Cisco Umbrella vs Control D

Cisco Umbrella provides a cloud‑based first line of defense that secures internet access for users wherever they go. By leveraging DNS, secure web gateway, and cloud‑delivered firewall capabilities, it blocks malicious domains, IPs, and files before they can compromise devices. The service integrates with existing network infrastructure and offers real‑time visibility, policy enforcement, and detailed reporting, helping organizations reduce risk and simplify security operations across distributed workforces.

Control D is a DNS filtering and security service that blocks malware, unwanted content, and specific applications across devices at the DNS level. It runs on a claimed 100M-user threat intelligence network with a reported 99.98% malware block rate, and supports modern encrypted DNS protocols including DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, and DNS-over-QUIC.

• Broad DNS and web‑gateway coverage
• Fast, cloud‑native deployment
• Rich threat intelligence feed
• Scalable for large enterprises

• Broad native OS support including Linux
• Encrypted DNS protocols supported out of the box
• Transparent self-serve per-endpoint pricing for SMBs
• 14-day free trial with no credit card required

• Limited on‑premise customization
• Higher cost for advanced tiers
• Complex policy UI for beginners

• Enterprise, MSP, and school pricing requires contacting sales
• Per-endpoint pricing can add up for larger device fleets
• No permanent free tier for individual home users listed on the pricing page