Cisco Umbrella vs DNSFilter
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
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.
DNSFilter blocks malicious domains, phishing sites, ransomware, and unwanted content at the DNS layer before a device can connect, using an AI model the company says catches newly registered and weaponized domains up to 10 days ahead of third-party threat feeds. It serves enterprises, MSPs and MSSPs (with a multi-tenant dashboard used by over 6,000 partners), schools, healthcare, finance, hospitality, and government customers. Beyond blocking, features like AppAware allow one-click blocking of risky applications, CyberSight adds user behavior analytics to spot shadow IT, and a global anycast network keeps DNS resolution fast. It deploys without on-site hardware, includes DNSSEC validation, and is priced per license with volume-based rates that drop as license count grows.
- Broad DNS and web‑gateway coverage
- Fast, cloud‑native deployment
- Rich threat intelligence feed
- Scalable for large enterprises
- Deploys without any on-site hardware, live in minutes according to the vendor
- Strong MSP/MSSP-focused multi-tenant tooling with white-labeling
- Threat detection claims a meaningful lead time over third-party feeds
- Volume-based per-license pricing scales down as you add more licenses
- Limited on‑premise customization
- Higher cost for advanced tiers
- Complex policy UI for beginners
- Enterprise pricing isn't published and requires a sales quote
- Per-license annual vs monthly pricing structure can be confusing to compare against competitors
- DNS-layer protection alone won't stop threats that avoid DNS resolution entirely
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataDNSFilter offers a lightweight, MSP‑focused DNS‑only solution with strong multi‑tenant tools, while Cisco Umbrella provides a broader suite including secure web gateway and cloud firewall but at higher cost and complexity.
Key differences
- •DNSFilter is DNS‑layer only; Cisco Umbrella adds secure web gateway and cloud firewall capabilities.
- •DNSFilter includes MSP‑centric multi‑tenant dashboard and white‑labeling; Cisco Umbrella targets enterprise admins with broader policy granularity.
- •Cisco Umbrella leverages Cisco Talos threat intel across 100+ categories; DNSFilter relies on AI‑driven detection with claimed lead time.
- •Pricing transparency: DNSFilter requires a sales quote and per‑license model; Cisco Umbrella lists higher‑tier costs and more support options.
- •Integrations: DNSFilter offers generic API and SIEM export; Cisco Umbrella integrates with SecureX, Azure AD, Okta, Splunk, ServiceNow.
Pricing & value
DNSFilter uses volume‑based per‑license pricing that scales down as you add licenses; Umbrella’s higher‑tier costs are not detailed and noted as higher.
Ease of use / learning curve
DNSFilter deploys in minutes without hardware and has a simpler DNS‑only UI; Umbrella’s policy UI is described as complex for beginners.
Features & depth
Umbrella adds secure web gateway, cloud firewall, and broader threat intel feed, extending protection beyond DNS.
Integrations & ecosystem
Umbrella lists multiple native integrations (SecureX, Azure AD, Okta, Splunk, ServiceNow); DNSFilter only mentions generic API and SIEM export.
Scalability
Umbrella is marketed as scalable for large enterprises; DNSFilter focuses on MSP multi‑tenant scaling but without explicit enterprise scale claims.
Support
Umbrella provides 24/7 support via multiple channels; DNSFilter’s support options are not specified.
Security & privacy
Both offer cloud‑based DNS security with DNSSEC support (Umbrella not specified but implied) and no open‑source components.
Choose Cisco Umbrella if…
Large enterprises or distributed teams that require DNS protection plus web gateway, cloud firewall, and deep integration with Cisco ecosystem.
Choose DNSFilter if…
MSPs or small‑to‑medium enterprises needing pure DNS filtering, multi‑tenant management, and cost‑effective per‑license pricing.
Common questions
Which solution is cheaper for a growing MSP?
DNSFilter uses volume‑based per‑license pricing that scales down as you add licenses, while Umbrella’s pricing is higher‑tier and not disclosed.
Do both products protect traffic that bypasses DNS?
No; DNSFilter protects only at the DNS layer, whereas Umbrella also inspects HTTP/HTTPS via its secure web gateway.
What integration options are available for SIEMs?
DNSFilter offers a generic API and SIEM export; Umbrella integrates with Cisco SecureX and third‑party SIEMs like Splunk.