Choosing your DNS provider can be complicated and there are many choices out there.
NextDNS is not just a DNS provider but can also be used as an ad blocker, this makes it very similar to Blokada Cloud. I’ll go through some of the differences in this article.
| Blokada Cloud | NextDNS | |
|---|---|---|
| Ad blocking technique | DNS based Ad blocking | DNS based Ad blocking |
| Availability | Mobile-first app | Optimized for desktop browsers |
| VPN integration | Blokada Plus VPN available with the touch of a button | No built-in way to use together with a VPN |
| Pricing(US Dollar) | Free trial of 7 days in eligible regions, then $16.99 annually (less than $1.42 a month) | Free for up to 300k queries a month, then $1.99 a month |
| Pricing together with a VPN(US Dollar) | Blokada Plus (incl. Cloud)$5 a month | NextDNS + 3rd party VPN $7-15 / month |
How does DNS based Ad blocking work?
When you want to connect to somewhere such as example.com, your device will ask a Domain Name System (DNS) provider for where to find this service. Similar to how your address book in your phone works, it’s much easier to remember the name of someone rather than the phone number.
Your devices will use the DNS service of your Internet Service Provider by default.
When using Blokada Cloud or NextDNS, you will instead bypass your ISP. This makes it possible to filter lookups for domains that are known for serving unwanted content.
Why would you want to combine this with a VPN?
By configuring DNS over HTTPS/TLS, your DNS lookups are already encrypted. An eavesdropper such as your ISP can no longer see what queries you make.
However, it will still be possible to see what sites you visit after the lookup has been done and possibly what content that has been sent or retrieved. Sometimes content can even be changed to something else. The website you visit will also be able to see your unique IP address, which may be used for tracking, legal or censorship purposes.
By using a VPN, all traffic will be encrypted. Not only the DNS lookup.
The website will not be able to see which IP you connect from, nor will it be possible for middlemen to see what has been communicated and with whom. The VPN provider does have this capability however, it is crucial that you select a provider that you can trust.
Never choose to use a “free” VPN provider, they will sell your data behind the scenes for profit.
Using Blokada vs NextDNS
Blokada Cloud and NextDNS both use DNS to block malicious websites and filter out harmful or inappropriate content.
Blokada is mobile-first, with all features readily available in-app with a simple to use interface, but does work on a desktop as well. NextDNS on the other hand offers almost no features through their mobile app and has a more technical approach to manage configurations though their website.
Blokada Plus includes the VPN features as well as access to the Blokada Cloud DNS. With NextDNS, you would have to purchase a VPN subscription from a 3rd party provider in addition to the DNS subscription. Then figure out the technicalities on how to set it all up to work together.
Final words
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