Content Filtering Approach
CleanBrowsing provides 21+ predefined content categories that can be enabled or disabled with a single
click. This makes it simple for administrators to deploy consistent filtering policies across networks
without needing deep technical knowledge.
NextDNS takes a different approach, relying on manually configured blocklists. Users can add community
blocklists or create custom deny/allow lists to build their filtering profile. This offers more granular
control, but requires more technical effort to set up and maintain effectively.
For organizations that need quick deployment and broad category-based filtering, CleanBrowsing's
approach is more practical. For individual users who want to hand-pick exactly which blocklists to use,
NextDNS offers that flexibility.
SafeSearch Enforcement
CleanBrowsing enforces SafeSearch across five major search engines and platforms: Google, Bing, Yandex,
DuckDuckGo, and YouTube. This ensures that explicit content is filtered out of search results regardless
of which search engine users prefer.
NextDNS supports SafeSearch enforcement on Google, Bing, and YouTube. While this covers the most
commonly used platforms, it does not extend to Yandex or DuckDuckGo.
For schools, libraries, and families where users may access a variety of search engines, CleanBrowsing's
broader SafeSearch coverage provides a more complete layer of protection.
Privacy and Ad Blocking
NextDNS places a strong emphasis on privacy and ad/tracker blocking. It offers a wide selection of
curated blocklists specifically targeting ads, trackers, and telemetry domains. For users whose primary
concern is reducing ads and tracking across their devices, NextDNS may be a better fit.
CleanBrowsing focuses primarily on content filtering -- blocking access to inappropriate or harmful
content categories such as adult material, gambling, malware, and phishing domains. While it does
provide some level of ad and tracker blocking, its core strength is in network-wide content policy
enforcement.
If your primary goal is ad blocking and tracker prevention, NextDNS is purpose-built for that. If your
primary goal is content filtering and safe browsing enforcement across a network, CleanBrowsing is the
stronger choice.
Pricing
NextDNS Pro is priced at approximately $19.90 per year for an individual subscription. This removes the
query limit on the free tier and unlocks full configuration options. It is aimed at individual users
and families.
CleanBrowsing Basic starts at $59.99 per year for one home network with up to 25 devices and includes
all 21+ content categories, SafeSearch enforcement, DNS encryption, and roaming clients. The Pro-50
plan is $110 per year for up to 50 devices.
For individual users looking for a low-cost privacy and ad-blocking tool, NextDNS offers a competitive
price point. For organizations, schools, and families that need comprehensive content filtering with
all features included, CleanBrowsing's device-based pricing with no feature gating is more
straightforward and predictable.
Setup and Getting Started
CleanBrowsing's free tier requires zero signup. Users simply change their DNS settings to CleanBrowsing's
public resolver addresses and filtering is active immediately. There is no account creation, no query
limits, and no credit card required.
NextDNS also offers a free tier, but it is capped at 300,000 queries per month. Once that limit is
reached, NextDNS stops filtering and resolves queries without any blocking until the next month. Users
must create an account to get started.
For users who want the simplest possible path to filtered DNS, CleanBrowsing's no-signup, no-limit free
tier is the fastest way to get started.
partners@cleanbrowsing.org