blocky
Fast and lightweight DNS proxy as ad-blocker for local network with many features (alternative to Pi-hole).
blocky vs Technitium DNS Server
Two self-hosted DNS apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| blocky | Technitium DNS Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Fast and lightweight DNS proxy as ad-blocker for local network with many features (alternative to Pi-hole). | Authoritative/recursive DNS server with ad blocking functionality. |
| GitHub stars | 7,090 | 10,304 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 298 | 593 |
| Last activity | 2026-11-04 | 2026-11-04 |
| Latest release | v0.35.0 (2026-09-05) | v15.6.2 (2026-10-17) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | Go, Docker | Docker, C# |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $3.5/mo | $5/mo |
| Categories | DNS | DNS |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Technitium DNS Server is more popular on GitHub: 10.3k stars vs 7.1k for blocky.
- Technitium DNS Server had more commits in the last 12 months (593 vs 298).
- Technitium DNS Server published a release more recently (v15.6.2 on 2026-10-17; blocky's latest is v0.35.0 on 2026-09-05).
- blocky is licensed under Apache-2.0, Technitium DNS Server under GPL-3.0. blocky's license is permissive; Technitium DNS Server's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
- blocky is written in Go; Technitium DNS Server in C#.
- Deployment options listed upstream: blocky: Docker; Technitium DNS Server: Docker.
- Our rough hardware estimate is lighter for blocky (~512 MB server) than Technitium DNS Server (~1 GB); this is an estimate from the stack and category, not a benchmark.
Summary: Technitium DNS Server leads on GitHub popularity and commit activity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is blocky or Technitium DNS Server more popular?
Technitium DNS Server has more GitHub stars (10,304 vs 7,090 for blocky, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, blocky or Technitium DNS Server?
Technitium DNS Server had more commits over the last 12 months (593 vs 298). Both had repository activity on 2026-11-04. Our health labels: blocky is “Active”, Technitium DNS Server is “Active”.
What licenses do blocky and Technitium DNS Server use?
blocky: Apache-2.0. Technitium DNS Server: GPL-3.0. blocky's license is permissive; Technitium DNS Server's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
Can I run blocky and Technitium DNS Server with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. The upstream listing mentions Docker as a deployment option for blocky and Technitium DNS Server. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Technitium DNS Server
Authoritative/recursive DNS server with ad blocking functionality.
Browse all self-hosted DNS apps.