# DNSFilter alternatives: what AI models name instead, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. 108 of the 252 answers in the 1 category where DNSFilter holds a standing named it neither first nor as an alternative; these are the first choices those answers made. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/dnsfilter/alternatives/

## Named instead, most often (every category and segment added)

- Cisco Umbrella: 13
- Cloudflare Gateway: 7
- Quad9: 7
- Cloudflare: 5
- Cisco Secure Access: 3
- Cisco Secure Access – DNS Defense: 2

## DNS filtering

**Small business**: 30 of 84 answers did not name DNSFilter (DNSFilter is #1 of 8 at 51%).

- Cloudflare Gateway: first choice in 5 of those 30
- Cisco Umbrella: first choice in 2 of those 30
- Cloudflare: first choice in 2 of those 30
- Quad9: first choice in 2 of those 30
- Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 for Families: first choice in 1 of those 30
- Cloudflare One: first choice in 1 of those 30
- Cloudflare's free DNS service: first choice in 1 of those 30
- Control D: first choice in 1 of those 30

**Mid-market**: 36 of 84 answers did not name DNSFilter (DNSFilter is #1 of 9 at 59%).

- Quad9: first choice in 5 of those 36
- Cloudflare: first choice in 2 of those 36
- Cloudflare Gateway: first choice in 2 of those 36
- NextDNS: first choice in 2 of those 36
- Cisco Secure Access – DNS Defense: first choice in 1 of those 36
- Cloudflare One: first choice in 1 of those 36
- Control D: first choice in 1 of those 36

**Enterprise**: 42 of 84 answers did not name DNSFilter (DNSFilter is #2 of 7 at 26%).

- Cisco Umbrella: first choice in 11 of those 42
- Cisco Secure Access: first choice in 3 of those 42
- Zscaler Internet Access: first choice in 2 of those 42
- Cisco Secure Access – DNS Defense: first choice in 1 of those 42
- Cloudflare: first choice in 1 of those 42
- Infoblox Threat Defense: first choice in 1 of those 42

Published under CC BY 4.0. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.