AdGuard Home vs Technitium DNS Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted reverse proxy & gateways options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
AdGuard Home
Network-wide DNS ad and tracker blocker
VS
Technitium DNS Server
Self-hosted DNS server with ad-blocking and a web console
| Feature | AdGuard Home | Technitium DNS Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | ≈5-minute setup | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 93 · Excellent |
| Category | Reverse Proxy & Gateways | Reverse Proxy & Gateways |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 37,045 | ★ 9,982 |
| First released | 2018 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Pi-hole, NextDNS | Pi-hole, AdGuard Home |
What are AdGuard Home and Technitium DNS Server?
AdGuard Home
AdGuard Home is a network-wide software for blocking ads and trackers that operates as a DNS server with a web dashboard and filtering rules. It is self-hosted to protect all devices on a network.
- Network-wide ad blocking
- Encrypted DNS support
- Web dashboard
- Parental controls
Technitium DNS Server
Technitium DNS Server is an open-source authoritative and recursive DNS server with a full web console. It supports ad-blocking, DNS over HTTPS and TLS, and is designed for self-hosted privacy.
- Authoritative and recursive modes
- Web management console
- Encrypted DNS protocols
- Built-in ad-blocking
AdGuard Home vs Technitium DNS Server: key differences
AdGuard Home is written in TypeScript, while Technitium DNS Server is built with C#. AdGuard Home is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Technitium DNS Server. AdGuard Home has the considerably larger community, at 37,045 GitHub stars versus 9,982.
Why pick each one
Choose AdGuard Home if…
- Easy setup and dashboard
- Encrypted DNS support
- Per-client controls
Watch out for
- Cannot block YouTube ads
- Needs network DNS changes
Choose Technitium DNS Server if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is AdGuard Home or Technitium DNS Server better?
Neither is universally better. AdGuard Home has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are AdGuard Home and Technitium DNS Server free and open-source?
Yes. AdGuard Home is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Technitium DNS Server under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AdGuard Home and Technitium DNS Server with Docker?
AdGuard Home: yes. Technitium DNS Server: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, AdGuard Home or Technitium DNS Server?
AdGuard Home has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Technitium DNS Server. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.