pi-hole

Network-wide ad blocking DNS server for homes and small businesses

softwareAd BlockersAd BlockerDNS SinkholeNetwork Security

Visit Website

Alternatives

NPSAI-suggested

Choose NPS if…

you need TCP/UDP proxying for custom applications
you need SOCKS5 access to internal resources from remote
you need a cross‑platform proxy that runs on Windows,
you need a web UI that shows real‑time bandwidth and client
you need to expose SSH or remote desktop through a

See details

blockyAI-suggested

Choose blocky if…

you need DNS over HTTPS or TLS support
you want to route queries through multiple upstream
you prefer real‑time query logs without a web UI
you value a lightweight proxy that runs on minimal hardware

See details

Technitium DNS ServerAI-suggested

Choose Technitium DNS Server if…

you need DNS‑over‑HTTPS, TLS or QUIC for privacy‑focused
you want to run DHCP without a separate server
you require DNSSEC validation and zone signing
you prefer a web console with dark mode and a full API for

See details

AdGuard HomeAI-suggested

Choose AdGuard Home if…

you want DNS‑over‑TLS/HTTPS without extra configuration
you run a mixed‑OS network and need a single encrypted DNS
you prefer a simpler UI and don’t need per‑client analytics

See details

How to Decide

Pi-hole is a free, open‑source DNS sinkhole that provides network‑wide ad and tracker blocking for home users and small businesses. The alternatives split into a few clear camps: AdGuard Home leans on secure DNS‑over‑TLS/HTTPS support and granular content categories; NPS emphasizes multi‑protocol (TCP, UDP, SOCKS5, HTTP(S), P2P) traffic forwarding for intranet penetration and cross‑platform deployment.

When choosing a replacement, focus on (1) the blocking scope and security features – whether the tool works at DNS‑only level like Pi-hole or adds encrypted DNS and content‑type filters as AdGuard Home does; (2) protocol and network flexibility – NPS offers broader traffic forwarding beyond DNS, which matters if you need SSH or remote desktop tunneling; (3) deployment and management ergonomics – self‑hosted solutions vary in UI richness and platform support, with Pi-hole and AdGuard Home offering web dashboards, while NPS provides a web terminal but targets admins comfortable with multi‑OS installs.

All Alternatives

NPS

AI-suggested

nps is a powerful, lightweight, and high-performance intranet penetration proxy server. It supports various protocols such as TCP, UDP, SOCKS5, and HTTP, allowing for flexible and efficient traffic forwarding.

✦ Best for exposing services behind nat or a firewall via intranet tunneling

FreeGPL-3.0WebWindowsMacTCP SupportUDP SupportSOCKS5 Support

blocky

AI-suggested

Blocky is a fast and lightweight DNS proxy that acts as an ad-blocker for local networks. It provides many features to help users manage their DNS traffic and block unwanted ads.

✦ Best for small networks seeking simple ad-blocking

FreeApache-2.0WebLinuxDNS ProxyAd BlockingLocal Network

“Pi‑hole provides the same DNS‑sinkhole ad‑blocking for homes and small businesses as Blocky.”

Technitium DNS Server

AI-suggested

Technitium DNS Server is a free and open-source DNS server that anyone can self-host to take control of their own DNS resolution, whether for a home network or an organization.

✦ Best for anyone who wants full control of dns resolution and ad-blocking on their own self-hosted server.

FreeProprietaryWindowsMacLinuxRecursive and authoritative DNSEncrypted DNS protocolsAd and malware blocking

“Pi‑hole provides a self‑hosted DNS sinkhole with recursive resolution and optional DoH, serving the same core purpose.”

AdGuard Home

AI-suggested

AdGuardHome is a network-wide ads & trackers blocking DNS server. It provides a simple and effective way to block ads and trackers across all devices on your network, without the need for individual device configuration.

✦ Best for small businesses and tech-savvy home users

FreeGPL-3.0WebMacLinuxAd BlockingTracker BlockingDNS Server