iCloud Private Relay vs NextDNS
A detailed comparison to help you choose between iCloud Private Relay and NextDNS.
iCloud Private Relay Apple's privacy-focused internet relay for Safari. | NextDNS DNS-based privacy and security | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2 (124 reviews) | 4.5 (12000 reviews) |
| Pricing Model | paid | freemium |
| Starting Price | From $0.99/mo | From $0/mo |
| Best For | Best for users seeking privacy and security tools | Best DNS-based ad blocking |
| Free Tier | ||
| API Access | ||
| Team Features | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Tags | — | — |
iCloud Private Relay
Pros
- + Two-hop design splits IP and destination visibility
- + ODoH protects DNS lookups from local networks
- + Integrated into iOS/iPadOS/macOS as a system feature
- + Keeps regional IP mapping to reduce site breakage
- + Included with iCloud+ plans (not a separate app)
Cons
- - Not a full-device VPN for all app traffic
- - Doesn’t let you choose another country/region
- - Can be blocked on work or school networks
- - Hard to validate logging without a public audit
NextDNS
Pros
- + Supports DoH, DoT, DoQ, and DoH3
- + Configurable logging, retention, and data residency
- + Open-source MIT-licensed CLI client
- + Free tier up to 300,000 queries/month
- + Graceful fallback to basic DNS after quota
Cons
- - Free tier filtering stops after 300k queries
- - No independent no-logs audit found in sources
- - Not a VPN; doesn’t hide your IP address
- - GUI apps not confirmed open-source
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