AdGuard DNS review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
AdGuard DNS suits anyone who wants network level ad blocking without paying, because the public servers work with no account. Registered in Cyprus, the service from Adguard Software Ltd. has run since 2009, while most paid ad blockers in the same category start above €4.38.
Key facts
- Best for
- Free network level ad blocking for anyone who will not pay for a subscription.
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- Free Starter plan by default; public AdGuard DNS servers usable free without account (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Routers (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- Doh, Dot, Doq, Dnscrypt (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Logging policy
- Query log off unless the user enables it; only minimum necessary data collected (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- CY (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Privacy tool type
- Private-dns, Ad-blocker (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Adguard Software Ltd. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Cyprus (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2009 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free
- Official website
- adguard-dns.io
Parental controls
- Platforms
- Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Routers (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Screen-time, Web-filter (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Adguard Software Ltd. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Cyprus (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2009 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- The public AdGuard DNS servers are usable free without an account, so filtering can start before you sign up.
- The query log is off unless you switch it on, and only the minimum necessary data is collected.
- One setting covers Windows, macOS and Android, routers included, so phones and desktops share the same filtering.
- Encrypted DNS options include doh, dot and doq, which matters on networks you do not control.
Cons
- Support runs on email, help centre and community only, with no phone line and no live chat.
- The feature list is short, screen time and web filter, so this stays a simple filter rather than a deep control panel.
Who it suits
- Anyone who wants ad blocking applied at the network rather than in one browser.
- Households that want a single filter across Windows, macOS and Android instead of setting up each device.
- Parents who want the screen time and web filtering entries in screen time and web filter on the same plan.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Hide My Email, if the job is email aliasing: its free plan limits cover Sign in with Apple aliases free with an Apple Account, with a paid storage tier needed to change the forward to address.
- Apple Inc. for the same aliasing route, where changing the forward to address sits behind iCloud+.
- EasyOptOuts, whose free plan is listed as no, so there is no free tier to sit beside this one.
What you get free
AdGuard DNS has a free plan, and a Free Starter plan is what you get by default. The public AdGuard DNS servers are usable free without an account, so you can put filtering in place before you create anything. The Starter plan is the entry tier, so anyone who only wants network level ad blocking can stay on it without a subscription.
Audits, logging and jurisdiction
Logging is quiet by default: the query log stays off unless you switch it on, and only the minimum necessary data is collected. Adguard Software Ltd. is registered in Cyprus, and the terms in force are the ones published by that company, which keeps the rulebook short and easy to check before you sign up.
How AdGuard DNS compares
9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.5
9.3 vs 9.5
9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 9.3
9.3 vs 9.0
9.3 vs 9.0
9.3 vs 9.4
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free plan, and what does it include?+
Yes. A free plan exists, a Free Starter plan is the default, and the public AdGuard DNS servers are usable free without an account. The pricing model is listed as free, so the free tier is the standard starting point rather than a trial that ends.
What does AdGuard DNS actually filter?+
It works at the DNS layer, and the privacy types listed are private dns and ad blocker, so blocking applies to lookups from every app and device on the network rather than to pages open in one browser. Because of that, the filter also reaches background traffic.
Which devices and platforms are covered?+
The service covers Windows, macOS and Android. Phones, desktop systems and routers are all included, so the same filtering can be set once and applied across the household instead of being configured per device or per browser.
What do you log about my browsing?+
The query log is off unless you turn it on, and only the minimum necessary data is collected. Those terms come from Adguard Software Ltd., the company behind the service, so the logging policy in its terms is the place to check what a setup records.
Where is the service based and which law applies?+
Adguard Software Ltd. runs the service from its headquarters in Cyprus, and the terms are governed by CY. The company and the governing terms point to the same country, so there is a single legal entity to read.
How do I get help if the filtering misbehaves?+
Support runs on email, help centre and community. There is a help centre for setup steps, email for questions the articles do not answer, and a community where other users post fixes. Phone and live chat are not in that list, so help arrives in writing.
Is it useful for parental controls as well as ad blocking?+
Partly. The features listed are screen time and web filter, so screen time and web filtering sit alongside the ad blocking on the same plan. For a household that only wants ads blocked, those extras stay switched off and the plan does not change.
Sources
- adguard-dns.io/en/about.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters, Legal entity, Open source
“Since 2009, we at AdGuard have earned a reputation as privacy and security experts”
- adguard-dns.io/en/eula.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Jurisdiction, Logging policy
“This EULA will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Cyprus”
- adguard-dns.io/en/license.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan, Free plan limits, Pricing model, Platforms
“AdGuard DNS Starter is a free plan provided by default.”
- adguard-dns.io/en/support.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Technical support support@adguard-dns.io ... Support center ... FAQ ... Knowledge base ... Discuss”
- adguard-dns.io/en/welcome.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features, Privacy tool type, Protocols
“Shield your kids from undesired content and schedule their screen time”
Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Price from.
Related by the facts
AdGuard DNS
Free network level ad blocking for anyone who will not pay for a subscription.