ZeroAds vs DNS Button
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ZeroAds
Read full descriptionHide full description
ZeroAds changes which DNS resolver iOS uses. That is all it does. Pick a filter list and ZeroAds points your iPhone at the public encrypted-DNS resolver that publishes it. That operator declines to resolve advertising and tracking domains, so those domains never load — in apps and in Safari, not just in the browser. Filtering happens on the operator's servers, using their own published list. EVERY FILTER LIST IS FREE • Ads & Trackers — AdGuard DNS Default. Declines to resolve advertising and tracking domains. • Cloudflare Filtered — Cloudflare 1.1.1.2. Cloudflare's own flagged-domain list. Advertising domains are not on it, so ads still load. • Quad9 Filtered — Quad9 9.9.9.9. A non-profit resolver applying its published block list. Advertising domains are not on it, so ads still load. • Family — AdGuard Family. Advertising and tracking domains plus adult-content domains. Switch lists whenever you like. Changing list is instant, and so is turning filtering on and off. A SAFARI RULE LIST IS INCLUDED ZeroAds ships a content blocker for Safari that you switch on in Settings. It handles what DNS cannot reach: ad slots left behind in the page layout, and cookie-consent banners served by the site itself. You turn it on under Settings › Apps › Safari › Extensions › ZeroAds. NO VPN ZeroAds does not use a VPN or a packet tunnel. There is no VPN icon in your status bar, nothing runs in the background, and there is no battery cost from a tunnel. iOS sends DNS queries straight to the resolver you chose. WHAT ZEROADS DOES NOT DO • It does not scan your device, check it for viruses or malware, or look for security or privacy problems. • It does not inspect your traffic. • It runs no server of its own and never receives your DNS queries. • It shows no count of what was blocked. iOS gives the app no visibility into what the resolver did, so any number here would be invented. HOW iOS HANDLES THIS iOS keeps the choice of DNS resolver with you. When you turn the filter on, iOS may ask you to allow it — tap Allow and you are done. If it does not ask, the choice lives in Settings and ZeroAds walks you there. You can switch back to Automatic at any time under Settings › General › VPN, DNS & Device Management. Filter lists are operated by AdGuard, Cloudflare and Quad9. Each operator's privacy policy is linked inside the app. ——— All four filter lists are free in this version. ZeroAds Pro subscriptions (monthly, yearly) and a one-time Lifetime purchase remain available to supporters. They are not required for any feature. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. A subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is switched off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of that period. Manage or cancel subscriptions in Settings › your Apple Account › Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://aifinitysolutions.com/zero-ads-privacy-policy/
DNS Button
Easily switch your device's DNS settings with a single tap. Choose from a variety of popular providers or add your own custom servers. Supports Wi-Fi and cellular connections, with options for encrypted DNS and Siri integration.
- One-tap DNS switching
- Built-in DNS providers
- Custom DNS server support
- Encrypted DNS (DoH/DoT)
- Siri and Shortcuts integration
- DNS leak and filter testing
Read full descriptionHide full description
DNS Button switches the DNS on your iPhone and iPad. Pick a provider, turn it on, and approve it once in Settings. It covers Wi-Fi and cellular, and always shows the resolver in use. BUILT-IN PROVIDERS AdGuard, Canadian Shield, CleanBrowsing, Cloudflare, Control D, DNS4EU, Google, NextDNS, OpenDNS and Quad9, with the filtering options each one offers for malware, ads and families. RESPONSE TIMES See how fast every provider answers from where you are, measured on your device. ENCRYPTED DNS DNS over HTTPS or TLS, wherever the provider offers it. SHORTCUTS AND SIRI Switch providers or turn DNS Button on and off from Shortcuts, Spotlight or Siri. DNS BUTTON PRO • Custom DNS: add any DNS server, or set up NextDNS, Control D, AdGuard DNS, Cloudflare Zero Trust, CleanBrowsing, Pi-hole or AdGuard Home from an ID or address. • iCloud sync: your custom DNS servers on all your devices. • DNS leak test: see which resolver answers your lookups. • Filter check: make sure your filter blocks what it should. • Trusted Networks: turn DNS Button off on the Wi-Fi networks you name. • Focus filters: DNS that changes with your Focus, and changes back. One subscription covers your whole family with Family Sharing. The providers and their response times stay free. PRIVACY No analytics, no tracking and no account. Your DNS lookups go straight to the provider you choose. DNS Button Pro is an auto-renewable yearly subscription, with a one-week free trial for new subscribers. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when the trial ends, or when you confirm the purchase if you have had a trial or subscribed before. It renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the trial or the current period, and you can manage or cancel it in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://dnsbutton.dev/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: DNS Button at every 3 days against ZeroAds's every 5 weeks. DNS Button also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and device support (3 vs 1). ZeroAds's advantage is ratings volume (9 vs 3) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. ZeroAds sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and DNS Button sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
DNS Button holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
ZeroAds ships an update every 5 weeks, DNS Button every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | ZeroAds | DNS Button |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (9 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aifinity Solutions | SR WORKS LLC |
Customer experience
ZeroAds
DNS Button
In-app purchases
ZeroAds
- Monthly$1.991 Month
- Yearly$9.991 Year
- Lifetime$19.99
DNS Button
- DNS Button Pro7 Days trial$9.991 Year









