Comparison

SafeDNS vs DNS Armor™

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

Head to head
About

SafeDNS

Features
Read full description

In today’s hyperconnected world, you need more than just basic network protection—you need DNS Security 2.0. SafeDNS delivers real-time protection from every corner of the internet on the DNS level, ensuring your organization stays safe from emerging threats. Your Challenges, Solved Managing network security can be complex. From filtering harmful content to preventing sophisticated attacks like DNS Spoofing, DNS Hijacking, DNS Injection, and DNS Interception, the stakes are high. SafeDNS is designed to make this simple, taking the burden off your IT team and giving you peace of mind. With SafeDNS, you’re not just blocking websites; you’re ensuring your network is secure and your users are productive—all while stopping threats before they become a problem. Here’s how our ProtectiveDNS meets your needs: Simplified Network Security We know setting up security systems can be a hassle, but with SafeDNS, it's quick and easy to get started. Within minutes, you’ll have robust protection that’s constantly working in the background to keep threats at bay. Real-Time Threat Prevention Our service blocks cyber threats the moment they arise, stopping malware, phishing, and dangerous content at the DNS level. This means attacks are blocked before they ever reach your network. Complete Control Over Web Access Whether you need to block harmful websites, limit distractions, or restrict certain apps, SafeDNS offers 59 content categories and an AppBlocker that filters 180+ apps. You have full control over what users can access, ensuring a safer and more productive environment. Massive Protection Database SafeDNS covers 100+ million domains, giving you comprehensive protection across the web. Plus, we block 73 million cyber threats daily, so you can trust your network is always secure. Designed for Modern Networks No extra hardware required. SafeDNS is cloud-based and works seamlessly across all devices in your network, whether you’re running a business, a school, or providing public Wi-Fi. It scales effortlessly as your needs grow. With SafeDNS, you’re investing in a solution that’s tailored to the modern challenges of network security. We take care of the heavy lifting—protecting your network from cyber threats, streamlining content filtering, and giving you full control—all in a way that’s simple and easy to manage. Start securing your network today with SafeDNS—reliable, real-time protection from all internet threats.

About

DNS Armor™

Features
Read full description

DNS Armor™ for iOS is the iPhone and iPad agent for the Secure Domains DNS Firewall — an enterprise DNS protection service that blocks phishing, malware, command-and-control callbacks, and policy-violating domains at the resolver layer. IMPORTANT — HOW DNS ARMOR WORKS ON iOS DNS Armor™ uses Apple's Network Extension framework (Packet Tunnel Provider, NEPacketTunnelProvider) to install a local on-device VPN. This on-device VPN is the only way Apple permits third-party iOS apps to apply DNS protection system-wide. The VPN exists for one purpose: to intercept DNS queries from every app on your device so they can be securely resolved through your organization's DNS firewall. To be explicit about what this VPN does and does not do: • It intercepts DNS traffic only. Every DNS query from every app — Safari, Mail, Messages, third-party apps, background services — is captured and forwarded to your organization's Secure Domains cloud resolver over an encrypted DNS-over-QUIC (DoQ, RFC 9250) channel with certificate pinning. • It does NOT proxy your web traffic. HTTPS, video, FaceTime, downloads, and every other non-DNS data flow goes directly from your device to its destination, unmodified and never read by DNS Armor™. • It does NOT inspect SSL/TLS, decrypt content, or log browsing activity. • It does NOT route traffic through any external VPN server. The "VPN" is purely an on-device mechanism iOS requires for DNS interception — there is no remote tunnel, no IP-address change, no anonymization. iOS will display the standard one-time system prompt asking you to allow the VPN configuration. This is required for DNS Armor™ to function. The DNS Armor™ agent integrates with Connect-On-Demand for auto-start after reboot, Per-App VPN for BYOD, and Apple's Managed App Configuration channel for MDM-driven zero-touch enrollment. WHAT YOU GET • System-wide DNS protection via on-device Network Extension VPN • Encrypted DNS-over-QUIC with certificate pinning • Cloud-managed policy — your admin controls the blocklist • Per-domain bypass for internal/corporate names that need private DNS resolvers • Auto-start at boot via Connect-On-Demand • Real-time block-page redirection so users see why a site was blocked • Operational status reporting back to your admin console • Full MDM Managed App Configuration support — Jamf, Intune, Workspace ONE, Kandji, Mosyle • Per-app VPN profile compatible for BYOD scenarios • Native IPv4 and IPv6 support end-to-end FOR WHO DNS Armor™ for iOS is built for organizations enrolled in the Secure Domains DNS Firewall. An API code issued by your IT administrator is required to onboard. Without one the app cannot connect — it is not a consumer DNS app. GETTING STARTED Your admin provides an API code. Paste it on first launch, tap Enable Protection, and accept the iOS VPN configuration prompt. From then on, DNS Armor™ stays connected silently and reconnects automatically after reboot. For MDM-managed devices, the API code, hostname, and protection toggle can be pre-populated via Managed App Configuration — first launch completes with no end-user interaction. PRIVACY DNS Armor™ does not log your browsing activity to any third party. Encrypted queries go only to your organization's Secure Domains tenant — never to advertising networks or consumer DNS providers. Non-DNS traffic is not inspected or routed through the agent. The app reports only the minimum operational telemetry needed for enrollment and admin visibility (synthesized device ID, public/private IP, current connection state). See secure-domains.org/privacy. REQUIREMENTS • iOS or iPadOS 16.0 or later • An active Secure Domains DNS Firewall tenant • An API code issued by your administrator DNS Armor™ is a trademark of Secure Domains.

Screenshots

SafeDNS4 screens
DNS Armor™4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: DNS Armor™ at every 2 days against SafeDNS's monthly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SafeDNS ships an update monthly, DNS Armor™ every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
SafeDNS versus DNS Armor™: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSafeDNSDNS Armor™
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSafeDNS IncSecure Domains LLC

In-app purchases

None

SafeDNS

No in-app purchases

None

DNS Armor™

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SafeDNS free?
SafeDNS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DNS Armor™ free?
DNS Armor™ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SafeDNS or DNS Armor™ have ads?
Neither SafeDNS nor DNS Armor™ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SafeDNS or DNS Armor™?
SafeDNS ships an update monthly, and DNS Armor™ every 2 days. Most recently, SafeDNS was updated on November 8, 2026 and DNS Armor™ on November 5, 2026.

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