Best Public DNS: AdGuard vs Cloudflare vs Google vs OpenDNS

Every time you open a website, your device asks a DNS server where to find it. Most people never change the default their internet provider hands out, but picking the best public DNS for your needs is one of the easiest privacy and security upgrades you can make. It takes a couple of minutes and costs nothing.

This post compares the four free services I come across most often: AdGuard DNS, Cloudflare DNS, Google Public DNS and OpenDNS. Each one comes in more than one flavour, and the differences between flavours matter more than the brand names.

What DNS actually does

DNS is the internet's phone book. You type a name like rodneylungayan.com, and a DNS resolver looks up the numeric IP address your browser needs to connect.

Whoever runs that resolver sees every domain your device looks up. By default, that's usually your internet provider. Switching to a public resolver changes who sees those lookups, and some resolvers also refuse to answer for domains known to serve ads, malware or adult content. That refusal is what people mean by DNS filtering.

One thing to keep separate: this post is about the DNS your devices use to browse. The DNS records you manage for your own domain are a different job, which I covered when setting up DNS records for a new domain.

1. AdGuard DNS: block ads and trackers

AdGuard DNS is the pick if you want fewer ads and trackers without installing anything on each device. It has two main options:

• Default: blocks ads and trackers.
• Family: everything in Default, plus adult content filtering.

Because the blocking happens at the DNS level, it also works inside apps and on smart TVs where a browser extension can't reach. The trade-off is that the occasional site or app breaks when a domain it relies on gets blocked. If that happens, switching DNS back for a moment tells you quickly whether the filter is the cause.

2. Cloudflare DNS: fast, private, with optional filtering

Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 resolver comes in three versions:

• Standard: fast, privacy-focused DNS with no filtering.
• Security: blocks known malware domains.
• Family: filters both malware and adult content.

What I like here is that the three tiers are simply different addresses. You can run Standard on your own laptop and Family on a child's tablet without creating an account or managing a dashboard.

3. Google Public DNS: reliable and unfiltered

Google Public DNS has one version: a reliable, unfiltered resolver. It answers for everything, including domains the other services would block.

That makes it a good neutral baseline, and a handy test when something won't load. If a site works on Google DNS but not on a filtered resolver, you know the filter is involved rather than your network or the site itself. Just remember it won't protect you from anything, and your lookups go to Google.

4. OpenDNS: security features and FamilyShield

OpenDNS, now part of Cisco, offers two public options:

• Standard: public DNS with built-in security features.
• FamilyShield: blocks adult content.

FamilyShield needs no sign-up. You point a device or router at it and the filtering is already on, which makes it an easy choice for a household that wants protection without any setup beyond the addresses.

Quick reference: the addresses

Each service gives you a primary and a secondary address. Always enter both, so browsing keeps working if one is unavailable.

• AdGuard Default: 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15
• AdGuard Family: 94.140.14.15 and 94.140.15.16
• Cloudflare Standard: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
• Cloudflare Security: 1.1.1.2 and 1.0.0.2
• Cloudflare Family: 1.1.1.3 and 1.0.0.3
• Google Public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
• OpenDNS Standard: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220
• OpenDNS FamilyShield: 208.67.222.123 and 208.67.220.123

These are the IPv4 addresses. Each provider lists its IPv6 and encrypted DNS options on its own setup page.

How to choose the best public DNS for you

Start with what you want to stop, not with the brand:

• Speed and privacy, no blocking: Cloudflare Standard.
• Fewer ads and trackers on every device: AdGuard Default.
• Malware blocking with nothing else changed: Cloudflare Security or OpenDNS Standard.
• Kids on the network: Cloudflare Family, AdGuard Family or OpenDNS FamilyShield.
• A plain, unfiltered baseline for testing: Google Public DNS.

For a small office, I'd lean towards a malware-blocking option set on the router. It quietly stops some bad links before anyone gets to the page, and nobody has to install anything.

Speed differences between these services are usually small and depend on where you are. If speed matters to you, test from your own connection rather than trusting someone else's chart.

How to switch your DNS

1. On the router: change the DNS servers in the router's admin page, usually under the WAN or internet settings. Every device on that network follows, including phones and smart TVs.
2. On a single device: set the DNS servers in the network settings on Windows, macOS, Android or iOS. This is handy for a laptop you take to cafes and co-working spaces.
3. Use encrypted DNS where you can: modern browsers and phones support DNS over HTTPS or DNS over TLS. On Android, look for Private DNS. Encryption stops others on the same network from reading your lookups.

After switching, open a few sites you use every day to check nothing has broken. Keep a note of your old settings so you can roll back in seconds.

What DNS filtering won't do

DNS filtering adds a useful layer of protection, but it doesn't replace antivirus software or safe browsing habits. It only acts at the moment of lookup.

It can't scan a file you've already downloaded. It won't stop you typing a password into a fake page on a domain it doesn't know about yet. Some apps and devices also use their own DNS and skip your settings entirely.

So treat it as one layer. Keep your software updated, use a password manager and two-factor authentication, and be suspicious of surprise links. If you run a website, the same layered approach applies there too, which I walk through in WordPress security basics with Cloudflare.

Want help setting up Cloudflare, SSL and DNS for your business website, or keeping it secure month to month? Have a look at my WordPress maintenance and security service, browse all my services, or get in touch and tell me what you're running.