# NextDNS vs DNSecure

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DNSecure at none against NextDNS's 2. DNSecure also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 63%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). NextDNS's advantage is ratings volume (1.8K vs 109). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NextDNS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. DNSecure asks for nothing beyond the download.

DNSecure holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NextDNS has 1.8K ratings behind it against 109, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of NextDNS's written reviews are positive against 88% of DNSecure's.

NextDNS ships an update every 6 weeks, DNSecure every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NextDNS | DNSecure |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextdns/id1463342498/reviews) | **[4.7 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dnsecure/id1533413232/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 109 |
| Positive reviews | 63.1% of reviews | **88.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [nextdns Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1463342497) | [Kenta Kubo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1505081903) |

## What reviewers say

### NextDNS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextdns/id1463342498)

Encrypt all your DNS queries across all networks with this app. It leverages native iOS settings to bring your custom blocking policies and traffic analytics directly to your phone. Easily set up your configuration ID to enhance your online privacy and security.

**Highlights:** Encrypts all DNS queries, Uses native iOS Encrypted DNS settings, Apply custom blocking policies, View traffic analytics and logs, Configure with your NextDNS account ID

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient DNS service
- 🔒 Robust security and privacy features
- 👍 Simple and user-friendly setup
- 💡 Highly configurable with advanced options
- 🚀 Improves internet speed and performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 🐛 Inability to disable on specific Wi-Fi networks
- 🐛 Inconsistent ad blocking performance
- 🔋 High battery drain on mobile devices
- 🐛 Lack of transparency on service status and outages

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch for older iOS devices
- Profiles not working correctly after iOS 15 update
- Inability to remove the DNS profile from the device
- Connectivity issues when used in conjunction with a VPN

**Requested features**

- Add a quick toggle to enable/disable the service
- Integrate the web dashboard functionality into the app
- Provide more granular control over blocked content
- Implement a timed mode to temporarily disable the service
- Add support for DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT)


### DNSecure

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dnsecure/id1533413232)

Configure encrypted DNS services system-wide on your iOS or iPadOS device. Supports DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS protocols for enhanced privacy and security. Easily select or add your preferred DNS servers.

**Highlights:** Encrypted DNS configuration, System-wide DNS usage, DNS-over-TLS support, DNS-over-HTTPS support, Custom DNS server addition, Easy activation via Settings

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 User-friendly and simple
- 🔥 Excellent ad-blocking
- 💯 Works great across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔋 Potential battery drain
- 🤔 Confusing setup for non-technical users

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to add new DNS services
- App freezes when editing DNS entries
- Incompatibility with certain iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add support for DNS-over-QUIC and DNS-over-HTTP/3
- Implement custom domain blocklist/allowlist
- Provide latency information for DNS servers
- Add option to only enable on non-trusted networks


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NextDNS free?

NextDNS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is DNSecure free?

DNSecure is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NextDNS or DNSecure?

DNSecure is rated higher. NextDNS averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while DNSecure averages 4.7 from 109 ratings.

### Do NextDNS or DNSecure have ads?

Neither NextDNS nor DNSecure shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NextDNS or DNSecure?

NextDNS ships an update every 6 weeks, and DNSecure every 3 months. Most recently, NextDNS was updated on September 23, 2026 and DNSecure on September 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*