AdGuard DNS serveradguard-dns.io
    official
  3. Buy subscriptionadguard-dns.io
    official
  4. Product security pageadguard-dns.io
    official
  5. DNS filtering rules syntaxadguard-dns.io
    official
  6. AdGuard DNS Review: Private Ad Blocking in 2026privacytools.io
    review
  7. Have paid account but ran out of 300k DNS requestsreddit.com
    review
  8. Is AdGuard DNS any good? : r/HomeNetworkingreddit.com
    review
  9. Using AdGuard as the default DNS server — disable browser blocker?snbforums.com
    review
  10. CVE-2023-41173 Detail — AdGuard DNS DoSnvd.nist.gov
    security
  11. CVE-2026-47703: AdGuard Home DNS DoS Vulnerabilitysentinelone.com
    security
  12. Your ad blocker can venture outside the browser for $25boingboing.net
    news
  13. AdGuard DNS vs Cisco Umbrellacontrold.com
    news
  14. AdGuard DNS Personal: 5-Year Subscription (StackSocial)stacksocial.com
    official

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