Best Self Hosted Alternatives to AdGuard

Pi-hole is a network-wide DNS sinkhole that blocks advertisements and other unwanted domains for all devices without installing client-side software. It runs on Linux hardware (including Raspberry Pi), providing faster browsing by blocking and caching DNS queries.

Key Features

• DNS-based blocking for ads, trackers, and other unwanted domains across the entire network
• Web admin dashboard with statistics, top domains/clients, and management controls
• Query log with filtering and auditing of DNS activity
• Allowlist/denylist management with support for regex-based rules
• Optional built-in DHCP server when router DHCP options are limited
• Privacy modes to limit or adjust stored/queryable client information
• Command-line interface for full administration and troubleshooting
• Local caching of DNS queries to improve perceived browsing performance

Use Cases

• Network-wide ad and tracker blocking for home networks, offices, or homelabs
• Improving visibility into DNS traffic to troubleshoot devices and unwanted connections
• Enforcing DNS policy for IoT devices, smart TVs, and mobile apps

Limitations and Considerations

• DNS-level blocking cannot remove ads served from the same domains as desired content
• HTTPS and app-level hardcoded DNS or encrypted DNS may require additional network controls to enforce Pi-hole usage

Pi-hole is a lightweight, centralized way to reduce unwanted content and improve privacy across diverse devices. With its dashboard, logs, and flexible allow/deny controls, it provides both protection and insight into network DNS activity.

AdGuard Home is an open-source, network-wide DNS server that blocks ads, trackers, phishing and malware by sinkholing unwanted domains. It runs on many platforms and can protect all devices on a LAN without client-side software. (github.com)

Key Features

• DNS-level blocking that reroutes tracking and ad domains to a “black hole” to prevent connections.
• Web-based management UI with per-client configuration, query log, statistics and filter subscriptions.
• Encrypted upstream support: DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), DNS-over-TLS (DoT) and DNSCrypt for privacy-preserving upstream queries.
• Per-device rules, tags and client modifiers for granular policies and exceptions.
• Parental controls and SafeSearch enforcement for search engines and video platforms.
• Multiple installation options and distribution formats: automated install script, Docker image, Snap package and manual builds.
• REST API and CLI for automation and integration; frontend is built with a Node.js/React toolchain and E2E tests use Playwright. (github.com)

Use Cases

• Protect an entire home or small office network from ads, trackers and known malicious domains without installing agents on every device.
• Enforce content restrictions and SafeSearch for children’s devices using per-client rules and parental control lists.
• Centralize DNS management for IoT devices and smart TVs that cannot run browser extensions, reducing exposure to trackers.

Limitations and Considerations

• DNS-level blocking cannot reliably block ads or sponsored content that are served from the same domains as content (for example many YouTube/Twitch ads and social-media sponsored posts). This is a fundamental limitation of DNS-based filtering. (github.com)
• DHCP support and some OS-specific features are limited or behave differently across platforms; users report occasional DHCP quirks and the need for static IP configuration on some systems. Community reports also note occasional stability or rate-limit issues under heavy query load — monitor and tune rate-limiting for high-traffic deployments. (reddit.com)

AdGuard Home is a mature, widely used open-source DNS filtering solution suitable for home and small network deployments. It provides a comprehensive set of privacy and blocking features at the network level, while retaining APIs and deployment options for automation and integration.

Technitium DNS Server is an open-source, cross-platform DNS server that can run as both an authoritative server for your zones and a recursive resolver for clients on your network. It includes a browser-based administration console and can improve privacy, performance, and control by handling DNS locally and supporting encrypted upstream DNS.

Key Features

• Authoritative and recursive DNS operation, including forwarding and conditional forwarding
• Encrypted DNS services and forwarders: DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, and DNS-over-QUIC (including HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, and HTTP/3 for DoH)
• DNSSEC validation and signed-zone support, plus advanced record types and zone features
• DNS-based blocking (ads/malware) via block lists, with options like regex-based and per-client/subnet policies (via DNS Apps)
• Web-based admin console with multi-user, role-based access, API tokens, and optional TOTP 2FA
• Built-in DHCP server for multiple networks and IPv6 support
• Query logging, system logging, statistics, caching features (including persistent cache) and clustering for managing multiple instances

Use Cases

• Home or small-office DNS resolver with network-wide ad/malware blocking and encrypted upstream DNS
• Self-hosted authoritative DNS for internal zones and lab environments with zone transfers and DNSSEC
• Network visibility and control through query logs, policy routing, and split-horizon responses

Limitations and Considerations

• Default web console credentials and auto-login behavior require immediate hardening after installation
• Some advanced behavior is implemented through DNS Apps, which may add operational complexity compared to basic DNS setups

Technitium DNS Server is well-suited for users who want a powerful DNS platform that combines authoritative hosting, recursive resolution, privacy-focused encrypted DNS, and centralized web-based management. It can serve as a Pi-hole alternative while also covering advanced DNS features typically found in dedicated DNS infrastructure.

Blocky is an open-source DNS proxy and ad-blocker designed for local networks. It intercepts and filters DNS queries using external blocklists and per-client rules while offering modern DNS protocol support and metrics for observability.

Key Features

• DNS blocking using external allow/deny lists (ad, malware) with periodic reloads and regex support
• Per-client-group allow/deny lists and upstream resolver configuration (e.g., groups for kids or IoT devices)
• Deep CNAME inspection and response-IP blocking against IP lists
• Supports DNS over UDP/TCP, DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) and DNS-over-TLS (DoT); DNSSEC validation supported
• Configurable caching, prefetching and multi-upstream resolution for improved performance and low memory footprint
• Stateless single-binary architecture with multi-architecture Docker images and community Helm chart for Kubernetes
• Prometheus metrics exposure and prepared Grafana dashboards; logging to CSV or SQL backends (MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL/Timescale)
• REST API endpoints and CLI tooling for operational tasks

Use Cases

• Network-wide ad and tracker blocking for home or small office networks with per-device rules
• Parental control and device grouping to apply different filtering policies (e.g., kids vs. smart devices)
• Deploy as a lightweight cluster or edge DNS resolver (Docker or Kubernetes) with observability via Prometheus/Grafana

Limitations and Considerations

• No official built-in web administration UI; management is primarily via YAML configuration, CLI and REST API, and third-party UIs exist separately
• Stateless design means dynamic persistent storage of runtime changes (e.g., centrally editable blocklists) requires external tooling or orchestration to synchronize across instances

Blocky focuses on simplicity, performance and transparency for DNS filtering and observability. It is designed to be integrated into existing tooling and monitoring stacks for operational management.

Unbound is a validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver designed to be fast, lean and standards-compliant. It implements modern privacy and DNSSEC-focused features and runs on Linux, BSD and macOS. (nlnetlabs.nl)

Key Features

• DNSSEC validation and support for DNSSEC-related optimizations (aggressive use of DNSSEC-validated cache).
• Recursive, validating and caching resolver behavior with configurable cache policies and performance tuning.
• Encrypted client transport: supports DNS-over-TLS (DoT) and DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) to protect client→resolver traffic.
• Query Name Minimisation and other privacy-preserving standards to limit data sent to authoritative servers.
• Authority zones / ability to load a copy of the root zone for isolated or offline operation.
• libunbound API for embedding resolver functionality into applications.
• Configurable build options and runtime modules (TLS via OpenSSL, optional libevent, modular extensions).

(nlnetlabs.nl)

Use Cases

• Run a local or network resolver for homes, offices or ISPs that needs DNSSEC and encrypted client transport.
• Deploy a privacy-focused resolver for client devices by enabling DoT/DoH and query name minimisation.
• Integrate DNS resolution into applications or services using the libunbound API for validated lookups.

(nlnetlabs.nl)

Limitations and Considerations

• Unbound is a recursive/validating resolver and is not designed to act as an authoritative DNS server.
• Some features require build-time dependencies (C toolchain, OpenSSL, libexpat; building from source may need flex and bison). Optional modules (e.g., libevent) change runtime behavior and scalability trade-offs.
• Primary platform focus is Unix-like systems (Linux/BSD/macOS); Windows support is limited compared to Unix platforms.

(github.com)

Unbound is a mature, open-source DNS resolver maintained by NLnet Labs with an emphasis on security, privacy and standards compliance. It is widely packaged for major Unix-like distributions and is suitable for both personal and operator-scale resolver deployments.

(nlnetlabs.nl)

Maza ad blocking is a lightweight, local ad blocker that blocks domains at the DNS/hosts level using native operating system tools. It is implemented as a Bash script and works across common Unix-like environments, including Linux and macOS.

Key Features

• Blocks ads and trackers for any browser or application by modifying the system hosts file
• One-command lifecycle: start, stop, status, and update blocked domain lists
• Supports custom blocklists and an ignore list to allow specific domains
• Optional dnsmasq output for wildcard/subdomain-style blocking beyond hosts file limitations
• Supports scheduled updates via cron for automatic list refresh

Use Cases

• Personal workstation ad/tracker blocking without browser extensions
• Lightweight DNS/hosts-based filtering on developer machines and laptops
• Building a small DNS-based blocker setup with dnsmasq for a local network

Limitations and Considerations

• Hosts-file blocking cannot use wildcards; dnsmasq is recommended for broader subdomain coverage
• Requires elevated privileges to modify system networking configuration (for example, hosts file)

Maza is a minimal, script-based approach to system-level domain blocking with a focus on simplicity and portability. It is best suited for users who want straightforward, local filtering and easy list management.

Gravity is a lightweight network services suite that provides fully-replicated DNS, DHCP and TFTP functionality with built-in ad‑blocking and a web UI/API for management. It is designed for small to medium networks and multi-site deployments where replicated state and ease of migration matter.

Key Features

• Fully-replicated configuration and runtime data across cluster members (replication/backing store is used to synchronize state).
• DNS server with local caching and configurable ad/privacy blocking; can operate as a forwarder while maintaining its own records.
• DHCP server with automatic DNS registration and import capabilities for existing Microsoft DHCP leases/reservations.
• TFTP server for storing device configurations and PXE/netboot workflows.
• Web-based UI and HTTP API for management and automation.
• Metrics exposed for Prometheus; bundled dashboards/visualizations are supported for observability.
• Backup role supporting snapshot export to S3-compatible storage and local snapshots.
• Provided as container images and can be deployed with Docker Compose or container runtimes.

Use Cases

• Replace or consolidate DNS/DHCP/TFTP services for small office or branch networks with a single, replicated platform.
• Multi-site deployments that require synchronized DNS/DHCP state without external databases or complex primary/secondary setups.
• Air-gapped or regulated environments where cluster images and bundled artifacts simplify migration and offline installs.

Limitations and Considerations

• Minimum recommended resources are modest but non-trivial (examples note at least 1 CPU core and ~1 GB RAM); resource needs grow with many DNS zones or when Blocky/CoreDNS ad‑blocking is enabled.
• Official support targets AMD64 and ARM64 builds; other CPU architectures are not guaranteed.
• Performance and memory usage can increase significantly with large numbers of zones or very high query/lease volumes; plan capacity accordingly.

Gravity provides a compact, self-contained alternative for replicated network services with observability and backup integrations. It focuses on operational simplicity for multi-node and multi-site scenarios while exposing management APIs for automation.

GoAway is a lightweight DNS sinkhole designed to block unwanted domains at the network level. It combines a Go-based DNS server with a modern web administration dashboard for managing blocklists, viewing statistics and configuring DNS features.

Key Features

• DNS-level domain blocking with customizable blacklists and whitelist precedence
• Built-in web admin dashboard for configuration, monitoring and live statistics
• Cross-platform binaries and first-class Docker/Docker Compose images for easy deployment
• Support for encrypted DNS (DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS) if TLS is configured
• Real-time query statistics, timelines and client/top-talkers visualisations
• Configurable upstream DNS fallback and caching behaviour (cache TTL, UDP/TCP settings)
• CLI and config-file options plus make targets for development (hot-reload development mode)

Use Cases

• Network-wide ad, tracker and malicious domain blocking for home or small office networks
• Privacy-focused DNS gateway with centralized controls and per-network statistics
• Lightweight replacement or companion to Pi-hole/AdGuard for users who prefer a Go-based stack

Limitations and Considerations

• Encrypted DNS (DoT/DoH) requires valid TLS certificates; TLS is disabled by default
• The project has historically used 0.x versioning and may introduce breaking changes between releases
• macOS and Windows builds are marked as beta; primary testing and support target Linux
• First-run admin password is generated and shown in logs only once; operators should securely store it

GoAway provides a compact, observable DNS sinkhole with an approachable web UI and multiple deployment options. It is well suited to self-hosted environments where low resource footprint and simple management of network-level blocking are priorities.

Privoxy is a non-caching web proxy focused on privacy and policy-based filtering. It can modify web page content and HTTP headers to reduce tracking, remove ads, and enforce access rules for users or networks.

Key Features

• Non-caching HTTP/HTTPS proxy suitable for single users or multi-user networks
• Rule-based content filtering to remove ads, trackers, and unwanted page elements
• HTTP header modification to improve privacy and control client/server behavior
• Access control features for restricting sites, clients, or request patterns
• Highly flexible, file-based configuration designed for customization

Use Cases

• Network-wide ad/tracker reduction for browsers without needing extensions
• Privacy hardening by stripping or rewriting identifying headers and content
• Enforcing browsing policies and access restrictions on a home or small-office network

Limitations and Considerations

• No built-in trusted binary build infrastructure; users should prefer verified sources and signatures when available
• Filtering requires ongoing rule/config tuning and may occasionally break site functionality

Privoxy is a mature, configurable proxy for users who want transparent, centralized filtering and privacy controls. It fits well as a local host proxy or a gateway service for multiple devices and users.