Pi-hole vs Portmaster

Struggling to choose between Pi-hole and Portmaster? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Pi-hole is a Network & Admin solution with tags like ad-blocking, privacy, dns, network-level-blocking.

It boasts features such as Network-wide ad blocking, Blocks ads for all devices on your network, Lightweight and designed to run on a Raspberry Pi, Uses DNS filtering to block unwanted domains, Can block ads in non-browser applications, Provides a local DNS server for your network, Web interface for managing blocklists and whitelists, Can view stats on ads and queries blocked, Open source software and pros including Blocks ads without needing client software, Easy to set up and configure, Low resource usage, Can improve page load speeds, Blocks ads on all devices and applications, Constantly updated blocklists, Active open source community.

On the other hand, Portmaster is a Security & Privacy product tagged with firewall, privacy, security, https-proxy.

Its standout features include Application firewall, HTTPS proxy, Blocks malware, ads, and trackers, Protects against malicious content, Open source, and it shines with pros like Free to use, Effective at blocking malicious content, Open source and customizable, Lightweight and easy to use.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Pi-hole

Pi-hole

Pi-hole is an open source DNS sinkhole and ad blocker that works at the network level. It allows users to block ads and trackers on all devices on their home network by redirecting traffic from ad-serving domains to a black hole.

Categories:
ad-blocking privacy dns network-level-blocking

Pi-hole Features

  1. Network-wide ad blocking
  2. Blocks ads for all devices on your network
  3. Lightweight and designed to run on a Raspberry Pi
  4. Uses DNS filtering to block unwanted domains
  5. Can block ads in non-browser applications
  6. Provides a local DNS server for your network
  7. Web interface for managing blocklists and whitelists
  8. Can view stats on ads and queries blocked
  9. Open source software

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Blocks ads without needing client software

Easy to set up and configure

Low resource usage

Can improve page load speeds

Blocks ads on all devices and applications

Constantly updated blocklists

Active open source community

Cons

Requires a dedicated device to run on

Can break some web sites

Requires technical knowledge to configure

Does not work when away from home network

Does not block all ads and trackers


Portmaster

Portmaster

Portmaster is a free, open source application firewall and HTTPS proxy for Windows that protects against malicious content getting to your computer. It blocks malware, ads, and trackers from making connections.

Categories:
firewall privacy security https-proxy

Portmaster Features

  1. Application firewall
  2. HTTPS proxy
  3. Blocks malware, ads, and trackers
  4. Protects against malicious content
  5. Open source

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Free to use

Effective at blocking malicious content

Open source and customizable

Lightweight and easy to use

Cons

Only available for Windows

May block some legitimate content

Limited customization options