Cisco Umbrella
8.0/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Reviews
- 4.4/5 (~274 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- Enterprises wanting DNS-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (SIG)
Best DNS Filtering Software · 2026
Cisco Umbrella vs 
DNSFilter Cisco Umbrella vs DNSFilter: on our data-weighted scoring, DNSFilter edges ahead (8.1 vs 8.0/10). Cisco Umbrella starts at Custom quote and is best for enterprises wanting DNS-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (SIG); DNSFilter starts at $1/user/mo and is best for MSPs and SMBs wanting fast, transparently-priced DNS filtering with strong multi-tenancy. Choose DNSFilter for the stronger overall track record; consider Cisco Umbrella if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
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DNSFilter
8.1/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $1/user/mo
- Reviews
- 4.6/5 (~239 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- MSPs and SMBs wanting fast, transparently-priced DNS filtering with strong multi-tenancy
Strengths at a glance
Six criteria, each scored 0–10 on the same scale from real review data, public pricing and feature coverage. See our methodology →
| Criterion | Cisco Umbrella | DNSFilter |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 8.0 | 8.1 |
| User reviews | 8.8 | 9.2 |
| Adoption | 6.5 | 6.3 |
| Affordability | 5.0 | 9.4 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of trial | 6.0 | 6.0 |
Cisco Umbrella vs DNSFilter: head-to-head
| Cisco Umbrella | DNSFilter | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom quote | $1/user/mo |
| Pricing model | quote | per user |
| Free trial / tier | 14 days | 14 days |
| Best for | Enterprises wanting DNS-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (SIG) | MSPs and SMBs wanting fast, transparently-priced DNS filtering with strong multi-tenancy |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| G2 rating | 4.4/5 (274) | 4.6/5 (239) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 8.0 | 8.1 |
Choose Cisco Umbrella if…
You need enterprises wanting dns-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (sig).
✓ Pros
- Massive Talos threat intelligence
- Scales from DNS to full SIG
- Proven enterprise reliability
✕ Cons
- No public pricing (quote-only)
- Complex multi-SKU lineup
- Costs climb fast with SIG tiers
Choose DNSFilter if…
You need msps and smbs wanting fast, transparently-priced dns filtering with strong multi-tenancy.
✓ Pros
- Transparent public pricing
- Strong MSP multi-tenancy + white-label
- Fast
- accurate filtering
✕ Cons
- Monthly minimums per plan
- Advanced features need higher tiers
- No free tier
In depth
Pricing: DNSFilter vs Cisco Umbrella
DNSFilter bills on a per user model from $1/user/mo (14 days trial), while Cisco Umbrella uses a quote model from Custom quote (14 days trial). Because the models differ, the cheaper option flips depending on your fleet size — model both at your seat/endpoint count.
Features & deployment
DNSFilter ships 6 headline capabilities (AI-driven DNS threat blocking, Category + content filtering, Roaming clients (Win/Mac/mobile), Multi-tenant MSP console) and deploys Cloud. Cisco Umbrella ships 6 (DNS-layer threat blocking, Intelligent proxy (Advantage), App discovery + control, Cisco Talos threat intelligence), deploying Cloud.
Ratings & verdict
DNSFilter holds 4.6/5 (~239 G2 reviews); Cisco Umbrella holds 4.4/5 (~274 G2 reviews). On our data-weighted score, DNSFilter edges ahead (8.1 vs 8.0/10). Pick Cisco Umbrella instead when enterprises wanting dns-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (sig). See DNSFilter alternatives or Cisco Umbrella alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- Cisco Umbrella vs DNSFilter: which is better?
- Cisco Umbrella vs DNSFilter: on our data-weighted scoring, DNSFilter edges ahead (8.1 vs 8.0/10). Cisco Umbrella starts at Custom quote and is best for enterprises wanting DNS-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (SIG); DNSFilter starts at $1/user/mo and is best for MSPs and SMBs wanting fast, transparently-priced DNS filtering with strong multi-tenancy.
- Is Cisco Umbrella cheaper than DNSFilter?
- Cisco Umbrella starts at Custom quote and DNSFilter starts at $1/user/mo (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of September 17, 2026. Sources: umbrella.cisco.com, dnsfilter.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.