Why people leave Pi-hole
- The Raspberry Pi is a single point of failure. When the SD card dies or the power blips, every device on the network loses DNS at the same time.
- DNS-only blocking has blind spots. Apps and websites that pull ads from the same hostname they serve content from (YouTube, Spotify, the Twitch overlay) keep showing ads.
- DoH and DoT route around it. Browsers and apps that ship Direct DNS-over-HTTPS bypass the Pi entirely unless you actively block their resolvers.
- Maintenance is real. Blocklist updates, container patches, hostname rewrites, and the occasional family member breaking the wifi to ask why a website is broken.
- Mobile users away from home get nothing. The moment you leave the wifi, the phone is back on the carrier’s resolver until you stitch on a VPN.
If any of these has you reconsidering, here are seven Pi-hole alternatives covering self-hosted, cloud DNS, and on-device picks.
Which app should you choose?
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AdGuard Home if you want a Pi-hole replacement on the same hardware, with a friendlier dashboard, built-in DoH and DoT, and per-client rules out of the box.
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AdGuard if you want network-level blocking on a phone, no Raspberry Pi required. The Android app does DNS, system-wide HTTPS filtering, and stealth mode in one paid product.
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NextDNS if you want zero hardware. It is a hosted DNS resolver with the Pi-hole feature set: blocklists, rewrites, allowlists, logs, and per-device profiles, all configured from a web dashboard.
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ControlD if you want hosted DNS with profiles and filters per device, plus a malware tier and the option to block whole categories (gambling, adult content, social media) without rolling your own list.
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Mullvad DNS if all you want is free, privacy-respecting DNS with optional ad and tracker blocking, no account, and no logs.
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Blokada if you want an Android-only, on-device DNS-blocker with a free version that does not require a paid VPN tunnel.
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Technitium DNS if Pi-hole is too closed, and you want a self-hosted resolver with full DoH/DoT/DoQ support, conditional forwarding, and a feature list closer to enterprise DNS.
Stay on Pi-hole if your home lab is already up, the Pi has been running fine for two years, and the Pi-hole admin UI does what you need. Pi-hole is mature, battle-tested, and free, and if it works for your house, none of these moves are required.
1. AdGuard Home — the easiest Pi-hole switch
AdGuard Home is the most direct Pi-hole replacement. It runs as a single binary on a Raspberry Pi, mini PC, NAS, or in a Docker container, and configures a network-wide DNS sinkhole the same way. The dashboard is more polished than Pi-hole’s, with per-client filtering rules, query logs, and built-in encrypted DNS upstream support.
Compared to Pi-hole, AdGuard Home wins on three things. It supports DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, and DNS-over-QUIC out of the box (Pi-hole needs Cloudflared or Unbound layered on top). It includes safe-search enforcement and parental-control filters as a native feature. And the per-client configuration is built into the dashboard rather than scripted.
The on-device AdGuard Android app is what makes the ecosystem reach beyond the home network. Install AdGuard on your phone, point it at your AdGuard Home or any DNS endpoint, and the same blocklists follow you off the wifi without a VPN tunnel.
Advantages:
- Built-in DoH, DoT, DoQ upstreams
- Cleaner dashboard than Pi-hole, less terminal time
- Same hardware footprint, drop-in replacement
- Native parental controls and safe search
Disadvantages:
- Younger project than Pi-hole, smaller community
- Some Pi-hole add-ons (PADD, Teleporter) have no exact equivalent
- The on-device Android app is paid
Pricing: AdGuard Home itself is free and open-source. The AdGuard mobile and desktop apps are sold as a paid lifetime or annual licence covering multiple devices.
2. AdGuard (Android) — on-device blocker, no Pi required
AdGuard for Android is the move when you do not want to run a Pi at all. It runs a local VPN on the phone, intercepts DNS and HTTPS traffic, and applies the same blocklist filters Pi-hole uses (EasyList, AdGuard Filter Lists, custom additions). No root required, no proxy server.
Where it goes further than DNS-only blocking is HTTPS filtering. AdGuard installs a local certificate that lets it filter inside encrypted apps that DNS sinkholing cannot reach (YouTube, Twitch, ad-supported games). That is a privacy trade-off the user has to be comfortable with, and it is opt-in.
The Android app is sold as a paid product. The free version does DNS-level blocking, which is roughly Pi-hole-equivalent on a phone. The paid version adds HTTPS filtering, app-level rules, stealth mode, browser security, and roaming-aware DNS.
Advantages:
- Works without rooted device or system VPN
- HTTPS filtering reaches inside encrypted apps
- Same blocklist format as AdGuard Home
- Roams with the phone, no need for the home network
Disadvantages:
- Most useful features are paid
- HTTPS filtering requires installing a certificate
- Single-device, not network-wide
Pricing: Free for DNS-level blocking. Premium is sold as either a yearly subscription per device or a one-time lifetime licence covering multiple devices.
3. NextDNS — the hosted Pi-hole
NextDNS is what Pi-hole would be if you outsourced the hardware. It is a hosted DNS resolver that you point your router or device at, and the dashboard exposes blocklists, rewrites, allowlists, query logs, parental controls, and per-profile rules. The free tier handles a generous monthly query allowance, enough for most single-household use.
The blocklist library is the largest in this category. The standard Pi-hole lists are there, plus aggregator lists (HaGeZi, OISD, Energized, MarcoMoll), category filters (gambling, adult, social), and custom rule support with regex. Logs can be ephemeral or retained, the choice is in the dashboard.
The Android app makes mobile straightforward. Install the NextDNS app or its Android Private DNS string, and your phone is on the same profile at home and on cellular. The desktop client does the same on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Advantages:
- No hardware to maintain
- Largest blocklist library out of the box
- Per-profile rules, easy device assignment
- Free tier covers most household traffic
Disadvantages:
- Cloud-hosted: the resolver sees your DNS queries
- Free tier has a monthly query limit
- Less control than self-hosted for power users
Pricing: Free up to a monthly query limit. The Pro plan removes the cap and is billed monthly or yearly, with a discount for the annual prepay.
4. ControlD — hosted DNS with profiles per device
ControlD is the closest competitor to NextDNS, and the differentiator is per-device profile granularity. You can pin a phone to one profile (no ads, no malware, full social media), the kid’s tablet to another (no ads, no malware, parental categories blocked), and the work laptop to a third, all on the free tier.
The product also markets a malware-and-trackers-only tier that does DNS resolution at zero cost, no account required. That is the no-friction way to evaluate it without setting up profiles. The paid tier opens up custom rules, alternative routing (geographic), and a privacy-respecting log retention policy.
ControlD owns its full anycast network, which generally translates to faster resolution than Cloudflare or Google for most home users. The Android and iOS apps install a system-wide DNS profile and switch automatically between profiles based on network conditions.
Advantages:
- Per-device profiles even on the free tier
- Owns its own anycast network, fast resolution
- Free malware-and-tracker tier with no account
- Strong mobile clients with auto-switching profiles
Disadvantages:
- Smaller blocklist library than NextDNS
- Cloud-hosted, queries go through ControlD
- Custom rules and analytics are paid
Pricing: Free tier with the basic malware-and-trackers profile. Paid tiers (Personal and Family) add custom rules, full analytics, and additional profiles, billed monthly or yearly.
5. Mullvad DNS — free, no logs, no account
Mullvad DNS is the cleanest free option on this list. It is a public DNS resolver run by the Mullvad VPN team that does not require an account, does not log queries, and has a few preset profiles: ads-only, ads-and-trackers, ads-and-trackers-and-malware, and family-friendly. You point your device at the relevant DoH endpoint and you are done.
There is no dashboard, no analytics, no per-device rules, and no allowlist UI. That is the point. If Pi-hole’s logging and customization is the maintenance you want to escape, Mullvad DNS is the lowest-overhead alternative on the list.
The Mullvad VPN Android app bundles DNS toggles in the same place. If you already use Mullvad for VPN, ad blocking is one switch in settings. If you do not use a VPN, the public DoH endpoint is enough.
Advantages:
- Free, no account, no payment
- No logs, audited
- Several preset profiles cover most needs
- Run by a privacy-credible team
Disadvantages:
- No dashboard, no per-device customization
- No allowlist for false positives
- One-size profiles, no custom blocklists
Pricing: Free. Mullvad VPN itself is a paid subscription, but the DNS service is free to anyone.
6. Blokada — on-device DNS-blocker for Android
Blokada is the Android-only on-device alternative when you want Pi-hole’s effect on a single phone, no Pi required. The app runs a local VPN, applies blocklists, and provides per-app allowlists. The Slim variant on the Play Store is DNS-only and free; the original Blokada (sideload or self-host) does fuller filtering.
The free tier covers DNS-level blocking on a single device with a starter blocklist. The paid Plus tier adds a real VPN tunnel through Blokada’s exit nodes for users who want to combine ad-blocking with location masking, and a Cloud subscription that syncs settings across devices.
For users who want a “Pi-hole in my pocket” without subscribing to AdGuard, this is the cleanest open-source play. The codebase has been audited and the development is active.
Advantages:
- Open-source Android client
- Free tier does DNS-level blocking on the device
- Available on F-Droid for users who avoid Play Services
- Single-device, no infrastructure required
Disadvantages:
- Android-only flagship (iOS exists but is more limited)
- Plus and Cloud features are paid
- Fragmented across Slim, Plus, and Cloud product lines
Pricing: Free for the Slim DNS app. Plus (VPN tunnel) and Cloud (cross-device sync) are paid monthly subscriptions.
7. Technitium DNS — the power-user self-host
Technitium DNS Server is the answer when Pi-hole feels too constrained. It is a self-hosted DNS resolver that runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi, or in Docker, and the feature list is closer to enterprise DNS than to a hobbyist sinkhole: full authoritative and recursive DNS, conditional forwarding, DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, DNS-over-QUIC, advanced blocklist management, and zone editing.
The setup is heavier than Pi-hole’s. The dashboard exposes more knobs, the documentation is denser, and the learning curve is real. In return, you get a resolver that can host your own zones, conditional-forward different lookups to different upstreams, and run as a real authoritative server for a domain you own.
For most home users, this is overkill. For users who already have a home lab with their own services and want one DNS resolver to rule everything, it is the cleanest choice on the list.
Advantages:
- Most powerful self-hosted resolver in the category
- Full DoH, DoT, DoQ, authoritative DNS, zone hosting
- Cross-platform (Windows, Linux, macOS, Pi, Docker)
- Active development, frequent releases
Disadvantages:
- Steeper learning curve than Pi-hole or AdGuard Home
- No first-party Android management app
- Dashboard exposes a lot of options that most users do not need
Pricing: Free and open-source. No paid tier.
Quick comparison table
| App | Best for | Hosting | Free plan | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AdGuard Home | Direct Pi-hole replacement | Self-hosted | Fully free | Built-in DoH/DoT/DoQ |
| AdGuard (Android) | On-device blocking | Local VPN | Free DNS tier | HTTPS filtering |
| NextDNS | Hosted Pi-hole feature set | Cloud | Monthly query limit | Largest blocklist library |
| ControlD | Per-device profiles | Cloud | Free malware tier | Profile auto-switching |
| Mullvad DNS | Free zero-account | Cloud | Fully free | No logs, no signup |
| Blokada | Open-source Android | Local VPN | Slim is free | F-Droid availability |
| Technitium DNS | Power-user self-host | Self-hosted | Fully free | Authoritative DNS |
How to choose
If you want the smallest Pi-hole switch, install AdGuard Home on the same Raspberry Pi. The blocklists migrate, the dashboard is friendlier, and the encrypted upstream support is built in.
If you want to stop running a Pi entirely, NextDNS is the closest cloud equivalent and Mullvad DNS is the no-friction free pick.
If your problem is the moment you leave the house, on-device tools beat any home network solution. AdGuard for Android is the paid pick, Blokada is the free open-source one.
If your home lab has multiple users with different needs, ControlD is the cleanest profile-per-device answer at a low monthly cost.
If you are a power user who wants more than Pi-hole offers, Technitium DNS is the only resolver here that competes on feature count.
FAQ
Is AdGuard Home better than Pi-hole?
For most users in 2026, yes. The dashboard is friendlier, encrypted upstream DNS works out of the box, and per-client rules do not require terminal commands. Pi-hole still has the bigger community and more third-party tools, so it remains a strong choice for users already invested.
Can a Pi-hole alternative block YouTube ads?
DNS-level blocking cannot fully strip ads served from the same domain as the content (YouTube, Twitch, Spotify). On-device tools like AdGuard with HTTPS filtering get closer because they can intercept encrypted traffic, but no DNS-only solution covers YouTube ads completely.
Is NextDNS safe to use?
NextDNS publishes a no-logging-by-default policy, supports encrypted DNS (DoH, DoT, DoQ), and offers ephemeral logs that auto-delete. The trade-off compared to a self-hosted Pi-hole is that NextDNS sees your DNS queries before they reach the resolver, while Pi-hole keeps everything on local hardware.
Do I still need a VPN if I use Pi-hole or NextDNS?
DNS-level blocking covers ads and trackers but not encrypted traffic content or your IP address. A VPN serves a different purpose (location masking and tunnel encryption). The two are complementary, not redundant.
What is the cheapest Pi-hole alternative?
Mullvad DNS, AdGuard Home, and Technitium DNS are fully free. NextDNS, ControlD, and Blokada have free tiers covering most personal use. The free options outnumber the paid ones in this category.
