Overview: Two Different Philosophies
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 and AdGuard DNS represent two fundamentally different approaches to DNS resolution. Cloudflare focuses on being the fastest resolver on the planet, with a privacy-first no-log policy and no content filtering. AdGuard DNS focuses on privacy and ad blocking, filtering out advertisements, trackers, and malware at the DNS level before they ever reach your device.
Cloudflare launched in April 2018 and quickly became the world's fastest DNS resolver, operating in over 300 cities across 100+ countries. The service is completely free with no query limits, backed by annual KPMG audits verifying its zero-log policy. Cloudflare does not block any content on its default 1.1.1.1 address, though variants 1.1.1.2 (malware blocking) and 1.1.1.3 (malware plus adult content blocking) are available.
AdGuard DNS launched in 2019 as a companion to the AdGuard ad-blocking browser extension and VPN. It operates 30+ data centers worldwide and uses anycast routing. The free tier offers unlimited queries with default filter lists, while the paid tier at just $0.90 per month adds custom filter lists, dedicated servers, and family protection. AdGuard DNS supports all encrypted protocols including DoH and DoT.
This comparison tests both resolvers from 8 countries using DNS-over-HTTPS queries to measure real-world performance across speed, blocking capability, privacy, and features.
Speed Benchmarks: Cloudflare vs AdGuard
Speed is where Cloudflare dominates. Our testing measured uncached DNS lookup times using DoH queries from multiple geographic locations.
Global Average Response Times
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1: 11 ms median response time. Cloudflare's massive anycast network routes your query to the nearest of over 300 edge locations. In North America and Europe, response times regularly dropped below 8 ms. In Asia-Pacific, results ranged from 12 to 25 ms.
AdGuard DNS: 15 ms median response time. AdGuard operates 30+ data centers, which is fewer than Cloudflare but still provides excellent global coverage. In Europe, where AdGuard has its densest infrastructure, response times matched Cloudflare at 11 to 13 ms. In North America, AdGuard responded in 13 to 18 ms. In Asia-Pacific and South America, the gap widened slightly due to fewer local data centers.
Regional Breakdown
United States: Cloudflare 7 ms, AdGuard 14 ms. Cloudflare's US edge network is significantly denser.
Germany: Cloudflare 7 ms, AdGuard 11 ms. Both perform well in Europe, with Cloudflare maintaining a slight edge.
United Kingdom: Cloudflare 9 ms, AdGuard 13 ms. Similar pattern to Germany.
Japan: Cloudflare 12 ms, AdGuard 22 ms. The gap is wider in Asia due to AdGuard's fewer local data centers.
Australia: Cloudflare 18 ms, AdGuard 28 ms. Cloudflare's Sydney edge gives it a clear lead.
Brazil: Cloudflare 14 ms, AdGuard 24 ms. Cloudflare has more South American infrastructure.
India: Cloudflare 16 ms, AdGuard 20 ms. Moderate difference in South Asia.
Nigeria: Cloudflare 22 ms, AdGuard 32 ms. Both have limited African infrastructure, but Cloudflare's Lagos edge helps.
The 4-millisecond global average gap is small for individual lookups, but across a browsing session with hundreds of DNS queries, Cloudflare's speed advantage compounds. That said, AdGuard's speed is still excellent and well within the range where users would not notice a difference in everyday browsing.
Ad and Tracker Blocking
This is where the two services diverge completely. Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 does not block any content. AdGuard DNS is purpose-built for content filtering.
What AdGuard DNS Blocks
AdGuard DNS uses curated filter lists to block domains associated with advertisements, tracking scripts, telemetry, and known malware. The default lists cover approximately 50,000 to 80,000 domains. When your device tries to resolve a blocked domain, AdGuard returns a non-existent domain response, preventing the connection from ever being established. This means ad scripts and tracking pixels never load, which can improve page load speeds and reduce data usage on mobile connections.
The paid tier ($0.90/month) unlocks custom filter lists, letting you add or remove specific domains. You can also enable the family protection server, which blocks adult content, gambling sites, and other inappropriate material in addition to ads and malware.
What Cloudflare Blocks
Nothing on the default 1.1.1.1. Cloudflare operates three variants: 1.1.1.1 (no filtering), 1.1.1.2 (malware blocking only), and 1.1.1.3 (malware plus adult content blocking). Even the blocking variants do not filter ads or trackers. If you want ad blocking with Cloudflare, you need a separate tool like uBlock Origin in your browser or Pi-hole on your network.
Real-World Impact
Using AdGuard DNS means fewer ad scripts loading, which reduces page weight by 10 to 30 percent on ad-heavy sites. This translates to faster page loads, lower data consumption on mobile plans, and less battery drain. The trade-off is occasional breakage when legitimate site functionality depends on domains that AdGuard's lists have categorized as trackers. You can fix this by adding exceptions in your AdGuard DNS dashboard.
Privacy Comparison
Both services take privacy seriously, but their approaches differ.
Cloudflare Privacy
Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 privacy policy is among the strongest in the industry. The company logs no source IP addresses, no query content, and no identifying information. All data is purged within 24 hours. KPMG conducts an independent annual audit of these practices, and the results are published publicly. Cloudflare also supports CNAME Cloaking to prevent cross-domain tracking. The company's business model is selling CDN and security services to businesses, not monetizing user data.
AdGuard DNS Privacy
AdGuard DNS also has a no-logging policy. The service does not store your IP address or query content beyond what is necessary to respond. AdGuard is a dedicated privacy company whose entire product line is built around user protection, which aligns their business incentives with your privacy. AdGuard is incorporated in Cyprus and complies with GDPR. They publish transparency reports. However, AdGuard does not currently commission independent third-party audits of its DNS logging practices.
The Verdict
Cloudflare has the edge on verifiable privacy thanks to KPMG audits. AdGuard has strong policies but lacks independent verification. Both are significantly more private than ISP default DNS or Google Public DNS. If auditable privacy is your top priority, Cloudflare wins. If you trust a privacy-focused company's policies and value the ad-blocking privacy benefits, AdGuard is compelling.
Security Features
DNSSEC
Both Cloudflare and AdGuard support DNSSEC validation, cryptographically verifying DNS responses to prevent spoofing and cache poisoning. Both return SERVFAIL for domains that fail DNSSEC validation.
Threat Blocking
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 does not block malicious domains. The 1.1.1.2 variant blocks known malware domains, and 1.1.1.3 adds adult content blocking. AdGuard DNS blocks malware, phishing, and exploit kit domains by default on all its servers, including the free tier. AdGuard's threat blocking is more comprehensive out of the box.
Encrypted Protocols
Both support DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS. AdGuard's DoH endpoint is https://dns.adguard-dns.com/dns-query and DoT endpoint is dns.adguard-dns.com on port 853. Cloudflare's DoH endpoint is https://cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query and DoT is 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com on port 853. Both support TLS 1.3.
Query Name Minimization
Both support RFC 7816 query name minimization, reducing the information shared with intermediate DNS servers during recursive resolution.
Features and Customization
AdGuard DNS Features
AdGuard DNS offers per-device configuration through device identification. You can create different filtering profiles for different devices, such as stricter filtering on children's devices and no filtering on work devices. The paid tier supports custom filter lists, letting you add or remove specific domains from blocking. AdGuard also offers a family protection mode that blocks adult content, gambling, and other categories. The service provides basic query statistics in the dashboard.
Cloudflare Features
Cloudflare's feature set is more minimal by design. The three DNS variants (1.1.1.1, 1.1.1.2, 1.1.1.3) provide different filtering levels. Cloudflare WARP, a free companion app, extends encryption beyond DNS to all internet traffic using the WireGuard protocol. WARP+ (paid) adds Argo Smart Routing for 30 to 40 percent latency reduction on long-distance connections. Cloudflare does not offer per-device filtering or custom lists.
Analytics
Neither Cloudflare nor AdGuard provides detailed query analytics on the free tier. AdGuard's dashboard shows basic statistics. For detailed analytics, consider NextDNS, which provides per-device query breakdowns and real-time logs.
Pricing
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1
Completely free. No query limits, no bandwidth caps, no paid tiers for DNS resolution. WARP (the VPN-like companion app) is free for basic use, with WARP+ available as a paid upgrade.
AdGuard DNS
Free tier: Unlimited queries, default filter lists, DoH and DoT support, shared servers. No custom filter lists or family protection.
Paid tier ($0.90/month): Dedicated servers, custom filter lists, family protection server, priority support. One of the cheapest paid DNS services available.
Value Comparison
If you want ad blocking, AdGuard's free tier is extraordinary value. If you need custom filter lists or family protection, $0.90 per month is negligible. If you only need fast, private DNS without content filtering, Cloudflare is unbeatable at zero cost.
Setup Instructions
Both services take less than five minutes to configure on any device.
AdGuard DNS Addresses
Default: 94.140.14.14 (primary) and 94.140.15.15 (secondary)
Non-filtering: 94.140.11.11 and 94.140.12.12
DoH: https://dns.adguard-dns.com/dns-query
DoT: dns.adguard-dns.com
Cloudflare DNS Addresses
Default: 1.1.1.1 (primary) and 1.0.0.1 (secondary)
Malware blocking: 1.1.1.2 and 1.0.0.2
Family: 1.1.1.3 and 1.0.0.3
DoH: https://cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query
DoT: 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com
Windows
Open Settings, go to Network and Internet, click your connection, then Properties. Under IP settings, click Edit, change to Manual, and enter the DNS addresses. See our Windows DNS guide for screenshots.
macOS
Open System Settings, click Network, select your connection, click Details, then go to DNS. Click the plus button and add the addresses.
iPhone and iPad
Open Settings, tap Wi-Fi, tap the info icon next to your network, tap Configure DNS, switch to Manual, tap Add Server, and enter the addresses. See our iPhone DNS guide.
Android
Open Settings, tap Network and Internet, tap Private DNS, select Private DNS provider hostname, and enter dns.adguard-dns.com for AdGuard or 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com for Cloudflare.
Router
Access your router's admin page, find DNS settings under WAN or Internet, and replace your ISP's DNS with the addresses above. Every device on your network will use the new DNS automatically. See our router DNS guide for brand-specific instructions.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 If:
You want the fastest DNS resolution available. You want a strict no-log policy backed by independent audits. You want optional malware blocking via 1.1.1.2. You want a free VPN-like service via WARP. You do not need ad or tracker blocking at the DNS level. You want maximum reliability from the largest anycast network.
Choose AdGuard DNS If:
You want ad and tracker blocking without installing browser extensions. You want to reduce page load times and data usage by blocking ad scripts. You want per-device filtering profiles. You want family protection mode for children's devices. You want malware blocking included by default. You are comfortable with a smaller network for the added filtering benefits.
The Hybrid Approach
For many users, the best setup is AdGuard DNS as primary (for ad blocking) with Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 as fallback (for speed and reliability). Set 94.140.14.14 as your preferred DNS and 1.1.1.1 as your alternate. This gives you ad blocking for the vast majority of queries, with Cloudflare's blazing speed as a safety net if AdGuard is ever unreachable.
The Bottom Line
Cloudflare wins on raw speed and auditable privacy. AdGuard wins on content filtering and out-of-the-box threat blocking. If ad blocking matters to you, AdGuard is the clear choice. If you want pure speed with no filtering, Cloudflare is unbeatable. Run our DNS speed test from your own network to see which is actually faster for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cloudflare faster than AdGuard DNS?
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 is generally faster than AdGuard DNS. Our tests showed Cloudflare averaging 11 ms globally compared to AdGuard's 15 ms. Cloudflare's advantage comes from its larger anycast network spanning 300+ cities versus AdGuard's 30+ data centers. However, AdGuard's speed is still excellent and the difference is negligible for most browsing.
Can AdGuard DNS block ads?
Yes. AdGuard DNS blocks ads and trackers at the DNS level by refusing to resolve domains known to serve advertisements and tracking scripts. The free tier uses default filter lists covering approximately 50,000 to 80,000 domains. The paid tier ($0.90/month) allows custom filter lists for more granular control. Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 does not block ads by default, though its 1.1.1.2 and 1.1.1.3 variants block malware and adult content respectively.
Which is more private: Cloudflare or AdGuard DNS?
Both offer strong privacy. Cloudflare has a stricter zero-log policy with KPMG annual audits and 24-hour data purge. AdGuard DNS also has a no-logging policy and is GDPR-compliant under Cyprus jurisdiction. Cloudflare's advantage is the independent audit verification. AdGuard's advantage is that it is a dedicated privacy company whose entire business model centers on user protection.
Is AdGuard DNS free?
AdGuard DNS offers a free tier with unlimited queries, default filter lists, and access to all encrypted protocols (DoH, DoT). The paid tier at $0.90/month adds dedicated servers, custom filter lists, family protection, and priority support. Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 is completely free with no query limits and no paid tiers for DNS resolution.
Does AdGuard DNS work with Netflix and streaming?
AdGuard DNS may interfere with some streaming services because it blocks certain tracking and telemetry domains that streaming apps rely on. If you experience issues, you can switch to AdGuard's non-filtering DNS (94.140.11.11) or add the streaming domains to your allowlist. Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 does not block any domains and works seamlessly with all streaming services.
Can I use both Cloudflare and AdGuard DNS together?
Yes. You can set Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 as your primary DNS and AdGuard DNS as your secondary. Your device will use Cloudflare for the first query and fall back to AdGuard if Cloudflare is unreachable. However, this means ad blocking only works when AdGuard is the active resolver. For consistent ad blocking, set AdGuard as your primary DNS with Cloudflare as the fallback for reliability.
Test Both Resolvers Yourself
Global averages do not tell the whole story. Your ISP's peering, your distance to the nearest resolver, and your local network conditions all influence which DNS provider is actually fastest for you. Run our free DNS speed test to benchmark both Cloudflare and AdGuard from your own connection.
Run DNS Speed Test
Want to learn more? Read our Cloudflare DNS review, AdGuard DNS review, or compare all DNS providers.