NextDNS: Customisable DNS Filtering for Privacy and Family Safety

Review in progress — Full personal review coming soon. Details below are confirmed facts about the service.

Overview

NextDNS is a cloud-based DNS resolver that acts as a filtering layer for all internet traffic on your network or device. It blocks ads, trackers, malware domains, and adult content at the DNS level — before connections are even made. It is highly configurable through a web dashboard and works across Linux, Android, routers, and every other platform.

It is particularly useful for protecting children's devices, hardening network-wide privacy, and replacing multiple browser extensions with a single DNS-level solution.

Linux Support

NextDNS works on Linux via:

• DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) — configure in Firefox, Chromium, or system-wide
• DNS-over-TLS (DoT) — configure via systemd-resolved or stubby
• Official CLI — nextdns CLI tool available for most distros, runs as a system service

# Install CLI on Debian/Ubuntu/Fedora
sh -c "$(curl -sL https://nextdns.io/install)"

Android Support

Available as a private DNS setting (DNS-over-TLS) in Android settings — no app required. An official app is also available on the Play Store for per-app and per-profile configuration.

Key Features

• Blocklists — choose from curated lists (OISD, EasyList, etc.) or combine multiple
• Allow/deny lists — add your own custom rules
• Analytics — see every DNS query, what was blocked and why
• Profiles — different settings per device (e.g. strict for kids, relaxed for adults)
• Parental controls — block categories by content type
• Security — blocks malware, phishing, and newly registered domains

Pricing

Plan	Queries/month	Price
Free	300,000	$0
Pro	Unlimited	$1.99/mo or $19.90/yr

300,000 queries is sufficient for a single user. Families or heavy users will want Pro.

Privacy

• Logs are optional and configurable — can be disabled entirely
• DNS queries are encrypted (DoH/DoT)
• No ads, no selling of data

Personal Review

Coming soon — written from personal daily use across multiple devices and networks.

Verdict

Coming soon.