Cloudflare DNS vs OpenDNS: Overview
Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1) was released in 2018 with a promise: the fastest DNS resolver in the world, with privacy baked in. OpenDNS launched in 2005 and was acquired by Cisco in 2015. It offers DNS resolution plus security filtering and parental controls.
Cloudflare takes a minimalist approach. Fast DNS, strong privacy, no filtering. OpenDNS takes a feature-rich approach. DNS is the starting point, not the endpoint. You get phishing protection, content filtering, and analytics.
Speed
Cloudflare is faster. There is no polite way to say it. Cloudflare runs 330+ data centers on the same Anycast network that powers their CDN. OpenDNS has fewer locations and relies on Cisco infrastructure. In head-to-head tests across multiple continents, Cloudflare consistently wins by 5-20ms.
Run our DNS speed test to compare both from your location.
Security
OpenDNS blocks phishing and malware domains by default on their free service. Cloudflare does not block anything at the DNS level. If you want security filtering, OpenDNS wins this round hands down. Cloudflare offers security filtering through their paid Gateway product, but that is overkill for home users.
Privacy
Cloudflare has stronger privacy. They log minimal data and delete IP addresses within 24 hours. They have submitted to independent privacy audits. OpenDNS logs more data and shares it with Cisco's security team. Neither sells your data, but Cloudflare is the clear winner for privacy.
Features
OpenDNS offers features that Cloudflare does not. Content filtering, parental controls, per-category blocking, analytics dashboard, and custom block pages. Cloudflare offers DNS resolution and nothing else. If you want features, OpenDNS is the choice.
Verdict
Choose Cloudflare if: You want the fastest DNS and maximum privacy. You do not need filtering. You want a set-it-and-forget-it solution.
Choose OpenDNS if: You want phishing protection and content filtering. You want parental controls. You want to see analytics about your DNS traffic.