Compare Control D vs. Pi-hole

Control D is a customizable DNS filtering and traffic redirection platform that leverages Secure DNS protocols like DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-QUIC, with support for Legacy DNS. With Control D you can: block malicious threats, block unwanted types of content network wide (ads & trackers, IoT telemetry, adult content, socials, and more), redirect traffic using transparent proxies and gain visibility on network events and usage patterns, with client level granularity. Think of it as your personal Authoritative DNS resolver for the entire Internet that gives you granular control over what domains get resolved, redirected or blocked.

You have the option to either run Pi-hole inside a container or directly install it on a supported operating system using our automated installer. This smart installer simplifies the process by asking you a series of questions before setting everything up for you automatically. After completing the installation, the next step is to configure your router’s DHCP settings to ensure that all clients utilize Pi-hole as their DNS server, or you can opt to manually set each device to connect to Pi-hole. To enhance your experience, consider pairing Pi-hole with a VPN, which allows for ad-blocking on mobile devices, thus conserving precious bandwidth on limited data plans. By centralizing ad-blocking with Pi-hole rather than relying on browser extensions or separate software installations for each computer, your entire network benefits from enhanced protection. This network-level blocking enables you to eliminate advertisements from various sources, including mobile applications and smart televisions, independent of the hardware or operating system in use. Since ads are blocked before they have the opportunity to download, you'll notice an improvement in network performance, resulting in a quicker and more efficient online experience. Moreover, this streamlined approach to ad-blocking can significantly reduce distractions and enhance user satisfaction across all devices connected to your network.