4 Best European Alternatives to OpenDNS (2026), Compared

The best European alternative to OpenDNS is AdGuard DNS (Cyprus): its free Family servers block adult content and force SafeSearch like OpenDNS FamilyShield, and a free private account adds the custom filtering, parental-control schedules and per-device stats that OpenDNS Home users are used to. If you want filtering from a resolver hosted only in the EU, pick DNS4EU from Czech-based Whalebone – it has a ready-made child-protection address.

I wrote this ranking for families, schools at home and small offices that set 208.67.222.123 or 208.67.222.222 in their router years ago to keep adult sites, phishing and malware away from every device. OpenDNS was founded in 2006 and, according to its own About page, was acquired by Cisco in 2015. It is still free: FamilyShield, OpenDNS Home and the OpenDNS Public Service cost nothing. What has changed is who answers your lookups. OpenDNS points users to the general Cisco Online Privacy Statement, which says personal data may be transferred to Cisco in the United States and disclosed to authorities to “meet national security requirements”; it publishes no DNS-specific retention period. The European resolvers below filter for free too, and most of them say exactly what they keep. I compared ten European public resolvers and kept the four that can replace OpenDNS’s family or security filtering one to one. For each one you get who runs it, the exact filter addresses, what you lose compared with OpenDNS and my opinion.

What are the best European alternatives to OpenDNS?

If you only have a minute: these are the European filtering resolvers I would switch to from OpenDNS, in order. Each one is reviewed in detail below.

1. AdGuard DNS (Cyprus) – free Family servers plus a free dashboard with custom rules and parental controls. Best for replacing FamilyShield and OpenDNS Home.
2. DNS4EU (Czech Republic) – EU-hosted resolver with child-protection and ad-blocking variants. Best for family filtering inside the EU.
3. dnsforge (Germany) – donation-funded, with a Clean level that blocks adult and gambling sites. Best German family filter.
4. Quad9 (Switzerland) – global, not-for-profit, blocks malware and phishing only. Best if you used OpenDNS for security, not content filtering.

OpenDNS alternatives compared

Prices from public pricing pages. Affiliate links and sponsored placements are labelled.

“Data hosted in” shows where each resolver answers from, based on its published IPv4 address and an ASN lookup on RIPEstat (25 Oct 2026). OpenDNS’s 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.222.123 belong to Cisco OpenDNS, LLC (AS36692). “Anycast” means the same address is served from many locations, so you reach the nearest one.

How I compared the OpenDNS alternatives

People rarely choose OpenDNS for speed alone – they choose it because it filters. So the order is driven by how much of OpenDNS’s filtering you keep after switching: a pre-configured family filter like FamilyShield, phishing and malware protection, and the customisable, account-based filtering of OpenDNS Home. Then come privacy and data sovereignty, then price. Concretely, I weighed five things:

• Family filtering – a ready-made address that blocks adult content and, ideally, enforces SafeSearch, like FamilyShield.
• Custom control – whether you can block or allow your own domains, set schedules and see what was blocked, like OpenDNS Home.
• Security filtering – blocking of phishing, malware and botnet domains.
• Jurisdiction and logging – who runs the resolver, where it is registered, on whose network it runs, and what its policy says it stores.
• Router fit and sustainability – plain IPv4 and IPv6 addresses you can type into a router, encrypted DNS for phones, and who pays for the service.

I compared ten European resolvers and kept four. LibreDNS from LibreOps offers an ad-blocking endpoint, but only over DoH and DoT, so it cannot replace OpenDNS in a router’s normal DNS fields. DNS.SB (Germany), UncensoredDNS (Denmark) and FFMUC DNS (Germany) are good resolvers but do not filter anything; if you only want an unfiltered European resolver, see Best European alternatives to Google Public DNS. Mullvad’s public DNS, which had family and ad-blocking options, is being discontinued on 2 November 2026 according to Mullvad’s help page, and dns0.eu says it has been discontinued. NextDNS is not included: its privacy policy names NextDNS Inc. as the operator and gives no European company or address. US services such as Cloudflare are not eligible. All data comes from the operators’ own service, pricing, privacy and imprint pages, RIPEstat and Trustpilot, checked on 25 October 2026.

The best European alternatives to OpenDNS, reviewed

Every resolver below gets the same treatment: who runs it, what users say, what it replaces from OpenDNS and what it does not, the exact filter addresses, its pros and cons, and my opinion on who should switch to it.

1. AdGuard DNS

The most complete OpenDNS replacement – free family servers, plus a free account with custom rules, schedules and stats

AdGuard DNS is run by AdGuard Software Limited, a company registered in Limassol, Cyprus, which also makes the AdGuard ad blocker and AdGuard VPN. The resolvers run on AdGuard’s own network (AS212772); its site lists 15+ locations, 100+ servers and more than 120 million users, with European locations in Stockholm, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London and Prague. Its privacy policy says personal data is stored in AdGuard’s own data centre in Frankfurt, Germany. The DNS server software is open source on GitHub under the AGPL-3.0 licence. The adguard-dns.io website itself runs behind Cloudflare.

What users say. On Trustpilot AdGuard has 4.7/5 from 9,791 reviews (checked 25 October 2026), but that profile covers the whole company and most reviews are about the ad blocker, not the DNS service. Trustpilot’s summary says reviewers praise effective ad removal and fast, polite support.

What it replaces from OpenDNS – and what it doesn’t. The free Family servers are the direct counterpart of FamilyShield: AdGuard says they block ads, trackers and adult content and enable Safe Search and Safe Mode where possible. Like FamilyShield, they need no sign-up. If you used OpenDNS Home to choose what gets blocked, AdGuard’s private DNS does the same job: you get your own server with parental controls (block adult content in search results and on YouTube, choose which sites are blocked and when – for example social media during homework), your own block and allow rules, and real-time stats per device. The free Starter tier covers 300,000 requests a month, 5 devices, 2 servers and 100 rules. You also get DoH, DoT, DNS over QUIC and DNSCrypt, which OpenDNS’s home-product pages do not mention. What you lose: the Family servers also block ads, which OpenDNS never did, and that can break some sites and apps; a household with many devices will outgrow the free tier, and Personal costs €26.45 a year plus VAT. On the public servers AdGuard says it processes no personal data; on private servers it stores query logs for the dashboard, but you can switch logging off or shorten the retention in the settings.

Facts: Operator AdGuard Software Limited, Limassol (Cyprus) · free public servers · Family IPv4 94.140.14.15, 94.140.15.16 · Family IPv6 2a10:50c0::bad1:ff, 2a10:50c0::bad2:ff · Family DoH https://family.adguard-dns.com/dns-query · Family DoT family.adguard-dns.com · Default (ads and trackers) 94.140.14.14, 94.140.15.15 · Non-filtering 94.140.14.140, 94.140.14.141 · private DNS free up to 300,000 requests a month.

Switching from OpenDNS: easy – replace 208.67.222.123 and 208.67.220.123 with 94.140.14.15 and 94.140.15.16 in your router; create a free account if you want custom rules.

My take: AdGuard DNS is first because it is the only European service that replaces both halves of OpenDNS: a set-and-forget family address and an account where you decide what gets blocked, with stats to see what happened. It comes from an EU company with a clear privacy policy. The catch is that its family filter also blocks ads – usually welcome, occasionally annoying. Best for: families that want FamilyShield-style filtering, or OpenDNS Home-style control, from a European company. Not for: people who want a family filter that leaves ads alone.

Visit adguard-dns.io →

Full AdGuard DNS review →

2. DNS4EU

The EU-backed resolver with a ready-made child-protection address, hosted only in the EU

DNS4EU started as a project co-funded by the European Union from 2023 to 2025, developed by a consortium led by Whalebone, s.r.o., a DNS security company founded in 2016 in Brno, Czech Republic. Since 2026 DNS4EU is fully owned and operated by Whalebone. Its site says every lookup is answered on infrastructure operated in the EU, under EU law; the resolvers run on Whalebone’s own network (AS198121). The joindns4.eu website runs behind Cloudflare.

What users say. DNS4EU has no reviews on Trustpilot yet (checked 25 October 2026).

What it replaces from OpenDNS – and what it doesn’t. DNS4EU gives you five free variants, each with IPv4, IPv6, DoH and DoT. Protective blocks malware, phishing and command-and-control domains – the equivalent of OpenDNS’s phishing protection. Protective with child protection adds filtering of content not appropriate for children, “such as explicit content, violence or drugs” – the closest EU-hosted match for FamilyShield. There are also variants with ad blocking, child protection plus ad blocking, and an unfiltered one. DNS4EU says your IP address is fully anonymised before logging, and queries are not sold, profiled or used for advertising. What you lose: there is no account, dashboard or custom block list – the site says the public resolver carries “no reporting, no policy control” – so it replaces FamilyShield, not OpenDNS Home. It is meant for individuals and not for business networks, and court-ordered domain blocks apply to every variant.

Facts: Operator Whalebone, s.r.o., Brno (Czech Republic) · EU co-funded 2023–2025 · free for individuals · Child protection IPv4 86.54.11.12, 86.54.11.212 · IPv6 2a13:1001::86:54:11:12, 2a13:1001::86:54:11:212 · DoH https://child.joindns4.eu/dns-query · DoT child.joindns4.eu · child protection plus ad blocking 86.54.11.11, 86.54.11.211 (child-noads.joindns4.eu) · Protective 86.54.11.1, 86.54.11.201.

Switching from OpenDNS: easy – enter 86.54.11.12 and 86.54.11.212 instead of the FamilyShield addresses; iPhones and iPads can use DNS4EU’s ready-made configuration profiles.

My take: DNS4EU is the best FamilyShield replacement if EU hosting is your rule: one address, sensible child protection, malware blocking included. It is second because it offers nothing like OpenDNS Home – no account, no custom lists and no stats. Best for: families who want a set-and-forget child filter that stays inside the EU. Not for: parents who want to choose which sites are blocked.

Visit joindns4.eu →

More in the Google Public DNS ranking →

3. dnsforge

A donation-funded German resolver whose Clean level blocks adult and gambling sites and forces SafeSearch

dnsforge.de is run by the adminForge team, a community offering free, open-source services; the adminForge imprint names Stefan Giebel in Cologne, Germany. All servers are in Germany, on Hetzner’s network (AS24940), and the service is financed by voluntary donations.

What users say. dnsforge has no reviews on Trustpilot yet.

What it replaces from OpenDNS – and what it doesn’t. dnsforge has four levels. Clean is the family option: it blocks ads, trackers, malware, adult content and gambling, and enables SafeSearch for search engines and YouTube. On 25 October 2026 its Clean blocklist held 8,088,863 domains from 39 lists, updated daily, and the site has a domain check so you can see whether a site is blocked. Normal blocks ads, trackers and malware; Hard uses stricter lists; Blank filters nothing. Every level has plain IPv4 and IPv6, DoT, DoH and DNS over QUIC, with DNSSEC validation and the query log switched off. What you lose: no account or custom rules – wrongly blocked domains are reported via forum, chat or email – a limit of 100 queries per 10 seconds, servers only in Germany, and a small volunteer team instead of a company.

Facts: Operator adminForge (Cologne, Germany) · free, donation-funded · Clean IPv4 49.12.223.2, 49.12.43.208 · Clean IPv6 2a01:4f8:c17:4fbc::2, 2a01:4f8:c012:ed89::208 · DoH https://clean.dnsforge.de/dns-query · DoT clean.dnsforge.de · DoQ quic://clean.dnsforge.de · DNSSEC · no query log · servers in Germany (Hetzner).

Switching from OpenDNS: easy – enter the two Clean addresses in your router, and clean.dnsforge.de as Private DNS on Android.

My take: dnsforge’s Clean level is the most thorough free family filter in this list, from a German resolver that keeps no query log. It sits third because it depends on donations and a small team, offers no custom control, and its rate limit makes it a better fit for a small home than a busy one. Best for: German families who want a strict filter from German servers. Not for: busy networks with many devices.

Visit dnsforge.de →

More in the Google Public DNS ranking →

4. Quad9

A global, not-for-profit Swiss resolver that blocks malware and phishing – but not adult content

Quad9 is run by the Quad9 Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation based in Zürich, Switzerland (c/o SWITCH). The service went online in August 2016; its founding organisations are Global Cyber Alliance, IBM and Packet Clearing House, and it is funded by grants, partnerships and donors. It runs on its own network (AS19281) with 230+ resolver clusters in more than 110 countries.

What users say. Quad9 has no reviews on Trustpilot yet (checked 25 October 2026).

What it replaces from OpenDNS – and what it doesn’t. If you used OpenDNS for its phishing protection rather than its content filters, Quad9 is the closest match: short addresses, a worldwide anycast network like Cisco’s, DoH, DoT, DNSCrypt and DNSSEC, and blocking of phishing and malware domains based on threat feeds from 25+ providers. On privacy it is far more specific than Cisco’s general statement: its policy says it “does not collect or record user IP addresses” and keeps only aggregate counters. What you lose: Quad9 does not block adult content or ads and says it has no plans for content filtering, so it cannot replace FamilyShield. There is no account and no custom block list, and Switzerland is outside the EU.

Facts: HQ Switzerland (Zürich) · online since 2016 · free · IPv4 9.9.9.9, 149.112.112.112 · IPv6 2620:fe::fe, 2620:fe::9 · DoH https://dns.quad9.net/dns-query · DoT dns.quad9.net · malware and phishing blocking · DNSSEC · GDPR and Swiss FADP.

Switching from OpenDNS: easy – replace 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 with 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112.

My take: Quad9 is the best European resolver overall, but in an OpenDNS ranking it sits fourth: it protects against phishing and malware as well as OpenDNS does, with a clearer privacy policy, yet it does nothing about adult content. Use it on adult devices; use AdGuard DNS or DNS4EU for the children’s. Best for: people who used OpenDNS for phishing protection and want a global, private resolver. Not for: parents who need a family filter.

Visit quad9.net →

Full Quad9 review →

What European filtering DNS costs compared with OpenDNS

All four alternatives are free for home use, like OpenDNS FamilyShield and OpenDNS Home. The differences are in what the free service filters and whether you can control it. Only AdGuard sells paid plans on top, for households and companies that need more devices or rules.

Prices, addresses and logging claims as shown on each operator’s own pages on 25 October 2026. AdGuard showed a Halloween discount of 55% on Personal (€11.90 for the first year, until 1 November 2026); the table shows the regular price. Quad9 data reused from my Google Public DNS ranking, fetched the same day.

How to switch from OpenDNS to a European filtering DNS

1. Decide what you used OpenDNS for. FamilyShield users want a family filter (AdGuard DNS Family, DNS4EU child protection, dnsforge Clean). OpenDNS Home users who customised categories want an AdGuard private DNS account. If you only valued phishing protection, Quad9 is enough.
2. Note your OpenDNS settings. If you had an OpenDNS Home account, write down the categories and domains you blocked or allowed, so you can rebuild them as rules in AdGuard’s dashboard.
3. Change the DNS on your router. Replace 208.67.222.123 and 208.67.220.123 (or 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220) with the new pair, plus the IPv6 pair if your connection uses IPv6. Every device on the home network then uses the new filter.
4. Set it on phones too. Router settings do not apply on mobile data. On Android enter the DoT hostname (for example family.adguard-dns.com or child.joindns4.eu) as Private DNS; on iPhone use the operator’s configuration profile where one is offered.
5. Test it. Open a DNS leak test and check that only the new resolver appears, then try a site the filter should block. Delete your OpenDNS account once you are happy.

OpenDNS alternatives: FAQ

My verdict: which European filtering DNS to switch to

Most OpenDNS users should switch to AdGuard DNS. Its Family servers are a drop-in replacement for FamilyShield, and its free private DNS covers what OpenDNS Home did – your own rules, schedules and stats – from a company in Cyprus with a clear privacy policy. If your rule is that DNS must stay inside the EU, use DNS4EU‘s child-protection addresses and accept that you cannot customise them. German households that want a strict filter from German servers should try dnsforge Clean.

If you never used OpenDNS’s content filters and only wanted phishing protection, Quad9 is the better resolver: global, private and run by a Swiss foundation. Whatever you choose, change it once on the router and once as Private DNS on each child’s phone.