comparison · DNS resolvers
Mullvad DNS vs Quad9
Both are listed in DNS resolvers. The table below pulls directly from each service’s data sheet; see each entry for sourcing.
| Field | Mullvad DNS | Quad9 |
|---|---|---|
| KYC | no KYC | no KYC |
| Category | DNS resolvers | DNS resolvers |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden (operator-disclosed) | Switzerland (operator-disclosed, non-profit) |
| Payment methods | — | — |
| Fiat on-ramp | no | no |
| Custodial | no | no |
| Open source | no | no |
| Founded | 2022 | 2016 |
| Last verified | Jan 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Mullvad DNS — summary
Mullvad DNS is the no-account complement to Mullvad VPN.
- + No account required; available to non-VPN-customers.
- + Multiple endpoints with different filtering (ads, trackers, adult, malware, social, families).
- + Operated by Mullvad, which has the strongest no-account VPN posture in the category.
- − Capacity is operator-budgeted; no SLA.
- − Single jurisdiction.
- − Facts need re-verification by operator (last seeded 2026-01).
Quad9 — summary
Quad9 is the Swiss non-profit no-account public resolver with malware-domain blocking on by default.
- + Swiss non-profit operator.
- + Blocks known-malicious domains using shared threat-intel feeds.
- + DoH/DoT supported; anycast deployment.
- − Threat-intel blocking can flag false positives.
- − Single-trust-anchor operator model.
- − Facts need re-verification by operator (last seeded 2026-01).
When to choose which
Treat this section as heuristic. Privacy properties depend on how you use the service, not just which one you pick.
- Choose Mullvad DNS if no account required; available to non-vpn-customers..
- Choose Quad9 if swiss non-profit operator..
- Either way, re-check the entry’s last verified date — the DNS resolvers category churns.
Mentioned in (combined)
Pages on the site that reference Mullvad DNS, Quad9, or both.
Quick answers
Compared as of .