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
Best DNS Filtering Software · 2026
NextDNS vs 
ScoutDNS NextDNS vs ScoutDNS: on our data-weighted scoring, ScoutDNS edges ahead (7.9 vs 7.1/10). 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; ScoutDNS starts at $0.92/user/mo and is best for MSPs and multi-site businesses wanting a focused, transparently-priced DNS filter with strong reporting. Choose ScoutDNS 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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ScoutDNS
7.9/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $0.92/user/mo
- Reviews
- 4.9/5 (~56 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- MSPs and multi-site businesses wanting a focused, transparently-priced DNS filter with strong reporting
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 | NextDNS | ScoutDNS |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 7.1 | 7.9 |
| User reviews | 7.0 | 9.8 |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 4.6 |
| Affordability | 9.5 | 9.6 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of trial | 7.0 | 6.0 |
NextDNS vs ScoutDNS: head-to-head
| NextDNS | ScoutDNS | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0.4/user/mo | $0.92/user/mo |
| Pricing model | per user | per user |
| Free trial / tier | Free tier | 14 days |
| Best for | Cost-sensitive SMBs and tech-savvy teams wanting cheap, configurable cloud DNS filtering with rich analytics | MSPs and multi-site businesses wanting a focused, transparently-priced DNS filter with strong reporting |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| G2 rating | — | 4.9/5 (56) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 7.1 | 7.9 |
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
Choose ScoutDNS if…
You need msps and multi-site businesses wanting a focused, transparently-priced dns filter with strong reporting.
✓ Pros
- Transparent low per-seat pricing
- MSP FLEX usage-based model
- Strong reporting + full message inspection
✕ Cons
- Small vendor/brand
- Fewer integrations than enterprise leaders
- MSP tier pricing requires a quote
In depth
Pricing: ScoutDNS vs NextDNS
ScoutDNS bills on a per user model from $0.92/user/mo (14 days trial), 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
ScoutDNS ships 6 headline capabilities (DNS-layer content + threat filtering, 67 content categories + safe search, Multi-site single-pane management, Windows/macOS roaming clients) 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
ScoutDNS holds 4.9/5 (~56 G2 reviews); NextDNS holds Not yet rated. On our data-weighted score, ScoutDNS edges ahead (7.9 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 ScoutDNS alternatives or NextDNS alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- NextDNS vs ScoutDNS: which is better?
- NextDNS vs ScoutDNS: on our data-weighted scoring, ScoutDNS edges ahead (7.9 vs 7.1/10). 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; ScoutDNS starts at $0.92/user/mo and is best for MSPs and multi-site businesses wanting a focused, transparently-priced DNS filter with strong reporting.
- Is NextDNS cheaper than ScoutDNS?
- NextDNS starts at $0.4/user/mo and ScoutDNS starts at $0.92/user/mo (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of September 17, 2026. Sources: nextdns.io, scoutdns.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.