CleanBrowsing vs Quad9
CleanBrowsing
cleanbrowsing.org
Quad9
quad9.netSide by side
| Figure | CleanBrowsing | Quad9 |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $6.25/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 7 | 1 |
| Spec score · DNS Filtering Services | 8.0 (#12) | 8.0 (#14) |
| Spec score · DNS Filtering Software | 8.0 (#9) | 8.0 (#10) |
| Headquarters | Fully remote; no physical office or headquarters | Zürich, Switzerland |
| Integrations | Official integration guides cover Mosyle, Google Workspace Chrome, Microsoft Intune, Active Directory, the REST API, NordVPN, and ProtonVPN. | Quad9 documentation includes guides for Cloudflared, Pi-hole, and open-source routers including pfSense, OPNsense, OpenWrt, MikroTik RouterOS, and IPFire. |
| Privacy | Free public filters do not log personally identifiable information tied to DNS requests, while paid customers can choose their logging level. | Quad9 does not store end-user IP addresses and is governed by Swiss privacy law. |
| Support | Support is provided by email at [email protected], with a typical response time of within 8 hours. | Quad9 support assists with setup questions and issues through its support team. |
Plans
CleanBrowsing
- Basic$8.99 a month
- Pro 50$15 a month
- Pro 100$30 a month
- Basic$75 a year
- Pro 50$150 a year
- Pro 100$300 a year
- CustomPriced on request
In their own words
CleanBrowsing
CleanBrowsing is a DNS-based content-filtering service for restricting access to explicit material and categories such as gambling, torrents, gaming, and social media. Its resolver filters fully qualified domain names, and its anycast network has more than 50 data centers. The service uses a proprietary machine-learning platform to find and classify new domains. DNSCrypt, DNS-over-TLS, and DNS-over-HTTPS are supported by default, while DNSSEC is enforced and validated. Free public filters do not log personally identifiable information tied to DNS requests; paid customers can choose their logging level. Paid plans add custom domain rules, TLD blocking, device profiles with different filtering rules, and an option to block all internet access. Activity logging supports searches by domain, profile, and day. Apps are available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, and devices can also be configured manually with DNS settings. Listed platforms include Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, Windows, and API. There is a free plan; paid pricing is listed from $75/yr, while monthly plans start at $8.99 a month. Self-service plans do not include a trial.
Quad9
Quad9 is a free recursive DNS service that blocks requests to domains associated with malware, viruses, adware, phishing and scams. It draws on threat information from more than 20 partners to identify malicious domains. The service supports DNS over TLS, DNS over HTTPS and DNSCrypt, and provides DNSSEC validation on its resolver services. Quad9 says it does not store end-user IP addresses and operates under Swiss privacy law. Its focus is malicious-domain blocking, not content filtering; it also does not offer custom domain policies. Setup documentation covers Cloudflared, Pi-hole and open-source routers including pfSense, OPNsense, OpenWrt, MikroTik RouterOS and IPFire. Support assists with setup questions and issues. Quad9 reports 99.999% uptime for its global anycast service. The service costs nothing, with no contract or sign-up process, and is listed for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows. Large organizations planning high-volume DNS traffic are asked to contact Quad9 first.