AdGuard Home is a free, network-wide ad blocker that you run yourself, and it is a favorite among people who want every device in their house protected at once without installing anything on each one. It is powerful, but it is also more technical than AdGuard’s apps, so it is not for everyone. This guide explains what AdGuard Home actually is, how it differs from AdGuard DNS and the AdGuard app, what you need to set it up, a clear setup walkthrough, and whether it is worth the effort or whether a simpler option suits you better in 2026.
The short version
- What it is: free, open-source software you host yourself that blocks ads and trackers for every device on your network.
- What you need: an always-on device to run it, like a Raspberry Pi, a home server, or a spare computer.
- Who it is for: tech-comfortable users who want whole-home blocking and a dashboard with full control.
- Simpler alternative: if self-hosting sounds like too much, AdGuard DNS or the AdGuard app give you most of the benefit with almost no setup (code CHECKADBLOCK30 for 30% off).
What is AdGuard Home and how does it work?
AdGuard Home is a self-hosted DNS server that filters ads and trackers for your entire network. Instead of installing an ad blocker on every phone, laptop, and TV, you point your router at AdGuard Home, and it filters the requests from every device that connects. When a device tries to load something from a known ad or tracking domain, AdGuard Home simply refuses to resolve it, so the ad never arrives. It is similar in spirit to Pi-hole, with a polished dashboard and some extra features built in.
AdGuard Home vs AdGuard DNS vs the AdGuard app
- AdGuard Home: you host it yourself on your own hardware. Maximum control, free, but you maintain it. Best for whole-home, hands-on users.
- AdGuard DNS: a hosted version AdGuard runs for you. You just point a device or router at it, with nothing to maintain. Easiest network-level option.
- AdGuard app: installed on a single device, with the strongest per-device blocking including cosmetic filtering the DNS methods cannot do.
The honest way to choose: if you love tinkering and want a home-wide dashboard, AdGuard Home. If you want network-level blocking with zero upkeep, AdGuard DNS. If you want the most thorough blocking on your main devices, the app. Many people pair AdGuard Home (or DNS) for the network with the app on their primary computer.
What you need before you start
- An always-on device: a Raspberry Pi is the classic choice, but any spare computer, NAS, or home server works.
- Access to your router: so you can point your network’s DNS at AdGuard Home.
- A few minutes of comfort with a terminal: installation is mostly copy-and-paste, but it is not a one-click app.
How to set up AdGuard Home
- Install it on your always-on device using AdGuard Home’s official installer script, or via a Docker container if you prefer.
- Open the dashboard in your browser at the address it gives you, and run the initial setup wizard.
- Set your admin login and choose which network interface it should listen on.
- Point your network at it: in your router settings, set the DNS server to your AdGuard Home device’s address, so every device uses it automatically.
- Confirm it works: browse a few sites and watch the query log fill up, showing what is being allowed and blocked.
From there, every phone, laptop, smart TV, and tablet on your Wi-Fi is filtered, with no per-device setup at all. That is the big payoff of the network approach.
Key settings and features
- Filters: add and manage blocklists, much like any ad blocker, to control what gets blocked.
- DNS settings: choose upstream DNS servers and enable encrypted DNS for privacy.
- Clients: apply different rules to different devices, for example stricter filtering on the kids’ tablets.
- Query log: see exactly what every device is requesting, which is great for troubleshooting and curiosity alike.
- Encryption: set up DNS-over-HTTPS or DNS-over-TLS so your DNS queries are private.
Pros and cons of AdGuard Home
- Pros: free and open source, blocks ads for every device at once, powerful dashboard and per-client rules, great for smart-home gadgets you cannot install apps on.
- Cons: you have to host and maintain it, it needs an always-on device, and DNS-level blocking cannot hide cosmetic ad spaces or fully handle YouTube the way an app can.
Is AdGuard Home worth it?
If you enjoy a bit of self-hosting and want one solution that protects every device in your home, including smart-home gadgets, AdGuard Home is excellent and free. It is genuinely one of the best whole-home blockers available. But if the idea of hosting and maintaining software does not appeal, you will get most of the benefit far more easily from AdGuard DNS (network-level, zero maintenance) or the AdGuard app on your key devices (strongest blocking, including the cosmetic and YouTube filtering DNS cannot do). There is no shame in the easy route, and at 30% off with CHECKADBLOCK30 the app is inexpensive.
Frequently asked questions
Is AdGuard Home free?
Yes. AdGuard Home is completely free and open source. You only need your own always-on device to run it on, such as a Raspberry Pi or home server.
What is the difference between AdGuard Home and AdGuard DNS?
AdGuard Home is software you host yourself for full control. AdGuard DNS is a hosted service AdGuard runs for you, so there is nothing to maintain. Both block at the network level.
Do I need a Raspberry Pi for AdGuard Home?
No, a Pi is just popular because it is cheap and low-power. Any always-on device works, including a spare computer, a NAS, or a home server, and it can also run in Docker.
Does AdGuard Home block YouTube ads?
Only partially. DNS-level blocking cannot fully handle YouTube ads, which are served from the same domains as the videos. For reliable YouTube blocking, use the AdGuard app alongside it.
Is AdGuard Home better than the AdGuard app?
They do different jobs. AdGuard Home blocks for your whole network from one place. The app blocks more thoroughly on a single device, including cosmetic filtering. Many people use both together.
Related reading: AdGuard DNS, AdGuard review, and AdGuard Home vs Pi-hole.