Control D
7.5/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $2/endpoint/mo
- Reviews
- Not yet rated
- Free trial
- Free tier
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization
Best DNS Filtering Software · 2026
Control D vs 
NextDNS Control D vs NextDNS: on our data-weighted scoring, Control D edges ahead (7.5 vs 7.1/10). Control D starts at $2/endpoint/mo and is best for SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization; NextDNS starts at $0.4/user/mo and is best for cost-sensitive SMBs and tech-savvy teams wanting cheap, configurable cloud DNS filtering with rich analytics. Choose Control D for the stronger overall track record; consider NextDNS if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
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NextDNS
7.1/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $0.4/user/mo
- Reviews
- Not yet rated
- Free trial
- Free tier
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- Cost-sensitive SMBs and tech-savvy teams wanting cheap, configurable cloud DNS filtering with rich analytics
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 | Control D | NextDNS |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 7.5 | 7.1 |
| User reviews | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Affordability | 9.5 | 9.5 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of trial | 7.0 | 7.0 |
Control D vs NextDNS: head-to-head
| Control D | NextDNS | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2/endpoint/mo | $0.4/user/mo |
| Pricing model | per device | per user |
| Free trial / tier | Free tier | Free tier |
| Best for | SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization | Cost-sensitive SMBs and tech-savvy teams wanting cheap, configurable cloud DNS filtering with rich analytics |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| G2 rating | — | — |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 7.5 | 7.1 |
Choose Control D if…
You need smbs and msps wanting flat, no-minimum dns filtering with deep customization.
✓ Pros
- Flat $2/endpoint
- no minimums
- Highly customizable rules
- Transparent SMB pricing
✕ Cons
- Smaller vendor / brand
- Fewer enterprise integrations
- Reporting less mature than leaders
Choose NextDNS if…
You need cost-sensitive smbs and tech-savvy teams wanting cheap, configurable cloud dns filtering with rich analytics.
✓ Pros
- Extremely low cost
- Rich real-time analytics + logging
- Highly configurable encrypted DNS
✕ Cons
- Business plan billed in 50-employee blocks
- Limited MSP multi-tenancy + white-label
- No public status page
In depth
Pricing: Control D vs NextDNS
Control D bills on a per device model from $2/endpoint/mo (free tier available), while NextDNS uses a per user model from $0.4/user/mo (free tier available). Because the models differ, the cheaper option flips depending on your fleet size — model both at your seat/endpoint count.
Features & deployment
Control D ships 6 headline capabilities (Customizable DNS filtering, Per-device + per-profile policies, Malware + ad + tracker blocking, No minimums or contracts) and deploys Cloud. NextDNS ships 6 (Cloud DNS filtering (ad/tracker/malware), Per-device + per-profile configs, Real-time query analytics + logs, Time-based + custom rules), deploying Cloud.
Ratings & verdict
Control D holds Not yet rated; NextDNS holds Not yet rated. On our data-weighted score, Control D edges ahead (7.5 vs 7.1/10). Pick NextDNS instead when cost-sensitive smbs and tech-savvy teams wanting cheap, configurable cloud dns filtering with rich analytics. See Control D alternatives or NextDNS alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- Control D vs NextDNS: which is better?
- Control D vs NextDNS: on our data-weighted scoring, Control D edges ahead (7.5 vs 7.1/10). Control D starts at $2/endpoint/mo and is best for SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization; NextDNS starts at $0.4/user/mo and is best for cost-sensitive SMBs and tech-savvy teams wanting cheap, configurable cloud DNS filtering with rich analytics.
- Is Control D cheaper than NextDNS?
- Control D starts at $2/endpoint/mo and NextDNS starts at $0.4/user/mo (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of September 17, 2026. Sources: controld.com, nextdns.io. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.