(Desktop) A flexible DNS proxy, with support for modern encrypted DNS protocols including DNSCrypt V2, DNS-over-HTTPS and Anonymized DNSCrypt. Also allows for advanced monitoring, filtering, caching and client IP protection through Tor, SOCKS proxies or Anonymized DNS relays.
Reviewed by Marco Wollank
dnscrypt-proxy
github.com/DNSCrypt/dnscrypt-proxy#readme 2 ratings so far*
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Threat level
Hardened
A hardened pick. Worth the effort once you have chosen to shrink your footprint on purpose. Enough for most people. Threat levels
Our take
The enthusiast’s choice for encrypted DNS, with support for DNSCrypt v2, DoH, and Anonymized DNSCrypt that lets you separate who you ask from what you ask. That flexibility is also the barrier: it is a config-file tool, so casual users will find it fiddly compared to flipping a phone setting. Excellent for people who want to route and relay their DNS precisely; too much for those who just want encryption on by default.
GitHub at a glance
DNSCrypt/dnscrypt-proxy
Stars
13,464
+ 85 this week
Last commit
12d ago
healthy
License
ISC
Latest release
2.1.16
2mo ago
Stars, last 31d
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Quad9 Based in Switzerland. Supports: DNS-over-TLS (DoT), DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) and DNSCrypt.
Nebulo (Android) Non-root, small-sized DNS changer utilizing DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS.
DNSCloak (iOS) Allows for the use for dnscrypt-proxy on an iPhone or iPad, which gives users the ability to encrypt their DNS requests through the use of an on-device VPN profile.
dnscrypt-proxy license, in plain English
ISC Permissive
A permissive license that is functionally identical to MIT, just with shorter wording.
Permits
- Commercial use
- Modification
- Distribution
- Private use
Requires
- License and copyright notice
Does not provide
- Liability cover
- Warranty
Why it matters: Permissive licensing lets anyone reuse this, including inside closed products. That is freedom to build on, but no guarantee that downstream copies stay open.
Plain-language summary of the project's license, not legal advice. Read the full text for the exact terms.
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