Infrastructure and developer tools
European public DNS resolvers
Resolve domains through European operated resolvers
Replaces: 1.1.1.1 · Google Public DNS · NordVPN · OpenDNS
A public DNS resolver is the recursive server your device asks when it needs the IP address behind a domain name. Your internet provider supplies one by default, but it is not always the fastest or the most private, so many people point their devices or routers at an independent resolver instead. Some also filter malware domains or support encrypted queries over DoH and DoT.
Your resolver sees every domain you visit, which is a complete browsing log by another name. DNS4EU, quad9 and Mullvad DNS are operated from Europe, so those queries are handled under EU and EEA rules rather than sent across the Atlantic by default. Switching to a European public DNS resolver takes one setting on a router, and switching back is just as quick.
European options
| service | Country | Hosting | Open source | Free plan | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 quad9 |
 Switzerland |
— | ✓ | EU controlled | |
 Mullvad DNS |
 Sweden |
— | ✓ | EU controlled | |
 Mullvad VPN |
Sweden |
— | — | EU controlled | |
 Digitalcourage |
 Germany |
— | ✓ | EU controlled | |
 restena |
 Luxembourg |
— | ✓ | EU controlled | |
 Digitale Gesellschaft |
Switzerland |
— | ✓ | EU controlled | |
| Artikel10 | Germany |
— | ✓ | EU controlled |
quad9
Free public DNS resolver from Switzerland
Quad9 is a public DNS resolver operated by a Swiss non-profit organisation. It is one of the few globally active resolvers, with DNS servers in more than 200 locations worldwide, and it focuses on data security, encryption and privacy. It is currently in a legal dispute with Sony Music about whether sites that infringe copyright can be excluded from the resolver.
SwitzerlandFree planEU controlled
Mullvad DNS
Free public DNS resolver from Sweden
SwedenFree planEU controlled
Mullvad VPN
Swedish VPN with one flat price
SwedenEU controlled
Digitalcourage
Uncensored public DNS from Germany
GermanyFree planEU controlled
restena
Public DNS resolver from Luxembourg
LuxembourgFree planEU controlled
Digitale Gesellschaft
Public DNS resolver from Switzerland
SwitzerlandFree planEU controlledArtikel10
Free encrypted DNS run by a German civil-rights association
GermanyFree planEU controlledServices without verified European control
Kept here for transparency, but excluded from the European options and totals. How we classify services →
DNS4EU
Public DNS resolver funded by the European Union
Czech RepublicEU hostedFree plan Ownership reviewed, controller unresolved
DNS.SB
No logging public DNS from Germany
GermanyOpen sourceFree plan Ownership reviewed, controller unresolved
Foundation for Applied Privacy
Public DNS from an Austrian non-profit
AustriaFree plan Ownership reviewed, controller unresolved
FFMUC DNS
Public DNS from a German non-profit
GermanyEU hostedOpen sourceFree plan Ownership reviewed, controller unresolved
UncensoredDNS
Free public DNS resolver from Denmark
DenmarkFree plan Ownership reviewed, controller unresolved
dnsforge
Ad filtering public DNS from Germany
GermanyEU hostedOpen sourceFree plan Ownership reviewed, controller unresolved
