SmartDNS 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.
Not the right match-up?
SmartDNS
Local DNS server that picks the fastest results
VS
Technitium DNS Server
Self-hosted DNS server with ad-blocking and a web console
| Feature | SmartDNS | Technitium DNS Server |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reverse Proxy & Gateways | Reverse Proxy & Gateways |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,183 | ★ 9,449 |
| First released | 2018 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Pi-hole, dnsmasq | Pi-hole, AdGuard Home |
Why pick each one
Choose SmartDNS if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 11.2k GitHub stars
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
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 9.4k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is SmartDNS or Technitium DNS Server better?
Neither is universally better. SmartDNS has the larger community, while Technitium DNS Server is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are SmartDNS and Technitium DNS Server free and open-source?
Yes. SmartDNS 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 SmartDNS and Technitium DNS Server with Docker?
SmartDNS: check the project docs for container support. Technitium DNS Server: yes.