DNS / Firewall
AdGuard Home
Self-hosted network-wide ad and tracker blocking server
AdGuard Home is a service with blocking for trackers and . It helps you keep more control over your data.
Who is this for?
✓ Good for you if:
- • You want network-wide ad blocking for all devices (router-level)
- • You prefer self-hosted solutions for complete control
- • You need encrypted support (DoH/DoT/DNSCrypt)
- • You want detailed statistics on requests
- • You need parental controls and content filtering
⚠ Think twice if:
- • You want the simplest blocking setup (requires installation)
- • You need cloud-based blocking (AdGuard Home is self-hosted)
- • You're not comfortable managing server software
- • You want zero-maintenance solution
- • You need offline blocking
Overview
AdGuard Home is a network-wide ad and tracker blocker that you install on your own server or computer. Unlike browser extensions that only block ads in your web browser, AdGuard Home blocks ads and trackers for every device on your network - your phone, tablet, smart TV, and even devices that don't have ad blockers installed. AdGuard Home works by filtering DNS requests - when a device on your network tries to connect to an ad server, AdGuard Home blocks it before the ad can load. This means faster browsing, less data usage, and better privacy for all your devices. You can customize what gets blocked, view statistics about blocked requests, and even set up parental controls. Since AdGuard Home runs on your own hardware, all your DNS queries stay on your network and aren't sent to external services. The application is free, open source, and gives you complete control over your network's privacy.
Privacy highlight
Self-hosted network-wide ad blocker with local-only processing. No cloud services, complete control over your data.
Quick facts
- Country:
- 🇨🇾 Cyprus
- Pricing:
- Free
- Platform:
- Router, Desktop, Mobile
- Technical:
- Intermediate
- :
- No
- :
- No telemetry
- :
- Yes
- Open-source status:
- Fully open source
- :
- Yes
- :
- Yes
Key features
- service with blocking for trackers and .
Security & encryption Click to expand
- No
- Encryption protocols
- DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), DNS-over-TLS (DoT), DNS-over-QUIC (DoQ)
- AdGuard Home uses -over- (DoH), -over- (DoT), and -over-QUIC (DoQ) to encrypt queries. The application uses standard / for secure connections. AdGuard Home does not require user keys - it handles automatically. The application uses standard certificate validation and . Configuration data is stored locally on the device where AdGuard Home is installed.
- Offline support
- Yes
Telemetry & tracking Click to expand
- No telemetry
- No
- Ip no
- AdGuard Home does not collect data by default. The application can optionally collect anonymous statistics (query counts, blocked domains) if enabled by the user. AdGuard Home does not transmit data to external services unless configured to use upstream servers. The application stores query logs locally if is enabled. All happens locally on the device where AdGuard Home is installed.
Jurisdiction & compliance Click to expand
- AdGuard Home is maintained by AdGuard, which is based in Cyprus. However, since AdGuard Home is self-hosted, all data is stored locally on the user's device or server where it is installed. Users have complete control over data residency.
- AdGuard Home does not retain data on external servers. All data is stored locally on the device where the application is installed. Query logs (if enabled) are stored locally and can be configured with retention periods. The application does not transmit data to external services. Users have complete control over - data persists locally until manually deleted or configured retention periods expire.
- Legal frameworks
- GDPR (where applicable). Since AdGuard Home is self-hosted, users are responsible for compliance with local laws.
- Revenue sources
- Enterprise, Donations
Editorial signals Click to expand
- 88
- Trust score
- 88
- Trust breakdown (0–10)
- Encryption: 85, Audits: 80, Open source: 95, Telemetry: 95, Jurisdiction: 85, Transparency: 85, Trackers: 100
- Editorial notes
- Usability: 75, Performance: 90, Family friendly: 85
User experience Click to expand
- Signup requirements
- No account or signup required. AdGuard Home is self-hosted software that runs on your own hardware. No registration, email, or personal information required.
- Onboarding difficulty (1-5)
- 3
- Accessibility features
- AdGuard Home includes a web interface with basic accessibility features. The interface supports keyboard navigation and can be accessed via screen readers.
Backup & portability Click to expand
- Yes
- Migration tools
- AdGuard Home supports configuration export and import. Users can export blocklists, whitelists, and settings. Configuration can be backed up and restored.
- Configuration recovery is handled through configuration backups. Users should regularly back up their AdGuard Home configuration. Database backups should be created for query logs if logging is enabled.
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