CleanBrowsing and DNSFilter both operate in the DNS-based content filtering space, but they differ significantly in pricing, packaging, and target audience.
CleanBrowsing processes over 355 billion DNS requests per month across 70 data centers worldwide, serving more than 4.5 million devices. It is built around affordable, feature-rich plans designed for families, schools, and organizations of all sizes.
DNSFilter is an AI-powered DNS security platform used by over 43,000 organizations and more than 3,000 MSP partners. It positions itself as an enterprise-focused solution and claims to operate the "world's fastest DNS resolver."
Both services leverage Anycast networks for global availability and performance, and both fall into the Content Filtering and DNS filtering domain. However, when you look closely at pricing and packaging, the differences become significant.
For those unable to purchase a subscription, CleanBrowsing does offer a free forever filtering service that can be deployed on any device that uses DNS. It is a fast, privacy-first, network that is designed to help parents and institutions create safe browsing experiences for kids and families.
No signup required. No credit card required. No tracking on our end.
The biggest difference between CleanBrowsing and DNSFilter is pricing structure.
DNSFilter charges on a per-user basis. The DNSFilter Pro plan costs $2 per user per month with a 30-user minimum. That translates to $60 per month, or $600 per year.
CleanBrowsing charges on a per-device basis. The Basic plan covers 25 devices at $59.99 per year.
That is roughly 10x in savings when comparing similar feature sets between the two services.
Beyond raw pricing, the way each service packages its features matters. CleanBrowsing includes roaming clients and DNS encryption in all plans at no additional charge. We believe encrypted DNS is a fundamental requirement on the modern internet, not a premium add-on.
DNSFilter may charge extra for certain features depending on the plan tier. With CleanBrowsing, there are no upsells. What you see is what you get.
DNSFilter uses its Webshrinker AI engine for real-time domain categorization. This approach leverages machine learning to classify domains as they are discovered, which can be effective for catching newly registered threats.
CleanBrowsing takes a different approach, using curated threat feeds that are updated every 3 hours. Our categorization engine also integrates crowd-sourced community feedback to keep categories accurate and effective. We keep ourselves honest by making it publicly available at categorify.org.
Both approaches have their merits. AI-driven classification can react faster to unknown domains, while curated feeds benefit from human oversight and community validation.
DNSFilter offers enterprise-oriented capabilities such as AppAware for application-level blocking, whitelabel MSP portals, and multi-tenant management dashboards. These are designed for large IT teams managing complex environments.
CleanBrowsing focuses on simplicity and value. Our platform is designed to be easy to deploy and manage without requiring dedicated IT staff. For organizations that need straightforward DNS filtering without the complexity of enterprise tooling, CleanBrowsing delivers.
CleanBrowsing has strong support for K-12 schools and libraries seeking CIPA compliance. Our filters are built with education environments in mind, providing the controls institutions need to meet federal requirements.
DNSFilter also serves the education sector, but its primary focus is enterprise IT departments. Organizations evaluating DNS filtering for schools and libraries will find CleanBrowsing purpose-built for that use case.
Responsible for managing networks for your customers? The CleanBrowsing partner program might be what you're looking for. Offers the same benefits as the plans above, but includes a centralized management console.
*Starts at $750 / year for 10 customer accounts
partners@cleanbrowsing.org