Reviewed and updated by the DNS Speed Test research team. We benchmark DNS resolvers from multiple locations worldwide to provide accurate, data-driven recommendations.
Quad9 vs Google: Overview
Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8) is the most popular public DNS resolver in the world. It is fast, reliable, and backed by Google's massive infrastructure. Quad9 (9.9.9.9) is a smaller but focused service that blocks malicious domains using threat intelligence from over 20 cybersecurity companies.
Google offers bare-bones resolution. Quad9 adds automatic malware blocking. Both support encrypted DNS. Both are free. The choice comes down to whether you want Google's speed or Quad9's protection.
Speed Comparison
Google DNS is marginally faster in most regions. Google's network is enormous, and they have points of presence everywhere. Quad9 is fast but not as widely deployed. In most tests, Google wins by 5-15ms. The difference is small enough that most users will not notice.
Quad9 adds a small overhead for security checks. It queries threat intelligence databases before responding to each request. This adds 2-5ms per query. For most users, that delay is invisible.
Security Comparison
Quad9 blocks malware, phishing, and botnet domains automatically. When a domain on the blocklist is queried, Quad9 returns a null response and the connection is dropped. This protects you even if you click a malicious link or visit a compromised website.
Google DNS does not block anything. It resolves every domain, including known malware sites. Google offers Safe Browsing through their browser, but that only works in Chrome and Chromium-based browsers. Quad9's protection works at the network level, protecting every device on your network.
Privacy Comparison
Both log query data, but in different ways. Google logs query data for 24-48 hours with IP addresses, then strips the IP and keeps anonymized data. Quad9 logs minimal data and does not store IP addresses with query logs.
Quad9 is operated as a not-for-profit by the Packet Clearing House. There is no commercial incentive to monetize user data. Google is an advertising company. Even though Google DNS does not serve ads, the data collection is still part of Google's ecosystem.
Verdict
Choose Google if: You want the fastest possible DNS. You already use Google services. You have security software installed on your devices.
Choose Quad9 if: You want automatic malware protection. You have family members who click on things they should not. You prefer a not-for-profit operator. You want security at the network level, not just the browser level.
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