SafeDNS
Network management tools
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$25.95 per year
Free Trial
Free version unavailable
Small
Medium
Large
- Education and training
- Accommodation and food services
- Healthcare and life sciences
What is SafeDNS
SafeDNS is a cloud-based DNS filtering and security service that helps organizations control and monitor web access by enforcing policies at the DNS layer. It is typically used by IT and security teams to block malicious or inappropriate domains, apply category-based filtering, and generate usage reports across users, sites, or networks. The product is commonly deployed by pointing network DNS to SafeDNS resolvers or by using endpoint/network configuration to route DNS queries through the service. It differentiates from general network monitoring platforms by focusing on DNS-layer policy enforcement rather than broad infrastructure observability.
DNS-layer policy enforcement
SafeDNS enforces web access controls at the DNS level, which allows organizations to block categories and known-bad domains without deploying full web proxy infrastructure. This approach can reduce client-side complexity because DNS settings can be applied centrally at the network, site, or device level. DNS filtering also provides a baseline control that works across many applications that rely on domain resolution. It is a practical fit for distributed environments where consistent web policy is needed across multiple locations.
Centralized reporting and logs
The service provides centralized visibility into DNS requests and policy actions, supporting auditing and troubleshooting of access issues. Reporting can help identify risky destinations, policy violations, and unusual query patterns that may indicate compromised endpoints. Central logs are useful for organizations that need basic internet usage reporting without deploying full network observability tooling. This complements, rather than replaces, broader network performance monitoring products.
Cloud-managed deployment model
As a cloud-managed DNS service, SafeDNS can be rolled out without on-premises DNS security appliances. This can simplify operations for small and mid-sized IT teams that want managed updates to threat and category lists. Cloud administration also supports multi-site management from a single console. The model is well-suited to organizations that prefer SaaS controls over maintaining DNS security infrastructure.
Limited network performance monitoring
SafeDNS focuses on DNS filtering and does not provide full-stack network monitoring such as device health, interface utilization, flow analytics, or application performance. Organizations looking for end-to-end observability typically need additional tools for infrastructure metrics and alerting. As a result, it may not satisfy requirements for NOC-style monitoring on its own. It is best treated as a security/control layer rather than a comprehensive network management suite.
DNS-only control boundaries
DNS filtering cannot inspect full URLs, payloads, or encrypted traffic content, so it cannot replace secure web gateways or advanced proxy-based controls. If users or applications bypass configured DNS (for example, by using alternative resolvers or certain tunneling methods), enforcement may be reduced unless additional network controls are in place. Some legitimate services that share domains/CDNs can be harder to allow/block precisely at the domain level. Organizations with granular web control requirements may need complementary technologies.
Integration depth may vary
Compared with broader network management ecosystems, integrations for SIEM/SOAR, identity providers, and endpoint management can be more limited or require additional configuration. API coverage and export options may not meet every enterprise workflow for automated response and correlation. This can increase operational effort when teams want to unify DNS events with other telemetry sources. Buyers should validate required integrations (log export formats, retention, and alerting hooks) during evaluation.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (Business) | $0.90 per user/month (displayed on site) — min. 15 users | Phishing/malware protection; 66 web-filtering categories; Safe Search; Deny/Allow/Namelists; Policy per group; "No credit card required" for trial; 15-day free trial available. |
| Pro (Business) | $1.50 per user/month (displayed on site) — min. 25 users | Everything in Basic plus: AppBlocker; Scheduling; SafeDNS roaming clients & AD integration; Custom blockpage; Allowlist-only; Policy per user; DoH policy. |
| Pro+ (Business) | $2.20 per user/month (displayed on site) — min. 35 users | Everything in Pro plus: Personal manager; Priority phone support (SLA ~2 min); SIEM/Amazon S3 integration for query logs. |
Other official offerings (from SafeDNS site):
- Education & Nonprofit: $400 per year (covers up to 100 users per campus; $4 per additional user over 100). Features: CIPA & IWF compliance, forced SafeSearch, malware/phishing protection.
- WiFi & Hotspots (usage-based): $4 per access point per month (one AP covers up to 20 users; 4 AP minimum). Features: supports any IP/dynamic DNS, white label, Wi‑Fi usage stats and reports.
- Home plans (consumer): Safe Home — $25.95 per year (also shown pricing for 2 years and other billing options); Safe Family — $35.95 per year. Both are per-year fixed subscriptions for home use.
