Pi-hole and AdGuard Home are both free, self-hosted DNS filters that block ads, trackers, and malware at the network level. Pi-hole uses gravity-based blocklists with 800,000+ default entries, while AdGuard Home adds encrypted DNS, per-client rules, and built-in HTTPS filtering that catches threats Pi-hole misses.
What DNS Filtering Does at the Network Level
DNS filtering intercepts every domain request your devices make and checks each one against a blocklist. If a domain is flagged as malicious, the filter returns a null response instead of the real IP address. Your browser never connects to the threat. Our guide on what DNS filtering is and how it blocks malware covers the full mechanics.
Pi-hole: How It Works
Pi-hole runs on a Raspberry Pi or any Linux machine and acts as your network DNS server. It pulls blocklists from community sources like Steven Black’s Unified Hosts and the Firebog collection, blocking roughly 800,000 domains across advertising, telemetry, and known malware categories by default.
Pi-hole Strengths
- Extremely lightweight, runs on a Raspberry Pi Zero with 512 MB RAM
- Massive community with hundreds of curated blocklists
- Detailed query log dashboard showing every DNS request by device
- Group management for assigning different blocklists to different devices
Pi-hole Limitations
Pi-hole only filters plain DNS queries on port 53. It cannot handle DNS-over-HTTPS or DNS-over-TLS without additional software like Unbound or Cloudflared. Applications that bypass your local DNS skip Pi-hole entirely unless you block external DNS at your router. You should also secure your home WiFi at the router level to prevent DNS bypass.
AdGuard Home: How It Works
AdGuard Home installs on Linux, Windows, macOS, or Docker and serves as both DNS server and filtering proxy. It supports DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, DNS-over-QUIC, and DNSCrypt natively. The default configuration blocks approximately 700,000 domains.
AdGuard Home Strengths
- Native encrypted DNS support without third-party tools
- Per-client filtering rules for customised blocking by device
- Built-in safe browsing and parental controls
- Custom filtering rules using uBlock Origin style syntax
AdGuard Home Limitations
AdGuard Home requires at least 1 GB of RAM for stable operation, double what Pi-hole needs. The blocklist ecosystem is smaller, though most Pi-hole lists work after minor formatting adjustments.
Pi-hole vs AdGuard Home: Feature Comparison
| Feature | Pi-hole | AdGuard Home |
|---|---|---|
| Default blocked domains | ~800,000 | ~700,000 |
| DNS-over-HTTPS | Requires Cloudflared | Built-in |
| DNS-over-TLS | Requires Unbound | Built-in |
| DNS-over-QUIC | Not supported | Built-in |
| Per-client rules | Group-based only | Full per-client control |
| HTTPS filtering | No | Yes |
| Minimum RAM | 512 MB | 1 GB |
| Custom filter syntax | Regex and wildcard | uBlock Origin style |
| Docker support | Official image | Official image |
Which DNS Filter Should You Choose
Choose Pi-hole if you want the lightest possible installation, have a Raspberry Pi available, and prefer the largest community blocklist ecosystem. Pi-hole works best when you already run Unbound for encrypted DNS and want modular services.
Choose AdGuard Home if you need encrypted DNS without extra software, want per-client filtering, or require HTTPS filtering to catch threats that plain DNS blocking misses. AdGuard Home suits households with mixed devices and different filtering needs per user.
For the broadest protection, pair either tool with a security-focused upstream DNS provider like Quad9 or Cloudflare Gateway. The local filter handles blocklist enforcement while the upstream provider adds real-time threat intelligence you cannot replicate locally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you run Pi-hole and AdGuard Home together on the same network?
Yes, but it adds unnecessary complexity. Both serve as DNS resolvers, so you would need separate IP addresses. A better approach is choosing one and importing the other’s blocklists. AdGuard Home can import Pi-hole formatted lists directly.
Does DNS filtering slow down your internet connection?
No. DNS lookups through either tool resolve in 1 to 5 milliseconds from the local cache, faster than querying an external DNS server. Blocked requests resolve even faster because the filter returns a null response instantly.
Will DNS filtering break any websites or applications?
Occasionally. Aggressive blocklists can block domains required for authentication or payment processing. Both tools include whitelist features to unblock false positives instantly. Start with a moderate blocklist and add stricter lists only after confirming nothing breaks.