Comparison

Next Dash Dns vs mDNSShark

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

Head to head
About

Next Dash Dns

Manage your NextDNS settings directly from your mobile device. Monitor connection status, inspect DNS queries, and adjust profiles with a clean, intuitive interface. Ideal for privacy-conscious users and IT professionals seeking enhanced internet control.

Highlights
  • Live server ping monitoring
  • View connected devices and ISPs
  • Track resolved, relayed, and blocked domains
  • Visualize encryption methods and IP versions
  • Full DNSSEC support
  • Secure and private data handling
Features
Read full description

Next Dash DNS – Fast, Secure, and Smarter DNS Control Take full control of your NextDNS settings, right from your phone. Next Dash DNS is the ultimate companion app for anyone using NextDNS. Instantly monitor connection status, view live server pings, inspect DNS queries, and quickly adjust your profile — all in a modern, easy-to-use interface. Key Features: •Live server ping monitoring (real-time NextDNS server status) •View connected devices, ISPs, blocked reasons, destinations, and more •Track resolved, relayed, and blocked domains •Visualize encryption methods and IP versions •Full support for DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) •Clean, fast, and mobile-friendly design •Secure — we never store or share your DNS data Perfect for privacy enthusiasts, IT professionals, or anyone who wants faster, safer, and smarter internet browsing.

About

mDNSShark

Discover and analyze devices on your local network. This tool reveals what services devices are broadcasting, maps network topology, and assesses security risks. It offers packet capture and optional TLS inspection for deeper insights into network traffic.

Highlights
  • Device discovery (mDNS, SSDP/UPnP)
  • Network topology mapping
  • Security risk assessment
  • Packet capture and export
  • Home and Lock Screen widgets
  • Optional TLS inspection
Features
Read full description

mDNSShark is a network scanner for your WiFi and LAN. It finds every device with Bonjour, mDNS, SSDP, ARP and a port scan, names cameras, speakers, smart home gear and NAS boxes, and flags risky open ports. Capture your phone's packets, export a PCAP, and optionally inspect HTTPS. Open source, no account, no tracking: every scan runs on your iPhone. FOR CURIOUS MINDS Ever wondered what your TV, thermostat or camera is saying on your network? mDNSShark shows you: what a device announces about itself, which ports answer, and what your phone talks to. Built by engineers for the curious minded and explorers, with literal values and nothing hidden. WHAT YOU GET - Device discovery: Bonjour/mDNS, SSDP/UPnP, an ARP table read and a light sweep of your own subnet, with MAC vendor lookup. A long list of Bonjour service types is browsed, including cameras, Matter, Thread, appliances and 3D printers. - See what a device says about itself: TXT records are listed exactly as received, and vendors come from the device's own claim or its MAC. - Topology: a map of how devices connect, centered on your gateway, with devices on other networks shown apart. A Networks sheet lists this phone's networks, gateways and off-network devices. - Security assessment: flags risky exposed services such as Telnet, FTP, SMB and RTSP, and checks device manufacturers against CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and the NVD. Only ports confirmed by a real connection are listed as open. - Probe this device: on request, and behind a confirmation, send the standard probes to a single address on another network. Devices that were never probed say Not probed. - Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets: Devices Online, Scan Now and Security at a Glance. On iOS 26 and later, Scan Now starts a scan right from the widget. - Packet capture: see which servers your phone talks to (DNS lookups, IP addresses, ports), capture mDNS traffic, and export to pcap for Wireshark. - TLS Inspection (optional subscription): decrypt and read your own device's HTTPS traffic using a certificate you install and trust, with a bypass list for apps you want left alone. PRIVACY Scans and analysis run on your phone. Your device list and scan results are never uploaded; only vendor names are sent to the NVD when you tap Refresh CISA Data. Widgets read a snapshot stored on your device. There is no telemetry, no analytics, and no trackers. Two things leave your device, and both are visible to you: while Packet Capture is on, DNS lookups go to the resolver you choose (Google Public DNS by default), and the Refresh CISA Data button you tap yourself downloads CISA's public catalog and asks the NVD about device vendors seen on your network. Discovery needs only local network access; Packet Capture also asks you to allow a VPN configuration. SUPPORT ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT The optional TLS Inspection subscription helps fund active development of mDNSShark: new features, fixes and upkeep. SUBSCRIPTION TLS Inspection Monthly is an auto-renewing monthly subscription. The price and any free trial are shown in the app before you subscribe. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase, or when a free trial ends. The subscription renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel any time in Settings > Apple Account > Subscriptions. Discovery, scans, and the Security tab are free. OPEN SOURCE AND YOUR VOICE mDNSShark is built in the open and your ideas shape it. Found a bug or want a feature? Open an issue and tell us. Contributions are welcome too. Bugs and feature requests: https://github.com/Shapehaven-Innovations/mDNSShark/issues Source code: https://github.com/Shapehaven-Innovations/mDNSShark Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://shapehaveninnovations.com/privacy.html

Screenshots

Next Dash Dns4 screens
mDNSShark4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: mDNSShark at 5.0 against Next Dash Dns's 3.0. Next Dash Dns's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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. mDNSShark sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Next Dash Dns asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

mDNSShark holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Next Dash Dns ships an update every 5 days, mDNSShark every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Next Dash Dns versus mDNSShark: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNext Dash DnsmDNSShark
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings22
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJesther SilvestreShapeHaven Innovations LLC

Customer experience

Next Dash Dns

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

mDNSShark

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Next Dash Dns

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

mDNSShark

Subscriptions1
  • TLS Inspection Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month

Questions

Is Next Dash Dns free?
Next Dash Dns is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is mDNSShark free?
mDNSShark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Next Dash Dns or mDNSShark?
mDNSShark is rated higher. Next Dash Dns averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while mDNSShark averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Next Dash Dns or mDNSShark have ads?
Neither Next Dash Dns nor mDNSShark shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Next Dash Dns or mDNSShark?
Next Dash Dns ships an update every 5 days, and mDNSShark every 9 days. Most recently, Next Dash Dns was updated on November 4, 2026 and mDNSShark on November 12, 2026.

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