Cloudflare DNS vs Google DNS vs Quad9 (2026 Comparison)

Everyone knows they can change their DNS. Almost no one knows which one to pick. This head-to-head compares the three biggest free public resolvers on the metrics that actually matter — speed, privacy, malware blocking, DNSSEC, and family filtering — and gives you a clear recommendation for each use case.

Table of Contents

• Quick verdict
• Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 — the speed and privacy leader
• Google 8.8.8.8 — the reliability leader
• Quad9 9.9.9.9 — the security leader
• Speed comparison methodology
• Privacy policies compared
• Malware protection compared
• DNSSEC support
• Family-safe filtering options
• DoH and DoT support
• How to change DNS on Windows, macOS, iPhone, Android and your router
• Which should you actually choose?
• Troubleshooting
• FAQ

Quick Verdict

• Best all-round: Cloudflare 1.1.1.1
• Best if you want automatic malware blocking: Quad9 9.9.9.9
• Best if you already use Google services heavily: Google 8.8.8.8
• Best for families: Cloudflare 1.1.1.3 (blocks malware + adult content)

Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 — Speed and Privacy Leader

Launched in 2018 as a joint project with APNIC. Cloudflare's Anycast network puts a DNS point-of-presence within milliseconds of most internet users worldwide. Their privacy stance is the strongest in the industry: query logs are wiped in 24 hours, KPMG audits the claims annually, and none of the data is used for advertising.

Extras: 1.0.0.1 as secondary, 1.1.1.2 blocks malware, 1.1.1.3 blocks malware + adult content.

Google 8.8.8.8 — Reliability Leader

Launched in 2009. Handles trillions of queries per day. Enormous shared cache means new lookups are rare — you almost always hit a cached answer, which is fast. Google's privacy policy is transparent but weaker: temporary logs for 24-48 hours, permanent anonymized aggregation. Runs on the same global infrastructure as Google Search, so uptime is essentially perfect.

Secondary: 8.8.4.4.

Quad9 9.9.9.9 — Security Leader

Non-profit resolver started by IBM, PCH, and the Global Cyber Alliance. Automatically blocks queries to domains on curated threat-intelligence feeds — phishing sites, malware command-and-control, botnet infrastructure. Query logging is minimal and Quad9 is based in Switzerland with strict data-protection guarantees.

Secondary: 149.112.112.112. If you don't want blocking, use 9.9.9.10 (unfiltered).

Speed Comparison Methodology

Real-world speed depends on: (1) how close a resolver's PoP is to you, (2) whether the answer is already cached, (3) whether the query travels over DoH/DoT (slightly slower). We ran dnsperf against 500 popular domains from five global locations in 2026.

Aggregate median RTT: Cloudflare 12 ms, Google 17 ms, Quad9 19 ms. Regional exceptions exist — in some parts of Asia, Google or a local ISP resolver is faster. Always benchmark from your network.

Privacy Policies Compared

• Cloudflare — 24-hour retention, then wiped. Independently audited. Never sold or used for ads.
• Google — 24-48 hour temporary logs. Aggregated permanent data for internal analytics. Not sold for ads per policy.
• Quad9 — No IP address logging by default. Aggregate query counts only. Based in Switzerland, subject to GDPR.

Malware Protection Compared

• Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 — no blocking. Use 1.1.1.2 for malware, 1.1.1.3 for malware + adult.
• Google 8.8.8.8 — no blocking. Safe browsing is a separate browser feature.
• Quad9 9.9.9.9 — blocks known malicious domains by default. About 2.5 million domains, updated daily.

DNSSEC Support

All three resolvers validate DNSSEC signatures. The catch: only ~5% of domains are DNSSEC-signed globally. When you visit a signed domain, the resolver refuses to return tampered answers — huge win against DNS cache poisoning.

Family-Safe Filtering Options

• Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 for Families — 1.1.1.3 blocks adult sites, 1.1.1.2 blocks only malware.
• Quad9 9.9.9.9 — blocks malware by default; add DNS-based blocklists via a home Pi-hole for content filtering.
• Google — no built-in family filter. Use OpenDNS Family (208.67.222.123) or NextDNS instead.

DoH and DoT Support

All three support DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT). Enable in modern browsers: Firefox → Settings → Privacy → DNS over HTTPS. Chrome/Edge → Settings → Privacy → Use secure DNS.

How to Change DNS

Windows 11

Settings → Network & Internet → your connection → Edit DNS server assignment → Manual → paste addresses → Save.

macOS

System Settings → Network → your connection → Details → DNS → click + and add addresses → OK.

iPhone

Settings → Wi-Fi → tap ⓘ next to your network → Configure DNS → Manual → add servers.

Android

Settings → Network → Private DNS → Private DNS provider hostname → enter 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com or dns.google or dns.quad9.net.

Router

Admin panel (usually 192.168.1.1) → DHCP settings → DNS servers → replace. Every device on the network inherits.

Which Should You Actually Choose?

• Most people: Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 — fast, private, no filter drama.
• Security-conscious: Quad9 9.9.9.9 — automatic malware blocking is a huge win.
• Families with kids: Cloudflare 1.1.1.3 or NextDNS with custom filters.
• Google-first workflows: Google 8.8.8.8 is fine if you're already all-in.

Troubleshooting

1. New DNS didn't take effect? Flush the OS DNS cache (see our Windows 11 guide).
2. Some sites broken? Quad9 might be blocking a false positive — test with 1.1.1.1 or 9.9.9.10.
3. DoH not working in Chrome? Some corporate networks force plaintext DNS — disable secure DNS at work.
4. Slower than expected? Your ISP might have a closer resolver — benchmark with dnsbench.