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 
SafeDNS Control D vs SafeDNS: on our data-weighted scoring, SafeDNS edges ahead (7.6 vs 7.5/10). Control D starts at $2/endpoint/mo and is best for SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization; SafeDNS starts at $0.9/user/mo and is best for SMBs, schools and nonprofits wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy DNS web filtering. Choose SafeDNS for the stronger overall track record; consider Control D if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
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SafeDNS
7.6/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $0.9/user/mo
- Reviews
- 4.5/5 (~18 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- SMBs, schools and nonprofits wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy DNS web filtering
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 | SafeDNS |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 7.5 | 7.6 |
| User reviews | 7.0 | 9.0 |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 3.4 |
| Affordability | 9.5 | 9.7 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of trial | 7.0 | 6.0 |
Control D vs SafeDNS: head-to-head
| Control D | SafeDNS | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2/endpoint/mo | $0.9/user/mo |
| Pricing model | per device | per user |
| Free trial / tier | Free tier | 14 days |
| Best for | SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization | SMBs, schools and nonprofits wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy DNS web filtering |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| G2 rating | — | 4.5/5 (18) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 7.5 | 7.6 |
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 SafeDNS if…
You need smbs, schools and nonprofits wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy dns web filtering.
✓ Pros
- Very affordable per-user pricing
- Easy
- low-skill deployment
- Strong support for a small vendor
✕ Cons
- Per-tier user minimums (15/25/35)
- Feature depth trails Umbrella/DNSFilter
- Small vendor/brand footprint
In depth
Pricing: SafeDNS vs Control D
SafeDNS bills on a per user model from $0.9/user/mo (14 days trial), while Control D uses a per device model from $2/endpoint/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
SafeDNS ships 6 headline capabilities (DNS-layer content + threat filtering, 60+ content categories, Per-user policies + DoH policy, Roaming/edge-router deployment) and deploys Cloud. Control D ships 6 (Customizable DNS filtering, Per-device + per-profile policies, Malware + ad + tracker blocking, No minimums or contracts), deploying Cloud.
Ratings & verdict
SafeDNS holds 4.5/5 (~18 G2 reviews); Control D holds Not yet rated. On our data-weighted score, SafeDNS edges ahead (7.6 vs 7.5/10). Pick Control D instead when smbs and msps wanting flat, no-minimum dns filtering with deep customization. See SafeDNS alternatives or Control D alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- Control D vs SafeDNS: which is better?
- Control D vs SafeDNS: on our data-weighted scoring, SafeDNS edges ahead (7.6 vs 7.5/10). Control D starts at $2/endpoint/mo and is best for SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization; SafeDNS starts at $0.9/user/mo and is best for SMBs, schools and nonprofits wanting affordable, easy-to-deploy DNS web filtering.
- Is Control D cheaper than SafeDNS?
- Control D starts at $2/endpoint/mo and SafeDNS starts at $0.9/user/mo (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of September 17, 2026. Sources: controld.com, safedns.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.