IPRoyal vs Pi-hole
A detailed comparison to help you choose between IPRoyal and Pi-hole.
IPRoyal Residential, datacenter and mobile proxies | Pi-hole Network-wide ad blocker for Raspberry Pi. | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3.5 (125 reviews) | 4.7 (498 reviews) |
| Pricing Model | paid | free |
| Starting Price | From $0/mo | Free |
| Best For | Best for mobile users needing on-the-go privacy protection | Best for users wanting to block ads and trackers across the web |
| Free Tier | ||
| API Access | ||
| Team Features | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Tags | — | — |
IPRoyal
Pros
- + HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS5 supported for residential proxies
- + Sticky sessions supported up to 7 days
- + Rotation controls and instant IP change via API
- + Multiple proxy types: residential, ISP, datacenter, mobile
- + Public entry pricing and billing units listed
Cons
- - Refund eligibility depends on usage and time windows
- - Not positioned as an audited no-logs privacy VPN
- - Real-world performance varies by geo and target site
- - UAE jurisdiction may not suit all risk models
Pi-hole
Pros
- + Network-wide blocking for all DNS-using devices
- + Responsive admin dashboard with per-client visibility
- + Group-based policies for clients and block rules
- + Optional DHCP server when router is limited
- + Upstream encrypted DNS supported via dnscrypt-proxy
Cons
- - DNS-level blocking can’t remove same-domain ads
- - Client-side DoH or VPN can bypass filtering
- - Query logging can expose sensitive browsing metadata
- - Requires self-hosting, updates, and basic ops skills
- - Past v6 WebUI/API DoS advisory (patched later)
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