The Most Reliable DNS Server, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the server you think is the most reliable!

Updated on Apr 29, 2024 06:55

In the world of online connectivity, DNS servers are like the unsung heroes guiding your internet journey behind the scenes. Determining which servers are the most reliable can significantly optimize browsing experiences, reduce latency, and enhance security against online threats. With so many options available, finding the best can often feel like searching for a needle in a digital haystack. That's where your input becomes critical. By voting for the DNS server you find the most dependable, you contribute to a community-driven effort to identify top performers. This crowd-sourced approach not only democratizes the evaluation process but also keeps the data current and reflective of real user experiences. Engaging in this process not only aids others in making informed choices but also enhances your own online interactions.

What Is the Most Reliable DNS Server?

1

47
votes
Google Public DNS

Google

Google's DNS service is one of the most popular and reliable DNS servers out there. It's free, fast, and has been known to have no downtime.
Google Public DNS is a free, globally accessible Domain Name System (DNS) service that aims to provide users with a fast and secure browsing experience. It is operated by Google LLC.

Speed: Designed to deliver fast DNS lookup times.

Reliability: Uses a large network of servers distributed worldwide to ensure high availability.

Security: Implements security measures, such as DNSSEC, to protect users from various threats like cache poisoning.

Privacy: Committed to user privacy and does not log any personally identifiable information.

IPv6 Support: Fully compatible with IPv6 networks, allowing seamless access to both IPv4 and IPv6 resources.
2

33
votes

Cloudflare DNS

Cloudflare DNS is another popular and reliable DNS server that offers fast and secure DNS resolution. It's also free and has a strong focus on privacy.
3

14
votes
OpenDNS

OpenDNS is a DNS service that focuses on security and parental controls. It's been around since 2005 and has a good reputation for reliability.
OpenDNS is a DNS resolution service that offers fast and reliable DNS resolution for individuals, businesses, and organizations. It enhances internet security and provides additional features such as parental controls and content filtering.

Fast DNS Resolution: OpenDNS has a global network of servers strategically located to provide fast DNS resolution times.

Enhanced Security: OpenDNS blocks access to malicious websites and protects against phishing attempts, malware, and botnet activity.

Content Filtering: OpenDNS allows users to filter out unwanted or inappropriate content, making it suitable for families and businesses.

Parental Controls: OpenDNS provides robust parental controls to restrict access to specific websites or categories of content.

Reporting and Analytics: OpenDNS offers reporting and analytics features, allowing users to analyze DNS traffic and identify potential threats.
4

11
votes
Quad9

Quad9 is a DNS service that focuses on security and privacy. It uses threat intelligence to block malicious domains and is free to use.
Quad9 is a secure and privacy-focused DNS resolver that offers protection against malware and phishing threats. It was developed by a collaboration between IBM Security and Packet Clearing House (PCH), a non-profit organization.

1: Highly reliable and redundant infrastructure

2: Respects user privacy by not logging or sharing DNS queries

3: Blocks access to known malicious websites and prevents malware outbreaks

4: Supports both IPv4 and IPv6 connectivity

5: Global network of servers for low-latency response times
5

15
votes
Comodo Secure DNS

Comodo Group, Inc.

Comodo Secure DNS is a DNS service that focuses on security and speed. It's free and has a reputation for being reliable.
Comodo Secure DNS is a fast and reliable DNS server that prioritizes security and privacy. It filters out malicious and unsafe websites, providing a safer browsing experience for users. Comodo Secure DNS is designed to block access to known harmful sites and protect against phishing attempts and malware. It offers a range of features to enhance security and performance.

Security: Filters out malicious websites and protects against phishing and malware

Performance: Fast and reliable DNS server

Privacy: Ensures privacy by not logging or selling user data

Ease of use: Simple setup requiring no additional software

Flexible filtering: Customizable filtering options based on user preferences
6

16
votes
Level 3 DNS

Level 3 Communications, LLC

Level 3 DNS is a DNS service that's known for its reliability and speed. It's used by many large companies and organizations.
The Level 3 DNS is a highly reliable and globally distributed Domain Name System (DNS) server. It is designed to efficiently resolve domain names to their respective IP addresses, enhancing the overall performance of the internet.

Reliability: Level 3 DNS is known for its high reliability, ensuring consistent and uninterrupted DNS resolution.

Global Distribution: The DNS server has a vast network of servers strategically distributed worldwide, enabling efficient resolution from various geographic locations.

Performance: Level 3 DNS is optimized for speed, delivering fast resolution times and improving the overall browsing experience.

Security: The DNS server incorporates robust security measures to protect against various DNS attacks, enhancing the security of internet connections.

Redundancy: Level 3 DNS utilizes redundant infrastructure to ensure continuous operation even in the event of server failures or network issues.
7

4
votes
Norton ConnectSafe

NortonLifeLock

Norton ConnectSafe is a DNS service that focuses on security and parental controls. It's free to use and has a good reputation for reliability.
Norton ConnectSafe is a cloud-based DNS service offered by NortonLifeLock, designed to provide a safer and more secure internet experience. It helps protect users from accessing malicious websites, phishing, and other online threats.

Security: Blocks access to known malicious websites, phishing sites, and unsafe content.

Customization: Offers different filtering policies to choose from based on individual preferences and requirements.

Ease of Use: Simple setup process and compatible with various devices and operating systems.

Blocking Options: Ability to block specific domains, categories of websites, or modify filtering levels.

Malware Protection: Protection against malware and ransomware by blocking connections to malicious servers.
8

4
votes
DNS.Watch

DNS.Watch is a DNS service that focuses on privacy and security. It's free to use and has a good reputation for reliability.
DNS.Watch is a reliable and privacy-focused DNS resolver service.

DNSSEC Support: Yes

Anycast Routing: Yes

Fast Response Time: Yes

IPv6 Support: Yes

Malware Blocking: Yes
9

10
votes
Yandex.DNS

Yandex.DNS is a DNS service that's popular in Russia. It's free to use and has a reputation for being reliable.
Yandex.DNS is a secure and reliable DNS server provided by the Russian internet company Yandex. It offers a range of features to improve privacy, overall browsing experience, and parental control. It is primarily targeted towards users in Russia and neighboring countries.

Fast Response Time: Yandex.DNS aims to provide quick response times to ensure smooth browsing experience.

Secure Encryption: Yandex.DNS supports encrypted DNS queries using DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) and DNS-over-TLS (DoT).

Phishing Protection: Yandex.DNS helps protect against phishing attempts by blocking access to known malicious websites.

Malware Protection: It has a built-in malware filtering system that prevents access to websites known for spreading malware.

Content Filtering: Yandex.DNS offers parental control options, allowing users to filter content based on predefined categories.
10

3
votes
CleanBrowsing

CleanBrowsing is a DNS service that focuses on security and parental controls. It's free to use and has a good reputation for reliability.
CleanBrowsing is a DNS service that provides users with a secure and private browsing experience by blocking unwanted content.

Content Filtering: CleanBrowsing blocks domains that are known to contain malicious content, adult content, and other unwanted materials.

Security: CleanBrowsing offers DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT) protocols to encrypt DNS queries and protect against eavesdropping and manipulation.

Privacy: CleanBrowsing does not log DNS resolutions, ensuring user privacy and preventing data tracking.

Family Filter: CleanBrowsing provides different filtering levels, including a 'Family Filter' designed to block adult content and protect children online.

Malware Blocking: CleanBrowsing actively blocks domains associated with malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks.

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Ranking factors for reliable server

Uptime

The amount of time the DNS server is available and accessible is important. A reliable DNS server should have a high uptime percentage.
Speed

The speed of the DNS server's response times is important for ensuring fast and efficient access to website resources.
Security

A reliable DNS server should use security features like DNSSEC to ensure the integrity of DNS queries and prevent DNS attacks.
Server location

The location of the DNS server can affect the response time for users in different parts of the world. A good DNS server should have multiple global server locations to provide fast and reliable service.
User base

The size of the DNS server's user base can indicate the reliability and stability of the service, as a larger user base will typically suggest more resources and expertise dedicated to maintaining the server.
History of service disruptions

The track record of the DNS server in terms of service disruptions can serve as an important indicator of reliability. A reliable DNS server should have a relatively low rate of downtime or service disruptions.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most reliable DNS server. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or servant is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

2033 views
154 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each servant once every 24 hours. The rank of each servant is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most reliable dns server

DNS servers are an essential part of the internet infrastructure. They are responsible for translating domain names into IP addresses, allowing users to access websites by simply typing in their domain names. However, not all DNS servers are created equal. Some are faster and more reliable than others, which can impact website loading times and overall browsing experience. In this article, we will explore the most reliable DNS servers and how they can improve your internet experience.