The Domain Name System (DNS) is one of the most important building blocks of the internet. Through DNS, computers resolve domains (e.g. netguide.io) into their matching IP address – DNS finds the address behind a name. This list contains the fastest and most secure public DNS servers in 2026, with every IPv4, IPv6, DoH and DoT address ready to copy.
Even though we reach the internet through domains like www.netguide.io, computers work with IP addresses. Such an IP looks like this, for example: 192.168.178.125. Because these number strings are hard to remember, we type the domain – and the router asks a DNS server for the matching IP.
By default, your internet provider’s DNS servers handle this. But if you don’t want your requests logged, or if the provider’s servers are often slow or unreliable, you can switch to an alternative DNS resolver. Many of them also come with ad, tracker and malware filtering built in.
Overview: The best DNS servers compared
The most important public DNS resolvers at a glance. You’ll find the detailed tables with IPv6, DoH and DoT addresses further down under each provider.
| Provider | IPv4 primary | IPv4 secondary | Privacy | Country | Filtering |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | 1.1.1.1 | 1.0.0.1 | Very good | USA | Optional (1.1.1.2 / 1.1.1.3) |
| Quad9 | 9.9.9.9 | 149.112.112.112 | Very good | Switzerland | Malware |
| 8.8.8.8 | 8.8.4.4 | Adequate | USA | No | |
| AdGuard DNS | 94.140.14.14 | 94.140.15.15 | Good | Cyprus | Ads + trackers |
| dns0.eu | 193.110.81.0 | 185.253.5.0 | Very good | EU (France) | Malware (+ Kids/Zero) |
| Mullvad | 194.242.2.2 | — | Very good | Sweden | Optional (adblock) |
| ControlD | 76.76.2.0 | 76.76.10.0 | Good | Canada | Customizable |
| digitalcourage | 5.9.164.112 | — | Very good | Germany | No |
| OpenDNS | 208.67.222.222 | 208.67.220.220 | Unknown | USA | Optional (FamilyShield) |
| CleanBrowsing | 185.228.168.9 | 185.228.169.9 | Unknown | USA | Yes (3 tiers) |
| Comodo Secure DNS | 8.26.56.26 | 8.20.247.20 | Unknown | USA | Malware |
Cloudflare (1.1.1.1)
Cloudflare runs one of the fastest public DNS resolvers in the world with 1.1.1.1. According to the company, no requests are permanently logged; an independent annual audit confirms this. Servers are distributed globally and the fastest location is always used. The variants 1.1.1.2 (malware protection) and 1.1.1.3 (malware + adult content) let you filter without any extra software.
| Cloudflare | IPv4 1 | IPv4 2 | IPv6 1 | IPv6 2 | DoH | DoT |
| Standard (unfiltered) | 1.1.1.1 | 1.0.0.1 | 2606:4700:4700::1111 | 2606:4700:4700::1001 | https://cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query | one.one.one.one |
| Malware protection | 1.1.1.2 | 1.0.0.2 | 2606:4700:4700::1112 | 2606:4700:4700::1002 | https://security.cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query | security.cloudflare-dns.com |
| Family filter | 1.1.1.3 | 1.0.0.3 | 2606:4700:4700::1113 | 2606:4700:4700::1003 | https://family.cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query | family.cloudflare-dns.com |
| Privacy | Very good | |||||
| Country | USA |
Quad9 (9.9.9.9)
Quad9 is a public DNS resolver network run by a non-profit foundation based in Switzerland (backed by IBM, Packet Clearing House and the Global Cyber Alliance, among others). Its key feature: domains linked to malware, phishing or botnets are blocked automatically. If you don’t want filtering, use the “unsecured” address 9.9.9.10.
| Quad9 | IPv4 1 | IPv4 2 | IPv6 1 | IPv6 2 | DoH | DoT |
| Malware blocking + DNSSEC | 9.9.9.9 | 149.112.112.112 | 2620:fe::fe | 2620:fe::9 | https://dns.quad9.net/dns-query | dns.quad9.net |
| No filtering (unsecured) | 9.9.9.10 | 149.112.112.10 | 2620:fe::10 | 2620:fe::fe:10 | https://dns10.quad9.net/dns-query | dns10.quad9.net |
| Privacy | Very good | |||||
| Country | Switzerland |
Google (8.8.8.8)
Google Public DNS is one of the best-known resolvers and responds quickly and reliably. On privacy, though, keep in mind that Google already collects a lot of data. If privacy matters to you, a more data-frugal resolver is the better choice.
| Google DNS | IPv4 1 | IPv4 2 | IPv6 1 | IPv6 2 | DoH | DoT |
| Standard DNS | 8.8.8.8 | 8.8.4.4 | 2001:4860:4860::8888 | 2001:4860:4860::8844 | https://dns.google/dns-query | dns.google |
| Privacy | Adequate | |||||
| Country | USA | |||||
| Filtering | No |
AdGuard DNS (94.140.14.14)
AdGuard DNS is a free resolver that blocks ads and trackers at the DNS level – with no extra software on the device. There are three profiles: the Default server (ads + trackers), the Family server (also adult content + safe search) and a Non-filtering server without any blocking.
| AdGuard DNS | IPv4 1 | IPv4 2 | IPv6 1 | IPv6 2 | DoH | DoT |
| Default (ads + trackers) | 94.140.14.14 | 94.140.15.15 | 2a10:50c0::ad1:ff | 2a10:50c0::ad2:ff | https://dns.adguard-dns.com/dns-query | dns.adguard-dns.com |
| Family (+ adult + safe search) | 94.140.14.15 | 94.140.15.16 | 2a10:50c0::bad1:ff | 2a10:50c0::bad2:ff | https://family.adguard-dns.com/dns-query | family.adguard-dns.com |
| Non-filtering | 94.140.14.140 | 94.140.14.141 | 2a10:50c0::1:ff | 2a10:50c0::2:ff | https://unfiltered.adguard-dns.com/dns-query | unfiltered.adguard-dns.com |
| Privacy | Good | |||||
| Country | Cyprus |
dns0.eu (193.110.81.0)
dns0.eu is a non-profit, European resolver with servers exclusively in the EU and strict GDPR compliance – no personal data is stored. Alongside the standard resolver with malware protection, there is ZERO (maximum security, aggressive blocking) and KIDS (child-safe, adult content filtered).
| dns0.eu | IPv4 1 | IPv4 2 | IPv6 1 | IPv6 2 | DoH | DoT |
| Standard | 193.110.81.0 | 185.253.5.0 | 2a0f:fc80:: | 2a0f:fc81:: | https://dns0.eu | dns0.eu |
| ZERO (max security) | 193.110.81.9 | 185.253.5.9 | 2a0f:fc80::9 | 2a0f:fc81::9 | https://zero.dns0.eu | zero.dns0.eu |
| KIDS (child-safe) | 193.110.81.1 | 185.253.5.1 | 2a0f:fc80::1 | 2a0f:fc81::1 | https://kids.dns0.eu | kids.dns0.eu |
| Privacy | Very good | |||||
| Country | EU (France) |
Mullvad DNS (194.242.2.2)
Mullvad, known for its privacy-friendly VPN, also runs a free public DNS resolver from Sweden. Nothing is logged. Besides the unfiltered server, there are variants with an ad/tracker blocker plus additional malware or adult-content filtering.
| Mullvad DNS | IPv4 | IPv6 | DoH | DoT |
| Standard (no filtering) | 194.242.2.2 | 2a07:e340::2 | https://dns.mullvad.net/dns-query | dns.mullvad.net |
| Adblock (ads + trackers) | 194.242.2.3 | 2a07:e340::3 | https://adblock.dns.mullvad.net/dns-query | adblock.dns.mullvad.net |
| Family (ads, trackers, adult, gambling) | 194.242.2.6 | 2a07:e340::6 | https://family.dns.mullvad.net/dns-query | family.dns.mullvad.net |
| Privacy | Very good | |||
| Country | Sweden |
ControlD (76.76.2.0)
Control D offers several free, pre-configured resolvers – from a completely unfiltered server to profiles that block malware, ads, trackers or social media services. For custom rules, you can also create your own DNS profile for free.
| Control D | IPv4 1 | IPv4 2 | DoH | DoT |
| Unfiltered | 76.76.2.0 | 76.76.10.0 | https://freedns.controld.com/p0 | p0.freedns.controld.com |
| Malware protection | 76.76.2.1 | 76.76.10.1 | https://freedns.controld.com/p1 | p1.freedns.controld.com |
| Malware + ads + trackers | 76.76.2.2 | 76.76.10.2 | https://freedns.controld.com/p2 | p2.freedns.controld.com |
| + Social media | 76.76.2.3 | 76.76.10.3 | https://freedns.controld.com/p3 | p3.freedns.controld.com |
| Privacy | Good | |||
| Country | Canada |
digitalcourage
Digitalcourage – called FoeBuD until 2012 – is an association founded in 1987 in Bielefeld, Germany, campaigning for data protection and unhindered communication. Its censorship-free server sits in a German data centre and logs no normal user requests (only malformed requests, usually from attackers or broken software).
| digitalcourage | IPv4 | IPv6 | DoH | DoT |
| Standard DNS | 5.9.164.112 | 2a01:4f8:251:554::2 | https://dns3.digitalcourage.de/dns-query | dns3.digitalcourage.de |
| Privacy | Very good | |||
| Country | Germany | |||
| Filtering | No (censorship-free) |
OpenDNS (208.67.222.222)
OpenDNS was founded in 2006 and is now owned by Cisco (USA). The free service is stable and, with FamilyShield (208.67.222.123), offers a pre-configured variant that blocks adult content.
| OpenDNS | IPv4 1 | IPv4 2 | IPv6 | DoH |
| Standard (Home) | 208.67.222.222 | 208.67.220.220 | 2620:119:35::35 | https://doh.opendns.com/dns-query |
| FamilyShield (adult filter) | 208.67.222.123 | 208.67.220.123 | — | https://doh.familyshield.opendns.com/dns-query |
| Privacy | Unknown | |||
| Country | USA |
CleanBrowsing
CleanBrowsing is a free public DNS resolver with content filtering. Three profiles are available: the Family filter blocks adult content, proxies/VPNs and phishing and enforces safe search. The Adult filter only blocks adult content and malicious domains, and the Security filter only phishing/malware.
| CleanBrowsing | IPv4 1 | IPv4 2 | IPv6 1 | DoH | DoT |
| Security filter | 185.228.168.9 | 185.228.169.9 | 2a0d:2a00:1::2 | https://doh.cleanbrowsing.org/doh/security-filter/ | security-filter-dns.cleanbrowsing.org |
| Adult filter | 185.228.168.10 | 185.228.169.11 | 2a0d:2a00:1::1 | https://doh.cleanbrowsing.org/doh/adult-filter/ | adult-filter-dns.cleanbrowsing.org |
| Family filter | 185.228.168.168 | 185.228.169.168 | 2a0d:2a00:1:: | https://doh.cleanbrowsing.org/doh/family-filter/ | family-filter-dns.cleanbrowsing.org |
| Privacy | Unknown | ||||
| Country | USA |
Comodo Secure DNS
Comodo Secure DNS is a free resolver from the US security vendor Comodo. It blocks known malware, phishing and fraud domains and warns about dangerous websites. IPv6 and encrypted DNS are not officially supported.
| Comodo Secure DNS | IPv4 1 | IPv4 2 | Filtering | Country |
| Standard DNS | 8.26.56.26 | 8.20.247.20 | Malware / phishing | USA |
| Privacy | Unknown |
How to change your DNS server
You can change the DNS server in two places: on the router (applies to every device on the network) or directly on a device (that device only).
On the router (recommended)
- Open the router interface in your browser (e.g.
fritz.boxor192.168.178.1on a FritzBox). - Go to Internet → Account Information → DNS Server (wording varies by model).
- Choose “Use other DNSv4/DNSv6 servers” and enter the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses from the table (primary + secondary).
- Save – reboot the router if needed. Done, for every device on the network.
On Windows 11
Settings → Network & internet → (Wi-Fi/Ethernet) → Hardware properties → DNS server assignment → Edit → Manual. Enable IPv4, enter the preferred and alternate DNS. For encrypted DNS, choose “DNS over HTTPS: On (automatic template)”.
On Linux
On systems using systemd-resolved, edit /etc/systemd/resolved.conf (DNS= and optionally DNSOverTLS=yes) and restart the service. Alternatively, NetworkManager sets the DNS servers per connection.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Which DNS server is the best?
There’s no single “best” one. For maximum speed, Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) is excellent; for security with a malware filter, Quad9 (9.9.9.9); for privacy in the EU, dns0.eu or digitalcourage; and for ad-free browsing, AdGuard DNS or Mullvad. It’s best to test two or three providers.
Does a different DNS server make the internet faster?
Somewhat. A fast resolver noticeably shortens the time until a connection is established, especially if your provider’s DNS is slow. Your raw download bandwidth doesn’t change.
What are DoH and DoT?
DoH (DNS over HTTPS) and DoT (DNS over TLS) encrypt your DNS requests so that neither your provider nor third parties on the network can see which domains you visit. Every major provider in this list supports at least one of the two methods.
Can I block ads with DNS?
Yes. Resolvers such as AdGuard DNS, Mullvad Adblock or Control D filter ads and trackers at the DNS level – across all devices and without a browser extension. If you want even more control, run your own Pi-hole with blocklists.
Are public DNS servers free?
Every resolver listed here is free for private use. Some providers (Control D, NextDNS, AdGuard) also offer paid plans with custom filtering rules and statistics.