Not tested: AdGuard DNS and OpenDNS. Their DNS-over-HTTPS servers don’t allow requests from web pages, so a browser can’t time them.
How to use it
- Press Run the test. Close downloads and video calls first so they don't skew the timing.
- Wait about ten seconds while each resolver answers five cached and five uncached queries.
- Pick the resolver with the lowest numbers, then set it on your Mac or router.
What the result means
- Cached asks for a popular name (www.apple.com) that every resolver already has. It measures the round trip from you to the resolver's nearest server.
- Uncached asks for a random, nonexistent name, so the resolver has to go to the authoritative servers. It shows how quickly the resolver itself works.
- Each number is the median of five rounds, after a warm-up request that sets up the HTTPS connection.
The test uses DNS over HTTPS from your browser, so it includes a little HTTPS overhead that classic DNS on port 53 doesn't have. The ranking still carries over. Results change with your location and network, which is why a test from your own connection beats any global benchmark.
Frequently asked questions
Which DNS server is the fastest?
It depends on where you are. Cloudflare, Google and Quad9 all run large anycast networks, and the fastest is usually whichever has a server closest to your ISP. Run the test from your own connection to find out.
Does a faster DNS server make my internet faster?
Only the lookup part. A page load starts with DNS lookups, so a resolver that answers in 10 ms instead of 80 ms makes the first request start sooner. Download speed doesn't change.
Why aren't AdGuard and OpenDNS in the test?
Their DNS-over-HTTPS servers don't allow requests from web pages (no CORS headers), so a browser can't time them. You can test any resolver on a Mac with: dig @94.140.14.14 example.com, and read the Query time line.
Is my ISP's DNS server slower?
Often not: it's usually very close to you. But ISP resolvers are sometimes slow under load or redirect typos to ad pages. If yours is in the same range as the public ones, privacy and filtering features matter more than speed.
How do I change my DNS server on a Mac?
System Settings › Network › your connection › Details › DNS. Add the resolver's addresses with +, remove the old ones, and click OK. Changes apply immediately.