Comparison

NetUtils vs CleanBrowsing.org DNS

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NetUtils

This app provides comprehensive network utility tools, including ping, WHOIS, and DNS lookups. It offers detailed host and device information, website reputation, and contact details, aiding cybersecurity professionals and website owners.

Highlights
  • Network connectivity status
  • Host and device information
  • WHOIS data lookup
  • DNS information retrieval
  • Domain and IP reputation
  • Website contact and categorization
  • Ping utility
Features
Read full description

The all-in-one Network Utility application! • Network connectivity status • Network interface information • WiFi information • VPN information • Host information • Google Web Risk Information* • WHOIS information from WhoisXML API* • DNS information from WhoisXML API* • Domain and IP reputation information from WhoisXML API* • Website contact information from WhoisXML API* • Website categorization information from WhoisXML API* • IP geolocation information from WhoisXML API* • Ping utility • Device information • View page source * Purchase, subscription, or API key required Information used by cyber security professionals, payment processors, law enforcement, website owners, and domain investors. Find ties to cybercrime and enhance your cyber defense. This information could be particularly useful in mitigating phishing and other malware-enabled attacks. ► WHOIS Information (Subscription required or bring your own API key) ◆ Get registrant name, organization, e-mail address, registration address, registrar information, creation date, expiration date, updated date, domain availability, domain age, and much more. ◆ Real-time WHOIS data, ensuring that only the most up to date and accurate information is available ▸ Check domain names availability and to track domain registration changes. ▸ Ensure reliable and secure domain name ownership transfer and management. ▸ Protect your intellectual property and to check potential trademark infringements. ▸ Learn about your competition and identify investment opportunities. ▸ Identify all the connected domains, websites and IP addresses associated with fraudulent activities and criminals. ▸ Identify new business and partnership opportunities and to locate potential buyers through the contact details provided in the Whois records. ▸ Obtain more insights on your user base with statistical analyses, helping you create better marketing strategies and campaigns, focus on the right customers, and cater to formerly untapped markets ► DNS Information (Subscription required or bring your own API key) A domain has a number of records associated with it, a DNS server can be queried to determine the IP address of the primary domain (A record), mail servers (MX records), DNS servers (NS nameservers) and other items such as SPF records (TXT records). ◆ Displays the DNS information critical for identifying who is hosting a particular domain name or website. ◆ Determine the Mail Servers for Particular Domain You might use this API to find out what server(s) accept email for a specific domain (by doing an MX record lookup). ◆ Determine the IP address of the primary domain (A record), mail servers (MX records), DNS servers (name servers) and other items such as SPF records (TXT records). ◆ Determine whether the domain restricts who can send email - You might use this API to determine the SPF record for a domain (by looking up the TXT record for the domain), to see if the domain tries to restrict who can send email using the domain ► Reputation Information (Subscription required or bring your own API key) ◆ Instantly audit your or someone else’s domain or IP address with Domain Reputation API. The tool uses hundreds of parameters to calculate reputation scores. ► Contact Information (Subscription required or bring your own API key) ◆ Get well-parsed contact information from 235+ million active domain names without the hassle and expense of web scraping or doing manual research. ► Categorization Information (Subscription required or bring your own API key) ◆ Use our machine learning engine to scan a website’s content and meta tags. Our lookup extracts text to classify the site and assign the top IAB categories applicable to it with associated confidence scores aided by language processing. ► Web Risk (Purchase required or bring your own API key) ◆ Check URLs against Google's constantly updated lists of unsafe web resources Open source: https://github.com/twodayslate/NetUtils

About

CleanBrowsing.org DNS

This service provides DNS-based content filtering to create a safer browsing experience. It blocks unwanted websites based on your chosen filters, including adult content and malicious sites. Advanced options allow for custom blocking and network visibility.

Highlights
  • DNS-based content filtering
  • Blocks adult content
  • Blocks malicious sites
  • Customizable filters
  • Network visibility
  • Safe Search enforcement
Features
Read full description

CleanBrowsing is a DNS-based content filtering service that offers a safe way to browse the web without surprises. It intercepts domain requests and filter sites that should be blocked, based on your requirements. Our free family filter, for example, blocks adult content, while still allowing Google, Youtube, Bing, DuckDuckGo and the rest of the web to load safely. Our free filters are comprised of three predefined filters for global consumption (Security, Adult, and Family). The Family filter blocks adult / obscene content and applies Safe Search filters to Google, Bing, Yandex, etc. The security filter, however, only focuses on restricting access to malicious activity. Our custom filters give you full control on what should be blocked. You can pick from 14 predefined filters (Adult, Gaming, Gambling, Torrents, Weapons, Social Network, etc), but also make your own rules and block/allow any domains you wish. Custom block pages can also be created on the Pro plans and all the plans allow for network visibility (see which sites are being visited from your network).

Screenshots

NetUtils4 screens
CleanBrowsing.org DNS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NetUtils at 100% against CleanBrowsing.org DNS's 38%. NetUtils also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4). CleanBrowsing.org DNS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ratings volume (329 vs 4). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. NetUtils sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. CleanBrowsing.org DNS asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NetUtils holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CleanBrowsing.org DNS has 329 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of NetUtils's written reviews are positive against 38% of CleanBrowsing.org DNS's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
NetUtils versus CleanBrowsing.org DNS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNetUtilsCleanBrowsing.org DNS
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better4.4 (329 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better38.2% of reviews
Number of ratings4329 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB36 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperZac GorakCleanBrowsing, Inc

Customer experience

NetUtils

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

CleanBrowsing.org DNS

All ratings329 ratings
Positive85.1%
Neutral2.7%
Negative12.2%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive38.2%
Neutral14.7%
Negative47.1%

Bugs and requests

NetUtils

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

CleanBrowsing.org DNS

Reported bugs

19 issues
  • VPN disconnects for no reason
  • App locks user out of account
  • Cannot access settings to change password
  • Blocks internet to all apps
  • App keeps shutting off protection
Show 14 more
  • Loopholes in app security
  • App is too easy to uninstall
  • Phone becomes unusable due to WiFi drops
  • Unable to enter custom code on iPod Touch
  • Doesn't force safe mode on DuckDuckGo via Safari
  • Router issues with Xfinity
  • Code generated online changes
  • iOS app does not connect
  • Disables mobile data
  • Disrupts data connection
  • WiFi connection drops constantly
  • Cannot change password
  • App does not allow access to settings after activating filter
  • App deleted but still working

Requested features

8 requests
  • Block disabling custom filter
  • Require password to disable VPN
  • Email notification on VPN change/app deletion
  • Block custom websites
  • More friction to not disable VPN
Show 3 more
  • Add 'return' button functionality for code entry
  • Force safe mode on DuckDuckGo
  • Add 'always on' VPN option

In-app purchases

7 purchases

NetUtils

Subscriptions4
  • Whois XML API Data - Monthly3 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • monapi.io Data - Monthly3 Days trial$1.491 Month
  • Whois XML API Data - Yearly7 Days trial$10.491 Year
Show 1 more
  • monapi.io Data - Yearly3 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time3
  • Google Web Risk API Data$0.99
  • Whois XML API Data$199.99
  • monapi.io Data$249.99
None

CleanBrowsing.org DNS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NetUtils free?
NetUtils is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CleanBrowsing.org DNS free?
CleanBrowsing.org DNS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NetUtils or CleanBrowsing.org DNS?
NetUtils is rated higher. NetUtils averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while CleanBrowsing.org DNS averages 4.4 from 329 ratings.
Do NetUtils or CleanBrowsing.org DNS have ads?
Neither NetUtils nor CleanBrowsing.org DNS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NetUtils or CleanBrowsing.org DNS?
NetUtils ships an update every 3 weeks, and CleanBrowsing.org DNS every 3 weeks. Most recently, NetUtils was updated on October 2, 2026 and CleanBrowsing.org DNS on October 8, 2026.

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