Pi-hole vs PowerDNS Authoritative Server
Pi-hole
pi-hole.net
PowerDNS Authoritative Server
powerdns.comSide by side
| Figure | Pi-hole | PowerDNS Authoritative Server |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $816.67/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · DNS Server Software | 7.6 (#13) | 8.0 (#6) |
| Purpose | Pi-hole is a DNS sinkhole that protects devices from unwanted content without installing client-side software. | The Authoritative Server hosts domain names and answers DNS queries for records it serves. |
| Security | Pi-hole creates a self-signed certificate during installation to encrypt its web interface and API, though browsers do not trust that certificate by default. | The API uses a configured static API key sent in the X-API-Key header. |
| Support | The project is maintained by volunteer developers and accepts donations, issue reports, feature suggestions, and pull requests. | Commercial support is available under SLAs, with service levels ranging from office hours to 24/7 and assistance with deployment and configuration. |
Plans
PowerDNS Authoritative Server
- Basic (PowerDNS Authoritative Essentials)$9,800 a year
- Advanced (PowerDNS Authoritative Essentials)$13,600 a year
- Pro (PowerDNS Authoritative Essentials)$17,400 a year
In their own words
PowerDNS Authoritative Server
PowerDNS Authoritative Server has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.