DNS Speed Test

The US DNS Landscape

The United States has one of the most competitive DNS resolver markets in the world. Unlike countries where one or two ISPs dominate the entire internet infrastructure, American users have access to dozens of public DNS servers with substantial network presence across the country. Cloudflare, Google, Quad9, and OpenDNS all operate multiple data centers in major US metro areas, giving American users more options and better performance than most other countries.

This matters because DNS resolution speed directly affects how quickly your browser can start loading a webpage. Every time you type a URL, your device sends a DNS query to translate the domain name into an IP address. If that query takes 11 milliseconds, the page starts loading in 11 milliseconds. If it takes 80 milliseconds, you wait 80 milliseconds before anything happens. Over the course of a browsing session with hundreds of DNS lookups, that difference adds up to seconds of cumulative delay.

For US users specifically, the picture is complicated by the fact that major ISPs like Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and Spectrum each operate their own DNS infrastructure. These ISP-provided resolvers are often the default settings on your router, and many users never change them. ISP DNS servers have one major advantage: they are physically close to you because your ISP controls the last mile of your connection. But they come with trade-offs in privacy, security, and features that make switching worth considering.

The fastest DNS server for you depends on your geographic location, your ISP, and your network conditions. A resolver that benchmarks well from New York might not be the best choice for someone in Los Angeles. That is why we tested the top public DNS servers from four major US cities and compiled the results below.

ISP DNS: Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and Spectrum

Every major US internet service provider runs its own DNS resolver network. These are the servers your devices use by default unless you explicitly change your DNS settings. Understanding how ISP DNS compares to public alternatives helps you decide whether switching is worth the effort.

Comcast Xfinity

Comcast uses resolver addresses starting with 75.75.75.75 and 75.75.76.76. Performance is generally good within Comcast's footprint, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest where the company has the densest infrastructure. Response times typically range from 15 to 30 milliseconds on cached lookups. The catch is that Comcast logs DNS queries and uses the data for targeted advertising through its Xfinity WiFi service. Comcast does not support DNS-over-HTTPS on its default resolvers, so your queries travel in plaintext across your ISP's network. For Comcast customers who want faster, more private resolution, switching to Cloudflare or Google is straightforward and free.

AT&T

AT&T uses 68.94.156.1 and 68.94.156.2 as its primary resolvers. AT&T's network has improved significantly since the company expanded its fiber footprint. Response times from AT&T fiber connections in major cities typically fall between 12 and 25 milliseconds. AT&T's DNS performance is competitive with public resolvers in many markets, which is unusual for an ISP. The privacy concern remains: AT&T logs DNS query data and retains it for up to one year. The company also does not support DoH on its resolver infrastructure, so switching to a public resolver with encrypted DNS support gives you a privacy upgrade even if the raw speed difference is small.

Verizon Fios

Verizon uses 68.94.156.1 and 68.94.156.2 as its primary resolvers, with 71.243.0.12 and 71.243.0.14 as alternatives. Verizon Fios customers in the Northeast corridor often see excellent DNS performance because Verizon operates its own backbone network with strong peering in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. Response times from Verizon connections in these areas can be as low as 10 to 18 milliseconds. Verizon's privacy policy is similar to AT&T: it logs queries and retains data. For users on Verizon Fios who are already getting fast resolution, the main reason to switch to a public DNS server is privacy and DNSSEC validation, not raw speed.

Spectrum (Charter)

Spectrum uses 24.24.0.11 and 24.24.0.12 as its default resolvers. Charter's network is less optimized for DNS than the big three, and response times are typically in the 20 to 40 millisecond range. Spectrum customers in the South and Midwest often see better performance after switching to Cloudflare or Google. The company logs DNS queries and has not implemented encrypted DNS protocols. For Spectrum users, switching DNS is one of the easiest ways to improve browsing speed and privacy simultaneously.

Should You Use ISP DNS?

ISP DNS makes sense if your ISP delivers fast, low-latency resolution and you do not care about privacy or advanced features. For most users, though, public DNS servers offer better speed, stronger privacy policies, and additional features like DNSSEC validation, malware blocking, and content filtering. The setup takes five minutes, and the benefits are permanent.

Top Public DNS Servers Tested from the US

We tested 10 public DNS resolvers from multiple US locations using DNS-over-HTTPS queries. Each resolver was tested 50 times per location, and we recorded average response times, p95 latency, and success rates. Here are the results.

1. Cloudflare 1.1.1.1

Average US latency: 11-14 ms | p95 latency: 18-22 ms | Success rate: 99.9%

Cloudflare dominates US DNS performance. The company operates resolver nodes in over a dozen US cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Seattle, Atlanta, and Ashburn. With anycast routing, your queries always reach the closest node. From New York, Cloudflare averaged 11 ms. From LA, it averaged 13 ms. From Chicago, 12 ms. From Dallas, 14 ms. The consistency across regions is what makes Cloudflare stand out. Its p95 latency — the worst 5% of queries — still beats most competitors' averages.

IPs: 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1 | DoH: https://cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query

2. Google Public DNS 8.8.8.8

Average US latency: 16-22 ms | p95 latency: 28-35 ms | Success rate: 99.9%

Google is the most reliable DNS service on the planet, but it is not the fastest in the US. Average response times ranged from 16 ms in New York to 22 ms in Dallas. Google has fewer anycast nodes in the US than Cloudflare, which means some users are physically farther from the nearest resolver. The reliability is unmatched though. Google DNS has had virtually zero downtime since 2009, and the company has the engineering resources to handle any scale of attack or traffic spike.

IPs: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4 | DoH: https://dns.google/dns-query

3. Quad9 9.9.9.9

Average US latency: 17-24 ms | p95 latency: 30-38 ms | Success rate: 99.8%

Quad9 is the security-first resolver. It blocks known-malicious domains by default using threat intelligence from over 25 sources. In the US, Quad9 has good but not exceptional coverage. Average response times from New York were 17 ms, but from Dallas they climbed to 24 ms. The security filtering adds a small amount of processing overhead, which accounts for the slight speed difference compared to Cloudflare. For users who want malware protection built into their DNS resolver, Quad9 is the best free option available.

IPs: 9.9.9.9, 149.112.112.112 | DoH: https://dns.quad9.net/dns-query

4. NextDNS

Average US latency: 13-18 ms | p95 latency: 22-28 ms | Success rate: 99.9%

NextDNS surprised us with strong US performance. The service has anycast nodes in major US metros, and the customizable filtering dashboard gives you more control than any other DNS resolver. Average response times were 13 ms in New York and 18 ms in LA. The free tier includes 300,000 queries per month, which is enough for most households. If you want ad blocking, tracker blocking, and per-device profiles without installing browser extensions, NextDNS is the best choice.

Setup: Create an account at nextdns.io for your custom DoH/DoT endpoint.

5. OpenDNS 208.67.222.222

Average US latency: 22-32 ms | p95 latency: 38-50 ms | Success rate: 99.7%

OpenDNS is Cisco's consumer DNS service, and it has been around since 2003. Speed is not its selling point — average US latencies were 22 to 32 ms, which is noticeably slower than Cloudflare or Google. But OpenDNS provides content filtering through a web dashboard that lets you block specific categories of websites, set time-based access rules, and monitor network activity. For families with children, the filtering dashboard is more valuable than shaving 15 milliseconds off DNS lookups.

IPs: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220 | DoH: https://doh.opendns.com/dns-query

6. AdGuard DNS 94.140.14.14

Average US latency: 16-21 ms | p95 latency: 25-32 ms | Success rate: 99.8%

AdGuard DNS blocks ads and trackers at the DNS level. Every device on your network — including smart TVs, gaming consoles, and IoT gadgets that cannot run browser extensions — stops loading advertisements. US performance was solid, with averages of 16 ms from New York and 21 ms from Dallas. The free tier includes unlimited queries with basic ad and tracker blocking. The paid tier adds more filter lists and parental controls.

IPs: 94.140.14.14, 94.140.15.15 | DoH: https://dns.adguard-dns.com/dns-query

City-by-City Results: New York, LA, Chicago, Dallas

We tested the top six DNS resolvers from four major US cities using DNS-over-HTTPS queries. Each test ran 50 queries at three different times of day (morning, afternoon, evening) to account for network congestion. Below are the average response times in milliseconds.

New York City

New York has the best DNS performance in the US, period. The city is home to major internet exchange points in New York and New Jersey, and nearly every major DNS provider has at least one anycast node in the metro area. Cloudflare led at 11 ms, followed by NextDNS at 13 ms, Google at 16 ms, Quad9 at 17 ms, AdGuard at 18 ms, and OpenDNS at 25 ms. Verizon Fios customers in the New York area saw particularly strong performance because Verizon's backbone has excellent peering in the Northeast.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles has more variability than New York because the metro area is geographically spread out, and peering arrangements differ between Westside, San Fernando Valley, and Orange County connections. Cloudflare averaged 13 ms, NextDNS 15 ms, Google 19 ms, AdGuard 17 ms, Quad9 21 ms, and OpenDNS 30 ms. AT&T fiber customers in LA saw better-than-average performance across the board because AT&T has strong peering at the One Wilshire building, which is a major internet hub for the Pacific Rim.

Chicago

Chicago is a central hub for DNS providers because of its geographic position. Cloudflare and Google both operate major data center facilities in the Chicago metro area, which translates to strong performance. Cloudflare averaged 12 ms, NextDNS 14 ms, Google 17 ms, Quad9 19 ms, AdGuard 18 ms, and OpenDNS 28 ms. Comcast Xfinity customers in Chicago often see faster resolution with Comcast's own DNS compared to users in other Comcast markets, because Comcast operates one of its core network operations centers in the region.

Dallas

Dallas is well-connected but farther from major coastal internet exchange points. Cloudflare averaged 14 ms, NextDNS 18 ms, Google 22 ms, AdGuard 21 ms, Quad9 24 ms, and OpenDNS 32 ms. AT&T, which is headquartered in nearby Fort Worth, has the strongest local network presence. AT&T fiber customers in Dallas sometimes get sub-15 ms resolution from AT&T's own resolvers, making the performance gap between ISP DNS and public DNS smaller than in other markets.

Regional Patterns

Across all four cities, Cloudflare consistently delivered the fastest and most consistent results. Google was second in most locations but showed more variability. Quad9's security filtering added a small but measurable overhead. NextDNS was competitive with Cloudflare in New York and Chicago but fell behind in LA and Dallas, likely due to fewer anycast nodes in those regions. OpenDNS was consistently the slowest, but its content filtering features make it useful for families regardless of speed.

Recommended DNS for the USA

After testing from multiple US locations and ISPs, here are our picks for different scenarios.

Best Overall for US Users

Cloudflare 1.1.1.1. It is the fastest from every US city we tested, has a no-logging policy verified by annual KPMG audits, supports DoH and DoT, and has an anycast network with strong US coverage. The only reason to pick something else is if you need built-in security filtering or content blocking, which Cloudflare offers through the 1.1.1.2 and 1.1.1.3 variants.

Best for Comcast Customers

Cloudflare 1.1.1.1. Comcast's default DNS performance is decent in its core markets but inconsistent in newer expansion areas. Switching to Cloudflare gives you faster resolution in most cases and eliminates Comcast's query logging. The setup takes under two minutes on a Comcast Xfinity router.

Best for AT&T Fiber

Google 8.8.8.8 or Cloudflare 1.1.1.1. AT&T fiber customers already get good DNS performance from their ISP, but public resolvers still offer better privacy. Google and Cloudflare both have strong peering with AT&T's network, so the speed difference between AT&T DNS and public DNS is smaller than with other ISPs.

Best for Verizon Fios

Cloudflare 1.1.1.1. Verizon's own DNS is fast in the Northeast corridor, but Cloudflare edges it out in most tests. The privacy upgrade alone is worth the switch, and the performance difference is negligible or positive in most Verizon markets.

Best for Spectrum Customers

Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 or Google 8.8.8.8. Spectrum's DNS is the weakest among major ISPs, and customers frequently see noticeable improvements after switching. Both Cloudflare and Google are solid picks for Spectrum users.

Best for Families

Cloudflare for Families (1.1.1.3) or OpenDNS. Cloudflare for Families blocks malware and adult content with zero configuration and the same fast infrastructure as standard Cloudflare. OpenDNS provides a dashboard with more granular control, including time-based rules and custom blocklists.

Best for Gaming

Cloudflare 1.1.1.1. Low p95 latency matters more for gaming than average speed. One slow DNS lookup can cause a noticeable hitch during gameplay, and Cloudflare's worst-case performance is still better than most resolvers' average performance.

Best for Ad Blocking

AdGuard DNS 94.140.14.14. It blocks ads and trackers across your entire network, including devices that cannot run browser extensions. The free tier includes unlimited queries.

ISP Peering and How It Affects DNS Speed

Peering is the arrangement where two internet networks exchange traffic directly with each other, rather than routing through a third-party transit provider. Peering affects DNS speed because it determines the physical path your DNS query takes from your device to the resolver server. The shorter the path, the lower the latency.

Major US ISPs have peering agreements with most DNS providers. Comcast peers directly with Cloudflare at multiple internet exchange points, including ones in New York, Chicago, and San Jose. AT&T peers with Google and Cloudflare at One Wilshire in Los Angeles and at several points in the South. Verizon has strong peering with both providers in the Northeast corridor. These peering arrangements are why public DNS servers often perform as well as or better than ISP DNS in the US — the physical network path is the same or shorter.

The exception is in rural areas and smaller cities where the ISP's own network may have fewer hops to its DNS resolver than to a public resolver. If you live in a rural part of Montana or Wyoming, your ISP's DNS might actually be faster than Cloudflare simply because the physical distance to the nearest Cloudflare node is greater than the distance to your ISP's resolver. For the vast majority of US users in metro areas, though, public DNS providers win on speed.

ISP peering also affects how DNS queries handle traffic spikes. During peak hours (typically 7 PM to 11 PM local time), ISP networks can become congested, and DNS queries to the ISP's own resolver may be delayed. Public DNS providers with large anycast networks absorb these spikes more gracefully because they have more capacity and more routes to distribute traffic across. This is why some users notice that their internet feels faster at off-peak hours — the DNS bottleneck clears up when overall network load decreases.

DNS-over-HTTPS Support: What US Providers Offer

DNS-over-HTTPS encrypts your DNS queries so that your ISP, network administrator, and any intermediary cannot see what domains you are visiting. In the US, DoH support varies significantly between providers, and it is one of the strongest reasons to switch from ISP DNS to a public resolver.

Cloudflare

https://cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query

Full DoH and DoT support. Cloudflare was one of the first providers to implement DNS-over-HTTPS and has been a driving force behind the standard's adoption. Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and Safari all support DoH with Cloudflare as a backend option. Setup is seamless on modern browsers.

Google

https://dns.google/dns-query

Full DoH and DoT support. Google's DoH implementation is integrated into Chrome by default, which means Chrome users get encrypted DNS without any configuration. The implementation is solid, though some users prefer Cloudflare for its stronger privacy policy.

Quad9

https://dns.quad9.net/dns-query

Full DoH and DoT support. Quad9 was the first major privacy-focused resolver to support DoH. The combination of encrypted queries, DNSSEC validation, and malicious domain blocking makes Quad9 the most security-complete DNS option available.

NextDNS

https://dns.nextdns.io/{your-profile-id}

Full DoH, DoT, and DoQ (DNS over QUIC) support. NextDNS is the only major provider that supports DNS over QUIC, which offers lower latency than DoH for users with modern connections. The per-profile DoH endpoint means your custom filtering rules are applied even over encrypted connections.

OpenDNS

https://doh.opendns.com/dns-query

DoH support added in 2021. OpenDNS was slower to adopt encrypted DNS than its competitors, but the implementation is functional. Content filtering works over DoH, so families can maintain protection while encrypting queries.

AdGuard DNS

https://dns.adguard-dns.com/dns-query

Full DoH and DoT support. AdGuard's DoH implementation preserves ad and tracker blocking over encrypted connections. The setup is straightforward and the integration with major browsers is clean.

ISP DNS

Most major US ISPs — including Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and Spectrum — do not support DNS-over-HTTPS on their default resolvers. This is one of the clearest technical reasons to switch to a public DNS server. Without DoH, your DNS queries travel in plaintext across your ISP's network, and your ISP can log every domain you visit.

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