Choosing a DNS is no easy task. You’ll find countless options out there, though you can’t trust all of them, as this system is your getaway to the internet: choosing the wrong one would allow threat actors to redirect you to malicious sites and other harmful practices. Beginners should compare the two best options, Google DNS vs. OpenDNS, and see which one is better.

Google DNS is the best choice for people who want a free DNS provider better than their default choice. However, OpenDNS provides more features for those willing to pay for them. Both options are great, though the service provided by Google is a bit more reliable thanks to its servers.

There’s more than reliability and features when it comes to choosing the right DNS for you. What about performance, price, and speed? Security is also important. For that reason, we’ll go one by one and let you know which has the edge over the other – and if they are different at all!

Are Google DNS And OpenDNS Different?

Google DNS and OpenDNS are not that different when it comes to their free services. In fact, they’re virtually identical – except for a small edge Google has thanks to their infrastructure in certain parts of the world. Users in North America will find both DNS options are almost identical.

The differences between each option become more noticeable when you create an OpenDNS account, which unlocks new features. You’ll have way more things using OpenDNS if you decide to pay for a premium account.

That’s not to say OpenDNS is the best option for you: sometimes, less is more. Beginners should focus on both free options before they decide to get their wallets out. At the same time, Google DNS is a bit more user-friendly, making it the ideal choice for those choosing an alternative DNS for the first time.

Google DNS vs. OpenDNS: A Comparison

This article will shed light on whether Google DNS is better than OpenDNS or the other way around. We’ll talk about features, price, reliability, and more. Of course, we’ll focus on cybersecurity too.

A bit of a warning: we have no way of telling which DNS is better for you unless we know where you are, what you need to do (e.g., are you working from home?), and who you need to protect (e.g., are you alone or have a family using your network?). However, we’ll do our best to provide enough general information to help anyone make an informed decision.

Google DNS and OpenDNS are top-tier choices for anyone, especially for beginners looking for DNS alternatives for the first time, though that doesn’t mean they’re the same. The biggest differences are features, speed, and price.

Google DNS vs. OpenDNS: Performance

Performance is a big concern when it comes to choosing a DNS. Fortunately, both options provide a similar result for those in North America and certain parts of Europe. However, the best way to test that is to use both.

That’s right! Here’s our caveat for choosing a DNS: test every free option you come across (as long as it’s trustworthy). We’ll explain why cybersecurity is a big factor when choosing a DNS below.

For now, know that choosing a DNS is all about how it responds to your requests. In other words, the best way to see which one performs best is to roll up your sleeves and try both. Since Google and CISCO (the owner of OpenDNS) have great infrastructure, performance won’t be an issue when using either option.

Google DNS vs. OpenDNS: Features

You’ll notice that Google DNS and OpenDNS are similar in most aspects, though features are the clear exception. Google DNS offers a great service that comes free of charge, though you won’t get as many features as you would if you hire a premium DNS provider like OpenDNS.

OpenDNS is aimed at keeping your home safe from threat actors. It comes with parental control, a website blacklist, and a few more things to keep the bad guys out of your network. It also allows you to see your internet stats to see what’s going on in your household.

That doesn’t mean Google DNS isn’t secure! It comes with fewer features, especially when you consider those that help parents keep their kids safe when they surf the web.

Google DNS vs. OpenDNS: Functionality

Both of these options provide a similar functionality when you compare their shared features. Of course, OpenDNS will have the edge over the things Google doesn’t provide, though that doesn’t mean it’s better.

However, those looking for a family-friendly approach to DNS alternatives will consider OpenDNS as having the edge over Google – and that would be true! In contrast, if you compare the features that come free of charge in both options, you’ll realize there’s not that much of a difference.

Is functionality the only thing you should look for in your new DNS? Not at all! Speed plays a big part, and so does reliability, which may tip the scale in Google’s favor.

Google DNS vs. OpenDNS: Speed

The speed of your DNS of choice has more to do with your location than the DNS itself. Because of that, it’s impossible for us to tell you which one will be faster. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t push you in the right direction.

Figuring out which DNS option is faster for you boils down to finding the nearest server there is. In other words, the farthest a server is, the longer it’ll take to respond to your requests, making it considerably slower as the distance grows.

Google probably has a server close to you, no matter where you are (of course, there are exceptions). Those in North America and Europe probably have no issue with their DNS of choice, though those in certain parts of Asia, Africa, and South America will have a harder time finding a server close by if they choose OpenDNS.

Google DNS vs. OpenDNS: Reliability

Having good servers makes a DNS reliable. In other words, the less downtime a DNS has, the more reliable it is. Fortunately, Google DNS and OpenDNS are both very reliable and among the top choices in the industry.

What does that mean? You can’t choose either one if you have to weigh in reliability alone – and that’s a good thing! Both options will give you little to no downtime. Chances are you won’t have any server issues.

DNS attacks are becoming more frequent. For that reason, choosing smaller DNS companies may not be the best idea, no matter how attractive that option seems. Going with the big guys in the industry (either option we’re comparing) is the go-to choice for a reliable experience.

Google DNS vs. OpenDNS: Price

Google DNS comes free of charge: you won’t pay a cent to use this DNS service, no matter how many of the available features you want. In contrast, OpenDNS offers three different options, a free, a freemium, and a premium choice.

OpenDNS gives you three choices: 

• Completely Free. Setting up an account is not necessary to use the most basic OpenDNS features. That means you can use this choice and Google DNS service in the same way: modify your settings, and you’re ready to go. However, that leaves a lot of features out of the table.
• Freemium Account. The next choice OpenDNS offers is unlocking a few features if you create an account. It’s a basic freemium service: you get a few things to try – but you have to pay to get everything they offer.
• Premium Account. Those who want to unlock every feature OpenDNS has to offer will have to pay for it. It’s not prohibitively expensive, though it’s a big difference from Google’s completely free of charge experience. However, you get what you pay for: OpenDNS offers more features than Google.

Google DNS vs. OpenDNS: Cybersecurity

Google DNS and OpenDNS are both secure, so you shouldn’t worry about any issues there. However, OpenDNS offers more features for those who have cybersecurity in mind, even for parents who want their kids away from certain websites.

DNS security is very important. Threat actors can hijack your DNS and force your browser to visit malicious sites or download malware. You don’t want that to happen – and, chances are, you won’t notice it until it’s too late.

For that reason, choosing a solid choice as your DNS service is a must. Fortunately, both options we’re comparing in this post have a long-lasting security tradition. Google will give you no trouble in that area, and OpenDNS is owned by CISCO, a tech company with more than four decades in the industry.

Google DNS vs. OpenDNS: Which One Is Better?

Google DNS and OpenDNS are both great options – and, truth be told, you can’t pick one as the better choice. It all boils down to personal preference, what you’re looking for, and how much you’re willing to pay.

Objectively speaking, you can’t beat the numbers: Google DNS comes free of charge. That’s right! You don’t have to pay a cent for it. In fact, you don’t have to set up an account either. Don’t get too confident – because Google collects your DNS-related data anyway (though that doesn’t mean they collect personal information: in fact, they don’t.)

OpenDNS is objectively better if you don’t mind paying for it. The free version isn’t that different from Google’s. However, you get more features if you register an account – and even more things if you pay for a subscription, though it would be a waste of money if you won’t use a single one of them.

Google DNS vs. OpenDNS: Which One Is Best for You?

Google DNS is the best for beginners and people who are looking for a free DNS alternative, though that means you get to pick something with fewer features. Those who want more control over their DNS and what it does should choose OpenDNS.

At this point, you already know that both of these options are great. Your location and the features you want are the determining factors. Choose the service Google provides if you don’t care (or won’t use) any of the features OpenDNS has.

Don’t forget about where you live (or will live). Server location plays a big role in speed and reliability. You can’t beat Google in that area, no matter which one you want to choose. Digital nomads should pick something reliable all over the globe – and that’s Google.

Conclusion

Choosing a DNS alternative isn’t necessary for most users, though those who want an upgrade should start with a beginner-friendly choice, such as Google DNS and OpenDNS. The free and efficient alternative comes from Google. Those who want to pay a little extra for a few more features should choose OpenDNS.