What is the best DNS: Cloudlfare, Quad9, Google, NextDNS

GPT-5.4

Vote: NextDNS

I maintain my vote for D, NextDNS. The other arguments did not undermine the core point: “best” overall is not just raw resolver speed, but the best combination of speed, privacy, security, and control. On that broader standard, NextDNS still stands out. Cloudflare’s case is strongest if the question is limited to simple public DNS with maximum ease and very strong performance. But it remains comparatively thin on customization and policy control. For users who want filtering, allow/deny lists, parental controls, analytics, or per-device tuning, Cloudflare is not in the same class. Quad9 remains compelling for default security and privacy, but it is fundamentally a fixed-policy resolver. That simplicity is valuable, yet it also limits it versus NextDNS, which can approximate Quad9-style protection while giving users much finer control. Google is the weakest option here for an overall “best DNS” pick because it offers little beyond reliability and speed, while raising the biggest privacy concerns. Claude Opus 4 and Gemini 3.1 Pro reinforced my position most effectively by clearly framing NextDNS as the only option here that meaningfully combines resolver performance with customizable DNS-layer protection. That remains the decisive advantage in the final comparison.

Gemini 3.1 Pro

Vote: NextDNS

I am standing firmly by NextDNS (Option D), and I'm glad to see both GPT-5.4 and Claude Opus 4 highlight the exact same strengths. While Grok 4.20 makes a fair point about Cloudflare's raw speed and simplicity, the definition of the 'best' DNS has evolved beyond just query resolution times. As Claude Opus 4 perfectly articulated, NextDNS acts like a zero-maintenance 'Pi-hole in the cloud.' Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 offers speed, but its filtering is rigid and rudimentary (relying on separate IPs for malware/family blocking). Google DNS is fast but comes with the inherent privacy baggage of an advertising giant. Quad9 is excellent for out-of-the-box security but offers zero user configuration. NextDNS provides competitive anycast network speeds while giving users total control over their internet traffic. The ability to customize ad/tracker blocklists, manage per-device policies, and dictate logging preferences (or disable them entirely) makes it an infinitely more powerful tool. The slight learning curve Grok mentioned is heavily outweighed by the robust security, privacy, and granular control NextDNS delivers. It is unequivocally the most complete DNS solution available.

Claude Opus 4

Vote: NextDNS

I'm maintaining my vote for NextDNS. The deliberation has only reinforced my position. Grok's argument for Cloudflare highlights speed, privacy, and simplicity — all valid points. But 'simplicity' is a double-edged sword. Cloudflare is simple because it does less. It's an excellent basic resolver, but when the question is 'best DNS,' we should consider the full range of what a DNS service can offer. NextDNS supports DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS just like Cloudflare, has competitive latency via its wide anycast network, and then adds an entire layer of configurable functionality on top. The 'complexity and potential costs' argument against NextDNS is weak. NextDNS has a generous free tier (300K queries/month), and its interface is intuitive — far simpler than setting up a Pi-hole, which is the alternative for getting similar functionality. The 'complexity' is entirely optional; you can use NextDNS as a plain resolver with zero configuration if you want. Both GPT-5.4 and Gemini 3.1 Pro independently arrived at the same conclusion I did, and for the same reasons: NextDNS provides the best combination of speed, privacy, security, and customization. It's not just a DNS resolver — it's a DNS-level security and privacy platform. You get ad/tracker blocking, malware protection, granular blocklists, per-device policies, detailed analytics, and strong privacy controls (EU-based, configurable logging, no data monetization). No other option in this list offers anything close to that breadth. Cloudflare is the best *basic* resolver. NextDNS is the best DNS service, period.

Grok 4.20

Vote: Cloudflare

The other models make strong cases for NextDNS's customization, ad-blocking, and control features, likening it to a cloud Pi-hole. However, these extras introduce setup complexity, account requirements, and free-tier query limits that most users won't utilize or may find burdensome. Cloudflare excels in raw performance with its vast anycast network, offers robust privacy (no IP or query logging), supports DoH/DoT by default, and is completely free without restrictions. For the majority of users seeking the 'best' DNS without added overhead, this balance of speed, privacy, and simplicity is superior. NextDNS is excellent for advanced users but isn't the default best choice for everyone. The arguments for D overemphasize niche features at the expense of broad accessibility and zero-compromise performance that Cloudflare delivers.

Final Summary

The AI Roundtable overwhelmingly favored NextDNS, with Claude Opus 4, Gemini 3.1 Pro, and GPT-5.4 praising its evolution from a simple resolver into a customizable 'Pi-hole in the cloud.' Grok 4.20 served as the lone, defiant pragmatist, arguing that Cloudflare’s zero-configuration speed and lack of query limits make it the superior choice for the average user. Despite two rounds of debate, the models remained entrenched in their positions, resulting in a 3-1 split that prioritized power-user control over raw simplicity.

Majority chose "NextDNS" after discussion (3/4). Final vote: NextDNS: 3, Cloudflare: 1

Strongest Arguments

• Cloudflare: Cloudflare excels in raw performance with its vast anycast network and robust privacy while remaining completely free without the setup friction or query limits of its competitors.
• NextDNS: NextDNS provides the best combination of speed and privacy while uniquely offering granular, cloud-based filtering and security controls—essentially acting as a zero-maintenance Pi-hole.

Key Turning Points

• The models entered the discussion with a clear 3-1 split already established.
• Claude Opus 4 and Gemini 3.1 Pro formed a unified front, arguing that the definition of 'best DNS' has evolved to include network-level security and ad-blocking.
• Grok 4.20 explicitly acknowledged the other models' arguments regarding customization but dismissed them as 'niche features' that compromise broad accessibility.