Brief Summary
This video compares Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 and NextDNS, two third-party DNS servers, focusing on their speed, security features, and pricing. It highlights the benefits of switching from an ISP's default DNS server to improve internet speed and explores the unique features each service offers. 1.1.1.1 excels in speed due to Cloudflare's extensive server network, while NextDNS provides a customizable firewall with options for blocking specific websites, content categories, and new domains, enhancing security and privacy.
- Switching to a third-party DNS server like 1.1.1.1 or NextDNS can improve internet speed compared to using your ISP's default DNS server.
- 1.1.1.1 is the faster option due to Cloudflare's global server network.
- NextDNS offers customizable security features, including content blocking and the ability to block new or specific top-level domains (TLDs).
Why Change Your DNS Servers?
The video starts by addressing the issue of slow internet speeds, which are often caused by sluggish ISP DNS servers. A DNS server is defined as a database containing IP addresses that correspond to domain names, essential for translating domain names into IP addresses for accessing websites. Default DNS servers provided by ISPs are often slow, leading to delays in downloading web files. Switching to a third-party DNS server can significantly improve internet speed and responsiveness. Two prominent options are 1.1.1.1 and NextDNS, which offer additional features beyond just speed enhancement.
NextDNS vs 1.1.1.1
Cloudflare offers the DNS server 1.1.1.1, which uses its extensive server network to provide fast DNS records. NextDNS, founded in 2019, is presented as a customizable DNS server that allows users to fine-tune their DNS experience by blocking specific websites and content categories. This level of customization was previously limited to enterprise solutions. Both 1.1.1.1 and NextDNS offer free versions with the option to subscribe for additional features.
Speed
Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 is recognized as one of the fastest DNS servers available due to its large global server network, ensuring a server is always geographically close to the user. DNSperf.com consistently ranks 1.1.1.1 as one of the fastest public DNS resolvers globally. NextDNS is slower than 1.1.1.1 because it functions as a customizable firewall, which adds processing time to server responses. The difference in speed is also attributed to Cloudflare's superior server infrastructure.
Security
While 1.1.1.1 offers some security benefits over ISP DNS servers, such as optional malware and adult content blocking via a family version, the primary security feature is the Cloudflare Warp desktop client. Warp encrypts browsing activity and routes traffic through Cloudflare servers to find the fastest path, hiding browsing activity from the ISP. Although similar to a VPN, Warp does not hide the user's IP address from destination websites using the Cloudflare network and does not allow choosing a specific server location. NextDNS provides a customizable firewall, allowing users to block specific TLDs, such as ".zip" and ".mov", to prevent potential security threats like malicious links in emails. Users can also block newly registered domains to mitigate risks from malicious campaigns often launched on these domains. NextDNS also allows whitelisting specific domain names to ensure access to necessary sites.
Pricing
NextDNS allows 300,000 queries per month on the free version, after which users must pay $2 per month for unlimited queries. The 300,000 monthly queries may not be sufficient for some users, as the video creator notes they often exceed this limit within the first 10 days of the month. If the query limit is reached on the free version, NextDNS functions as a standard DNS server without content filtering or firewall features. The video suggests that paying for NextDNS is a worthwhile investment to ensure data privacy, as the service is less likely to sell user data when supported by subscriptions.
Which Is Right For You?
The choice between 1.1.1.1 and NextDNS depends on individual priorities. If the primary goal is to improve internet speed and avoid ISP-provided DNS servers, 1.1.1.1 is the better option. Cloudflare Warp can be used for additional privacy to hide browsing activity from the ISP, but it is not a full VPN replacement. NextDNS is suitable for users who want a highly customizable firewall with granular control over website categories, TLDs, and newly registered domains. The subscription fee for NextDNS is considered reasonable for the added security features and data privacy.
