NextDNS
Configurable DNS filtering on phones and laptops—free tier, no Pi required.
Quick facts
- Price model
- Freemium
- Starting price
- Free tier; Pro ~$20/year
- Best for
- Phone ad blocking · Kids' device filtering · Travel DNS protection
- Replaces
- Pi-hole when away from home, Paid DNS security apps
- Platforms
- iOSAndroidMacWindowsLinux
- Last verified
- 2026-06-22
Why it's listed
Annual Pro pricing beats monthly security app stacks—and works off your home network.
NextDNS blocks ads, trackers, and malware at the DNS level with per-device profiles. Free tier covers typical household usage. Lighter lift than Pi-hole when you want protection on cellular and travel—not just home Wi‑Fi.
The catch
Query limits on free tier; aggressive lists can break apps until allowlisted.
Good fit for
- Families without a homelab
- Pi-hole users wanting mobile parity
Not ideal for
- People wanting 100% self-hosted DNS only
Alternatives
Pi-hole
Network-wide ad and tracker blocking on your home router—no monthly DNS subscription.
Replaces: NextDNS paid tiers, AdGuard Home cloud…
Prepaid Phone Plan Guide
Use prepaid carriers to pay only for months you need—no postpaid surprise bills.
Replaces: $80+ postpaid family plans, Phone bills that creep up every year
SIM-Only Plan Guide
Keep your phone, drop carrier financing—SIM-only MVNOs cut the monthly total.
Replaces: Carrier device payment plans, Big three postpaid
Family Plan Audit Checklist
Line-by-line review of who uses how much data and whether bundling still saves money.
Replaces: Blind family plan renewals