Quad9 review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Quad9 is the answer for readers who want private DNS with no account to create and no contract to hold, and for anyone putting jurisdiction and logging policy first. It has run from CH since 2016, and the free plan needs no sign-up.
Key facts
- Best for
- Free private DNS with no account, no contract and a stated logging policy.
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- No sign-up, no account data, no contract; no usage limits stated (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android app (Quad9 Connect) (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- Doh, Dot, Dnscrypt (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Logging policy
- No user IP addresses collected or stored; aggregate counters and anonymized threat telemetry only (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- CH (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Privacy tool type
- Private-dns (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Quad9 Foundation (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Switzerland (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2016 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free
- Official website
- quad9.net
Apps and profiles
Pros and cons
Pros
- No sign-up, no account data and no contract, so there is nothing to cancel
- No user IP addresses are collected or stored, only aggregate counters and anonymized threat telemetry
- Encrypted variants for every major resolver type: doh, dot and dnscrypt
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux and is operated from CH by the Quad9 Foundation
Cons
- Support runs on email and help centre, so there is no phone or live chat route
- It is private dns only, so browsing traffic stays outside what the service covers
- The only model in free is free, so there is no paid tier to move up to for extra features
Who it suits
- Readers who want name lookups moved off their default resolver without installing anything
- People who read jurisdiction and logging policy before anything else, since the operator is the Quad9 Foundation in Switzerland
- Mixed device households and small offices, because it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Hide My Email, which masks an email address at signups rather than resolving names over private DNS
- EasyOptOuts, which has no free plan and works on removing data from brokers rather than changing DNS settings
Free plan and trial
The free plan needs no sign-up, stores no account data and involves no contract, so there is nothing to cancel and nothing to hand over before use. Usage limits are not stated. It runs on the free model in free, so entry cost plays no part in the decision to try it.
How Quad9 compares
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 8.8
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 9.5
9.0 vs 9.4
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.2
9.0 vs 9.4
9.0 vs 9.2
9.0 vs 8.8
9.0 vs 9.3
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 9.4
Frequently asked questions
How much does Quad9 cost?+
Nothing. The free plan needs no sign-up, no account data and no contract, and it is the free model in free. There is no introductory rate to weigh against a renewal rate, and nothing to time out, since the service is free from the start.
Is there a paid plan to upgrade to?+
The free plan is the only model listed in free, so there is no paid tier to move up to and no renewal step. What it gives is the full service: doh, dot and dnscrypt are all available at no charge. Setting up the resolver is what takes the time, not payment.
What does Quad9 log?+
No user IP addresses are collected or stored. What is kept runs to aggregate counters and anonymized threat telemetry, and the policy sits with the Quad9 Foundation under CH law. That pairing is the reason privacy-focused readers land on a free resolver rather than a paid ad blocker.
Which devices does it work on?+
It is available across Windows, macOS and Linux, with an Android app listed as Quad9 Connect. The service is DNS based, so anything that can set a resolver can use it, and the platform list is the practical limit rather than per-device pricing.
How do you get help?+
Support runs on email and help centre, so questions go by email or through the help centre. There is no phone line or live chat listed. For a service with no account, that route fits: there is no dashboard, no subscription and no password to reset.
Where is Quad9 based and which law applies?+
The service is run by the Quad9 Foundation, headquartered in Switzerland, and the same country sets the applicable law under CH. No licences or regulators are named, which keeps the compliance picture short to check.
What does private DNS change day to day?+
It changes how names are looked up: private dns over doh, dot and dnscrypt keeps queries away from your default resolver. Set that against no IP address logging and the privacy case is short and clear. The job is narrower than a full network privacy tool.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quad9 checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Founded May 11, 2016”
- quad9.net checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan limits, Pricing model
“No sign-up is required, no account data needs to be given to Quad9, and there is no contract.”
- quad9.net/about checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Privacy tool type
“Quad9 is a free, recursive, anycast DNS platform that provides end users robust security protections, high performance, and privacy.”
- quad9.net/privacy/compliance-and-applicable-law checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Jurisdiction
“Quad9 is entirely and fully subject to Swiss data protection law including the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP)”
- quad9.net/privacy/policy checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity, Logging policy
“The responsible party for Quad9's data and website privacy is the Swiss foundation Quad9, c/o SWITCH, Werdstrasse 2, 8004 Zurich.”
- quad9.net/service/service-addresses-and-features checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Protocols
“DNSCrypt is a less frequently used DNS encryption protocol, but it is supported by Quad9.”
- quad9.net/support/contact checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Email: support@quad9.net”
- quad9.net/support/faq checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan, Platforms
“Yes! Quad9 is completely free for everyone!”
Compiled from 8 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Price from.
Related by the facts
Quad9
Free private DNS with no account, no contract and a stated logging policy.