Quad9

Overview

Quad9 is a free, public recursive DNS service operated by the Swiss-based Quad9 Foundation that blocks malicious domain lookups using threat intelligence from multiple cybersecurity sources to protect against malware, phishing, spyware, and botnets. It supports encrypted DNS protocols like DNS over TLS and DNS over HTTPS, ensures no personal data collection, and can be configured on devices, routers, or networks for broad protection including IoT devices. Users include individuals, enterprises, and network administrators seeking enhanced security and privacy without account requirements.

Key Features

• Malware Blocking - Blocks lookups to malicious host names using real-time threat intelligence from over a dozen cybersecurity companies.
• DNSSEC Validation - Validates DNSSEC on supported service profiles to ensure DNS response authenticity.
• Encrypted DNS - Supports DNS over TLS (DoT) and DNS over HTTPS (DoH) for query privacy.
• No Logging of Personal Data - Collects no personal data or account information from users.
• Global Anycast Network - Routes queries through worldwide servers for redundancy and high uptime (99.999%).
• Query Logging (App) - Provides DNS query logs and blocked query notifications in the Android/ChromeOS app.
• Trusted Networks - Allows configuration of trusted networks to bypass blocking in the app.
• Excluded Applications - Excludes specific apps from DNS routing in the Quad9 Connect app.

Pricing

Platforms & Requirements

Quad9 configures via DNS settings on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS (14+ profiles), Android (Private DNS or Quad9 Connect app), and ChromeOS; router setup extends to networks and IoT. Quad9 Connect app available for Android/ChromeOS adds features like logs and exclusions using VPN service API. No minimum requirements beyond OS support for DNS changes; VPNs may override settings.

Integrations & Ecosystem

• Router/WiFi access point configuration
• Android Private DNS (DoT)
• iOS/macOS configuration profiles (DoH/DoT)
• Windows network adapter settings
• Linux resolv.conf edits
• Firefox/Chrome DNS settings (manual)
• Quad9 Connect app VPN tunnel

Alternatives

Reputation

Quad9 is recognized for strong privacy protections due to Swiss operation, no personal data logging, and high uptime from global anycast infrastructure. Strengths include effective threat blocking from multiple sources and easy configuration across platforms. Some users note it may overblock legitimate sites, and VPN usage can interfere with settings.