A public recursive name server (also called public DNS resolver) is a name server service that networked computers may use to query the Domain Name System (DNS), the decentralized Internet naming system, in place of (or in addition to) name servers operated by the local Internet service provider (ISP) to which the devices are connected. Reasons for using these services include:
Public DNS resolver operators often cite increased privacy as an advantage of their services; critics of public DNS services have cited the possibility of mass data collection targeted at the public resolvers as a potential risk of using these services. Most services now support secure DNS lookup transport services such as DNS over TLS (DoT), DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over QUIC (DoQ).
Public DNS resolvers are operated either by commercial companies, offering their service for free use to the public, or by private enthusiasts to help spread new technologies and support non-profit communities.
| Provider | Privacy policy | DNS over UDP/TCP (Do53) | DNSSEC | DNS over TLS (DoT) | DNS over HTTPS (DoH) | DNS over QUIC (DoQ) | EDNS Padding | DNSCrypt | Hostname | IPv4 addresses | IPv6 addresses | Filters | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AdGuard | [6] | [7] | dns.adguard-dns.com | Default: ads and trackers[8] | ||||||||||
| family.adguard-dns.com | Family: ads, trackers, and adult content | |||||||||||||
| unfiltered.adguard-dns.com | None | |||||||||||||
| Alibaba | dns.alidns.com | 223.5.5.5223.6.6.6 | 2400:3200::12400:3200:baba::1 | Chinese regulations | ||||||||||
| CleanBrowsing | [9] | [10] | family-filter-dns.cleanbrowsing.org | Family | Designed to be used on devices of kids under 13. | |||||||||
| adult-filter-dns.cleanbrowsing.org | Adult | |||||||||||||
| security-filter-dns.cleanbrowsing.org | Security | |||||||||||||
| Cloudflare | [11] | [12] | one.one.one.one[13] 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com | None | ||||||||||
| security.cloudflare-dns.com | Malware, Phishing | |||||||||||||
| family.cloudflare-dns.com | Malware, Phishing, Adult content | |||||||||||||
| dns64.cloudflare-dns.com | None | Intended to be IPv6-only.[14] See NAT64 and DNS64. | ||||||||||||
| dns.google[15] | None | |||||||||||||
| dns64.dns.google | None | Intended for networks with NAT64 gateway.[16] | ||||||||||||
| Gcore | ! [17] | ! | ! | ! | ! | ! | ! | ! | None | |||||
| Mullvad | dns.mullvad.net[18] | None | Can be used without its VPN service | |||||||||||
| adblock.dns.mullvad.net | Ads, and trackers | |||||||||||||
| base.dns.mullvad.net | Ads, trackers, and malware | |||||||||||||
| extended.dns.mullvad.net | Ads, trackers, malware, and social media | |||||||||||||
| all.dns.mullvad.net | Ads, trackers, malware, social media, gambling and adult content | |||||||||||||
| Vercara (formerly Neustar Security Services) | 64.6.64.6 64.6.65.6 | 2620:74:1b::1:1 2620:74:1c::2:2 | None | Verisign transferred its public DNS to Neustar.[19] | ||||||||||
| Malware, ransomware, spyware, phishing | ||||||||||||||
| Low security + gambling, pornography, violence, hate | ||||||||||||||
| Medium security + gaming, adult, drugs, alcohol, anonymous proxies | ||||||||||||||
| None | Will not redirect non-existent domains to a landing page. | |||||||||||||
| Cisco Umbrella (OpenDNS) | [20] | dns.opendns.com dns.umbrella.com[21] | Basic Security filtering + user defined policies | |||||||||||
| familyshield.opendns.com | FamilyShield: adult content | |||||||||||||
| sandbox.opendns.com | None | Sandbox addresses that provide no filtering. | ||||||||||||
| Oracle (formerly Dyn) | [22] | resolver1.dyndnsinternetguide.com resolver2.dyndnsinternetguide.com rdns.dynect.net | None | |||||||||||
| Quad9 | [23] | [24] | dns.quad9.net | Phishing, malware, and exploit kit domains | ||||||||||
| dns11.quad9.net | Phishing, malware, and exploit kit domains | Passes EDNS Client Subnet. | ||||||||||||
| [25] | dns10.quad9.net | None | ||||||||||||
| Wikimedia | [26] | [27] | [28] | [29] | [30] | [31] | wikimedia-dns.org[32] | None[33] | ||||||
| Yandex | common.dot.dns.yandex.net | None | ||||||||||||
| safe.dot.dns.yandex.net | Safe: fraudulent / infected / bot sites | |||||||||||||
| family.dot.dns.yandex.net | Family: fraudulent / infected / bot / adult sites | |||||||||||||