The best free public DNS servers for faster browsing and better security
Discover the world's most popular and reliable free public DNS services
8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4 2001:4860:4860::8888 The world's most popular free DNS service, developed by Google. Offers high speed, reliability and is globally available.
1.1.1.1 1.0.0.1 2606:4700:4700::1111 The world's fastest DNS according to multiple benchmarks. Cloudflare focuses on privacy and doesn't log your personal IP address.
9.9.9.9 149.112.112.112 2620:fe::fe IBM's free DNS service focused on security that automatically blocks malicious domains, phishing and botnets.
208.67.222.222 208.67.220.220 2620:119:35::35 Cisco's DNS service with excellent parental control options and customizable content filtering.
94.140.14.14 94.140.15.15 2a10:50c0::ad1:ff DNS that blocks ads, trackers and malicious domains. Perfect for browsing without annoying advertisements.
45.90.28.0 45.90.30.0 2a07:a8c0:: Modern DNS with advanced configuration, detailed analytics and granular control over content filtering.
| Provider | Speed | Privacy |
|---|---|---|
| Google DNS | Excellent | Basic |
| Cloudflare DNS | Excellent | Excellent |
| Quad9 DNS | Good | Excellent |
| OpenDNS | Good | Good |
| AdGuard DNS | Good | Excellent |
| NextDNS | Good | Excellent |
| Yandex DNS | Medium | Basic |
| CleanBrowsing | Good | Good |
DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. It's the invisible infrastructure that makes browsing the Internet possible.
Your browser needs to convert the domain into an IP address.
The request travels through recursive servers, root servers and TLD servers.
The IP is returned and your browser connects to the web server.
Public DNS are usually faster than your ISP's defaults, reducing web page loading times.
Many public DNS offer protection against malware, phishing and malicious websites.
Major providers have global infrastructure with high availability and redundancy.
Some public DNS offer better privacy policies than local ISPs.
We show you step by step how to configure custom DNS servers on major operating systems and devices.
Yes, public DNS from recognized providers like Google, Cloudflare and Quad9 are safe and reliable. In fact, many offer better security than your ISP's default DNS, including protection against malware and phishing.
Changing to a faster DNS can significantly improve web page loading times, especially initial domain name resolution. However, it won't increase your download speed or total bandwidth.
For gaming, we recommend Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google DNS (8.8.8.8) for their low latency and high availability. Avoid DNS with extensive filtering as they may add additional latency.
Choose the best free DNS server for your needs and configure it in minutes.