(Desktop) Validating, recursive, caching DNS resolve with support for DNS-over-TLS. Designed to be fast, lean, and secure Unbound incorporates modern features based on open standards. Unbound was recently audited.
Official website nlnetlabs.nl/projects/unbound/about
Our take
Running your own validating recursive resolver is the way to stop trusting anyone else’s DNS, and Unbound is the lean, well-audited tool for it with DoT support. The cost is that you become the operator: setup, caching behavior, and upstream choices are now your job, which is more than most people want. The right call for self-hosters and small networks chasing real independence; unnecessary if a reputable public resolver already satisfies you.
GitHub at a glance
NLnetLabs/unbound
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4,639
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Last commit
2d ago
healthy
License
BSD-3-Clause
Latest release
release-1.25.1
1mo ago
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Unbound alternatives
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AdGuard DNS Easy to setup within minutes. Comes with setup guides for all systems. You only need to enter two IP adresses.
Control D Customizable encrypted DNS resolver supporting DoH, DoT, DoQ, and legacy DNS. Offers a free no-log tier and paid plans with a dashboard, per-device profiles, and content filtering.
Mullvad DNS Free public encrypted DNS resolver from Mullvad VPN, supporting DoH and DoT. Available in six filtering variants including ad-blocking, malware, and family-safe options. No account required.
Quad9 Based in Switzerland. Supports: DNS-over-TLS (DoT), DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) and DNSCrypt.
Cloudflare Based in United States. Supports: DNS-over-TLS (DoT) and DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH).
Unbound license, in plain English
BSD-3-Clause Permissive
Permissive: use and modify freely. You just keep the notice and do not use the authors' names to endorse your version.
Permits
- Commercial use
- Modification
- Distribution
- Private use
Requires
- License and copyright notice
Does not provide
- Endorsement using author names
- Liability cover
- Warranty
Why it matters: Permissive licensing lets anyone reuse this, including inside closed products. That is freedom to build on, but no guarantee that downstream copies stay open.
Plain-language summary of the project's license, not legal advice. Read the full text for the exact terms.