dnsmasq Alternatives for Windows

dnsmasq is not available for Windows but there are some alternatives that runs on Windows with similar functionality. The best Windows alternative is NextDNS, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 10 alternatives to dnsmasq and ten of them are available for Windows so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Windows alternatives to dnsmasq are AdGuard Home, YogaDNS, Unbound and Acrylic DNS Proxy.

dnsmasq icondnsmasq
  13
  • Free • Open Source
  • ...

Dnsmasq is a lightweight, easy to configure DNS forwarder and DHCP server. It is designed to provide DNS and, optionally,...

More about dnsmasq
More about dnsmasq
dnsmasq alternatives page was last updated May 23, 2025
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
  1. NextDNS icon

    NextDNS

     123 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    NextDNS protects you from all kinds of security threats, blocks ads and trackers on websites and in apps and provides a safe and supervised Internet for kids — on all devices and on all networks.

    141 NextDNS alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • UC Browser
    • Vivaldi
    • Google Chrome
    • UniFi Network
    • Safari
    • Yandex Browser
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • OpenWrt
    • Opera
    • Alpine Linux
    • pfSense
    • Mozilla Firefox
    • DD-WRT
    NextDNS screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Security-focused
    4.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  DNS Resolver
    2.  DNS Server
    3.  DNS over HTTPS
    4.  DNS-over-TLS
    5.  Parental Control
    6.  Real-time analytics
    7.  Data analytics
    8.  Dns
    9.  DNSSEC
    10.  Block Trackers
    11.  Ad-free
    12.  Dark Mode

    NextDNS VS dnsmasq

     
    Comments about NextDNS as an Alternative to dnsmasq
    lenaw
    Negative May 23, 2025
    0

    dnsmasq is a server you run that is not recursive, nextdns is a recursive server

    dnsmasq Icon
    NextDNS icon

    • NextDNS is the most popular Web-based, Windows, Android & Mac alternative to dnsmasq.

    • NextDNS is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to dnsmasq.

    • NextDNS is Freemium and Open Sourcednsmasq is Free and Open Source
    • NextDNS is Customizable and Privacy focuseddnsmasq is not according to our users
  2. AdGuard Home icon

    AdGuard Home

     22 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    AdGuard Home is a network-wide software for blocking ads & tracking. After you set it up, it'll cover ALL your home devices, and you don't need any client-side software for that.

    10 AdGuard Home alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • CY flagCyprus
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    • FreeBSD
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Cloudron
    AdGuard Home screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  DNS Server
    2.  DNS Proxy
    3.  No Tracking
    4.  Block Trackers
    5.  No Logs
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  No registration required

    AdGuard Home VS dnsmasq

     
    Comments about AdGuard Home as an Alternative to dnsmasq
    Taurolyon
    Negative Aug 23, 2022
    1

    AdGuard is closer in comparison to Pihole. dnsmasq is a completely different animal.

    Guest
    Negative Feb 2, 2021
    4

    dnsmasq is a service for confiruing DNS requests. ADGuard is a browser tool for blocking ads. One is a low level protocol, the other is a client-facing application. Not remotely the same. Seems like spam / advertising

    dnsmasq Icon
    AdGuard Home icon

    • AdGuard Home is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to dnsmasq.

    • AdGuard Home is Free and Open Sourcednsmasq is also Free and Open Source
    • AdGuard Home is Privacy focused and Lightweightdnsmasq is not according to our users
  4. YogaDNS icon

    YogaDNS

     13 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    YogaDNS automatically intercepts DNS requests at the system level and allows you to process them over user-defined DNS servers using modern protocols and flexible rules.

    12 YogaDNS alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • RU flagRussia

    Platforms

    • Windows
    YogaDNS screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Dns leak blockage
    2.  DNS over HTTPS
    3.  Encrypted Connection
    4.  DNS Caching
    5.  Custom DNS
    6.  DNSSEC
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  No registration required
    9.  DNS filtering
    10.  DNS Proxy
    11.  Anti Tampering
    12.  Enctrypted dns requests

    YogaDNS VS dnsmasq

     
  5. Unbound icon

    Unbound

     15 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Unbound is a validating, recursive, and caching DNS resolver.

    The C implementation of Unbound is developed and maintained by NLnet Labs. It is based on ideas and algorithms taken from a java prototype developed by Verisign labs, Nominet, Kirei and ep.net.

    Unbound is designed as.

    10 Unbound alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Country of Origin

    • NL flagNetherlands
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Unbound Features

    1.  DNS Server
    2.  DNS-over-TLS
    3.  Support for IPv6
    4.  DNS Caching

    Unbound VS dnsmasq

     
  6. Acrylic DNS Proxy icon

    Acrylic DNS Proxy

     18 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Acrylic is a local DNS proxy for Windows which improves the performance of your computer by caching the responses coming from your DNS servers and helps you fight unwanted ads through a custom HOSTS file.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Acrylic DNS Proxy screenshot 1

    Acrylic DNS Proxy Features

    1.  DNS Proxy
    2.  DNS Server
    3.  Custom DNS
    4.  Dns leak blockage
    5.  DNS Caching
    6.  DNS over HTTPS

    Acrylic DNS Proxy VS dnsmasq

     

  7. WireHole

     2 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    WireHole is a combination of WireGuard, Pi-hole, and Unbound in a docker-compose project with the intent of enabling users to quickly and easily create a personally managed full or split-tunnel WireGuard VPN with ad blocking capabilities thanks to Pi-hole, and DNS caching...

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Discontinued

    The latest update is from November 2023, and it seems this project is not actively developed anymore.

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  No Tracking
    2.  WireGuard
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  No registration required
    5. Docker icon  Support for Docker
    6.  Dns

    WireHole VS dnsmasq

     
  9. Technitium DNS Server icon

    Technitium DNS Server

     7 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Technitium DNS Server is an open source tool that can be used as a personal local DNS server for privacy & security. It includes Ad blocking feature combined with DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS support.

    27 Technitium DNS Server alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • IN flagIndia

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Technitium DNS Server screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Configurable

    Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  DHCP Server
    3.  DNS Server
    4.  Custom DNS
    5.  Graphical User Interface
    6.  DNS Proxy
    7.  Website testing

    Technitium DNS Server VS dnsmasq

     
    Comments about Technitium DNS Server as an Alternative to dnsmasq
    onyo
    Positive Mar 17, 2023
    0

    dnsmasq can only forward DNS queries, Technitium also has the option to resolve them itself

    Both offer a built-in DHCP Server. Even if you use an external DHCP server, you can tell the Technitium authoritative DNS server about the LAN hostnames, provided that your external DHCP server supports "Dynamic DNS Updates [RFC 2136]".

    dnsmasq Icon
    Technitium DNS Server icon
    • Technitium DNS Server is Free and Open Sourcednsmasq is also Free and Open Source

  10. MaraDNS

     1 like
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    MaraDNS implements the Domain Name System (DNS), an essential internet service. MaraDNS is open source software: This means that anyone is free to download, use, and modify the program free of charge, as per its license.

    12 MaraDNS alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    MaraDNS screenshot 1

    MaraDNS Features

    1.  DNS Server

    MaraDNS VS dnsmasq

     

  11. dns2socks

     2 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    DNS2SOCKS is a command line utility running to forward DNS requests to a DNS server via a SOCKS tunnel.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    dns2socks Features

    1.  DNS Proxy

    dns2socks VS dnsmasq

     
  12. SecureDNS icon

    SecureDNS

     Like
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    SecureDNS Project aims to implements all secure DNS Protocols regardless of being standardized or widely adopted; while maintaining backward compatibility with unsecure DNS-Over-UDP Protocol via Reverse Proxy.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Country of Origin

    • AE flagUnited Arab Emirates

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    SecureDNS screenshot 1

    SecureDNS Features

    1.  DNSSEC
    2.  Blockchain
    3.  DNS Server
    4.  DNS over HTTPS
    5.  DNS-over-TLS
    6.  Dns

    SecureDNS VS dnsmasq

     
10 of 10 dnsmasq alternatives