Custom DNS vs Smart DNS vs VPN

Before we compare these three tools, you need to understand what DNS actually is. Everything else in this guide builds on it.

Every website has a unique numerical address called an IP address e.g. 192.0.2.0. Those numbers are hard to remember, so we use domain names like “google.com” instead.

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the system that converts those domain names into IP addresses, so your device can connect to the right server.

Think of it like a phone book for the internet. When you type a web address into your browser, your device consults a DNS resolver before loading the page. By default, that resolver is run by your internet service provider (ISP).

Custom DNS, Smart DNS, and VPN services all involve changing or augmenting how that lookup process works. That’s the thread connecting all three.

We’ll now explain in more detail the differences between custom DNS servers, Smart DNS proxies, and virtual private networks (VPNs).

Custom DNS

A custom DNS service simply replaces your ISP’s default DNS resolver with a better one. Google (8.8.8.8) and Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) are the most widely used options. Both are free.

Custom DNS is a small, free upgrade. It won’t protect your privacy or unblock content, but it’s worth doing if faster lookups appeal to you.

In certain circumstances, custom DNS can also protect you against cyberattacks, like cache poisoning, that target the DNS system.

The Domain Name Security Extensions (DNSSEC) protect against attacks like this, but the rate of DNSSEC validation is only 36% worldwide. You can switch your DNS server to one that supports DNSSEC, such as Google’s or Cloudflare’s.

Smart DNS

Smart DNS is designed specifically to bypass geographic restrictions on video content by changing regions on Netflix, Disney+, and other streaming services worldwide.

It works by rerouting your DNS requests through a proxy server in your chosen country. When you access a streaming service, the request appears to originate from that country, so you’re granted access.

For everything else, Smart DNS behaves like a regular DNS server.

Crucially, you set up Smart DNS through your device’s network settings, not through an app. That makes it compatible with devices that don’t support VPN apps, such as Smart TVs, PlayStation, and Xbox.

In essence, Smart DNS is a streaming tool, not a privacy tool. Your real IP address will remain visible while using it, and your ISP will see what web services you’re using.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A VPN is the most comprehensive option, giving you both privacy and the ability to bypass geo-restrictions.

VPN software encrypts your entire internet connection and routes it through a server in a location of your choice, masking your real IP address in the process.

Your ISP, government agencies, or any bad actor on your network can’t see what you’re doing online. Websites only see the IP address of the VPN server, not yours.

And because you can pick from servers in dozens of countries, VPN services also unblock geo-restricted content from far more regions than most Smart DNS tools offer.

VPN software is available as a downloadable app on Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, Linux, Fire TV, and tvOS. It’s easy to install and switch between server locations.

The trade-off is that VPN apps can’t be installed directly on most Smart TVs or game consoles. This is one of the key reasons for choosing a Smart DNS proxy over a VPN.

Below is a table summarizing the key differences between DNS, Smart DNS, and VPN services:

Criteria	Custom DNS	Smart DNS	VPN
Price	Free	Paid	Free/Paid
Speed	Very Fast	Fast	Fast
Geo-Spoofing	No	Yes	Yes
Encryption	No	No	Yes
Hides IP Address	No	No	Yes
Works on TVs/Consoles	Yes	Yes	Only via Router
Setup Difficulty	Medium	Medium	Easy
Live Support	No	Sometimes	Often

Let’s now look at a few key areas in more detail:

Speed

Custom DNS doesn’t encrypt traffic or route it through a proxy server, meaning it’s usually faster than Smart DNS or VPN services.

In some cases, using a custom DNS server actually meant websites loaded more quickly because we used DNS resolvers that were faster than our ISP’s.

In contrast, VPN services encrypt your data and reroute it through a remote server, which can slow down your connection.

Though the fastest VPNs minimize this, speed loss can reach 30% or more depending on your VPN provider and the physical distance between you and the VPN server.

Bypassing Geo-Restrictions

Custom DNS won’t unblock streaming services, but VPN services and Smart DNS work well. VPNs win in this category, though, as we’ve found that many Smart DNS tools don’t offer the option to manually choose your location.

For instance, the Smart DNS features provided by NordVPN and Surfshark are limited to accessing US streaming services. In contrast, their VPN apps provide access to streaming content from over 100 countries.

That said, we’ve previously seen Smart DNS sometimes be more reliable at bypassing region restrictions than VPNs on specific platforms.

For instance, during the 2021 Netflix VPN ban, ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer Smart DNS tool maintained access to US Netflix, even though the VPN stopped working.

We recommend choosing a VPN that also offers Smart DNS functionality so that you’re always able to access popular geo-blocked streaming services.

Privacy and Security

Some custom DNS solutions can improve your online security. For example, Google Public DNS benefits from mitigations against DNS cache poisoning attacks, which your ISP might not have in place.

Smart DNS will reroute your DNS requests, but it won’t hide your IP address or encrypt your data. Your ISP can see what you’re doing online, and can throttle your streaming connection.

Using a VPN is by far the best option for improving your privacy and security. The VPN software will hide your IP address and encrypt your data using robust ciphers like AES-256 or ChaCha20, which means your ISP can’t monitor your activity.

Price

You’ll have to pay for a reliable Smart DNS or VPN. It’s expensive to maintain the infrastructure required for those services, so free alternatives are likely to be unreliable and may include bandwidth restrictions.

Standalone Smart DNS services are often cheaper than premium VPNs. However, most VPN services usually offer a trial period or a money-back guarantee, which means you can test them before you commit.

Public DNS services are available for free from companies such as Google and Cloudflare.

Device Compatibility

Custom DNS and Smart DNS work virtually everywhere. Any device that connects to the internet needs to access a DNS server. If you can change your device’s DNS settings, you can use custom DNS or Smart DNS.

This makes Smart DNS a great choice for unblocking region-restricted content on devices such as Smart TVs, PS5, or Xbox.

While most VPNs provide native applications for many popular devices, you can’t install them on many Smart TVs and all game consoles.

There are some exceptions to this rule, most notably Roku devices. As these devices don’t allow you to manually change DNS settings, Smart DNS tools are useless.

Instead you’ll have to use one of our recommended VPNs for Roku to unblock streaming content.

You can install a VPN on your router to protect every device on your home network, but this is not a simple process.

Torrenting

Torrenting without a VPN can be dangerous. Without protection, you risk revealing your activity and identity to your ISP, copyright trolls, and other torrenters in the swarm.

Smart DNS and Custom DNS do not hide your IP address, which means they won’t keep you safe while torrenting.

If you torrent using a VPN, the IP address that other users see will be associated with the VPN server you’re connecting to, which means it cannot be used to identify you.

Bypassing Censorship

Custom DNS and Smart DNS can help to evade some forms of censorship when imposed at the DNS level.

By changing your DNS servers, it’s possible to evade your ISP’s DNS system and bypass any DNS-based content filtering.

It’s also possible to bypass parental control solutions that use DNS queries to block prohibited content.

However, a VPN is the best way to safely unblock websites in highly-censored countries. A VPN will hide your IP address and encrypt your data where Smart DNS won’t.

Anti-censorship VPNs, like Astrill, also include obfuscation technology, which disguises VPN traffic as normal HTTPS traffic to help it bypass national firewalls.