Cisco Umbrella vs Google Cloud DNS comparison

The compared Cisco and Google solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco is ranked #1 in DS , with an average rating of 9.2, and holds a 18.1% mindshare in the category. Google is ranked #8 in MDP , with an average rating of 8.0, and holds a 4.5% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Google users who would recommend it.

Cisco Umbrella

Read 123 Cisco Umbrella reviews

24,145 Views
7,485 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Google Cloud DNS

Read 7 Google Cloud DNS reviews

4,195 Views
4,027 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Umbrella

Google Cloud DNS

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 30, 2024

Cisco Umbrella and Google Cloud DNS are both leading solutions in the DNS market. Cisco Umbrella has the upper hand in security features, while Google Cloud DNS excels in integration and scalability.

Features: Cisco Umbrella offers robust threat detection, advanced malware protection, and comprehensive URL filtering. Google Cloud DNS provides seamless integration with Google services, low latency, and high availability.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Umbrella needs better reporting tools, more customization options, and improved user interface. Google Cloud DNS requires more comprehensive documentation, enhanced customer support, and simpler pricing structure.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Umbrella is known for relatively straightforward deployment and responsive customer service. Google Cloud DNS has a more complex initial setup but is supported by extensive online resources.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Umbrella is considered pricier but justifies the cost with strong security and support services. Google Cloud DNS is seen as cost-effective with excellent performance but might require additional paid services for comprehensive support.

To learn more, read our detailed Domain Name System (DNS) Security Report (Updated: April 2026).

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Domain Name System (DNS) Security

April 2026

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Helped 893,244 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Umbrella

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

123

Ranking in other categories

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (1st), Internet Security (1st), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (2nd), Domain Name System (DNS) Security (1st), Cisco Security Portfolio (2nd)

Google Cloud DNS

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Managed DNS (8th)

Mindshare comparison

Cisco Umbrella and Google Cloud DNS aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Cisco Umbrella is designed for Domain Name System (DNS) Security and holds a mindshare of 18.1%, down 25.5% compared to last year.
Google Cloud DNS, on the other hand, focuses on Managed DNS, holds 4.5% mindshare, down 6.5% since last year.

Domain Name System (DNS) Security Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco Umbrella	18.1%
Palo Alto Networks DNS Security	8.7%
Infoblox Advanced DNS Protection	8.4%
Other	64.8%

Domain Name System (DNS) Security

Managed DNS Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Google Cloud DNS	4.5%
Cloudflare	26.8%
Quad9	24.7%
Other	44.0%

Managed DNS

Featured Reviews

Bryan Bettencourt

Senior Network Engineer at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.

Ensures comprehensive protection with seamless threat logging and efficient policy management

My favorite feature of Cisco Umbrella is probably just the DNS and the fact that when a security threat happens, all of that gets logged in their Umbrella portal, and it's very easy to find who's been accessing the site and how many people have accessed it, so that we can go to them and make sure they're not compromised. The features of Cisco Umbrella benefit my company by providing less time to search for things through logs, to look for what we need. It's just one place to go, and we just search for it, and we find it really fast. The fact that there's a virtual database that has all that information is great on our portal.

Read full review

Shikar Singh

Solutions Architect / IT Program Manager at Optum

Constantly improving and adapting to customer needs

The effectiveness of Google Cloud DNS largely depends on where an organization stands in its cloud journey and its overall technology landscape. For those heavily invested in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and already embracing cloud solutions, Google Cloud DNS can be rated quite high, ranging from seven to nine out of ten.Deployment times for Google Cloud DNS can vary depending on the complexity of the infrastructure and configuration requirements. For straightforward setups and cloud-ready cases, deployment can typically be completed within a few minutes to an hour. However, in more complex infrastructure scenarios involving extensive configuration, deployment may take longer, possibly spanning days or weeks.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It has certainly saved us time. If we go and look at what's rejected on the requests from the hospital itself, it has saved about 5% or 6% time."

"Application performance has greatly improved and there are less operational issues; productivity has been going up because we have less operational issues, and we have happy customers."

"In general, it increases the security level, helps us prevent threats from being accessed, and increases the visibility into internet-bound traffic, so overall it increases the internet security of the organization."

"ROI benefits both the reseller and the client in Managed Services because of its proactive approach to network security."

"I like the DNS layer security."

"OpenDNS is either a good complement to your existing web content filtering solution at the enterprise level, or it is a good free or easy-to-deploy alternative for home and SMB use."

"Cisco Umbrella is very flexible, and it does not show any kind of delay that someone is responding to their DNS server, outside of their network and outside of their environment."

"We've found it to be stable and good for our customers."

More Cisco Umbrella pros

"The tool is well integrated. We don’t need the interface of another provider. The product helps me manage my domain and write in Google Cloud."

"The initial setup process is easy."

"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

"The scalability is good."

"The most significant features are the internal and external endpoints using Google Cloud DNS, which are very beneficial for dependent apps."

"It is a scalable solution."

"Google Cloud DNS continues to evolve based on customer feedback and technological advancements."

Cons

"I am unsure if Cisco Umbrella offers a Windows option for running the server."

"Network connectivity was a bit of a challenge at the beginning, but we were able to get the right help from Cisco."

"Cisco Umbrella does not have a Malware Protection engine itself."

"The solution's technical support is not very good."

"There should be a way to monitor traffic at the user level."

"I think it's a very basic solution, and because of that, we provide it to the small business market."

"The design of the screens could be improved. Sometimes you're trying to look for information, for what you think is critical that should be on that first screen of the dashboard so that you can quickly take screenshots to have people help out, but you have to hop between screens to find little pieces of evidence."

"The solution is costly. It doesn't come cheap. The licensing also comes with additional costs for extra services (such as sandboxing feature, L3/L4 firewall, etc...)."

More Cisco Umbrella cons

"The solution's price could be better."

"It needs to provide better integration."

"The UX of the product is an area with certain shortcomings where improvements are required."

"More features around rules-based configurations would be beneficial."

"The UI is tricky to understand for people who have not worked with DNS records. People with little to no experience with DNS records can find it hard to understand. For example, you need to know the hallmarks to input records since they need to be matched in a specific format."

"Migrating away from Google Cloud DNS can be difficult."

"The cost of using Google Cloud DNS can be relatively high compared to other options, especially considering the cloud environment."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"When talking about Cisco solutions in general there pricing model is horrible. For example, you can sell a Meraki-based solution, but if the customer starts shopping around, someone is going to have access to the pricing at a level that you cannot compete because they do not have uniform pricing. Not everybody gets fair pricing. Unless you are one of the real major corporations selling the solution your ability to compete is impossible. Cisco will acknowledge the situation and assure you next time it will be in your favor but it never becomes favorable for you. Cisco is not very good in this regard. However, Umbrella is good."

"There are three models for licensing with different feature sets."

"Cisco should make the solution cheaper."

"You can request an evaluation license."

"I think Cisco Umbrella is priced well. We have a mix of customers with different verticals such as education. We have clients in the commercial space as well. Umbrella is at a good price point for all of our customers."

"There is room for improvement when it comes to the cost."

"Cisco solutions are generally perceived to be rather expensive. We have constant internal discussions as to whether we should offer lower-priced security solutions from some of the competitors."

"It was a little bit expensive on a per seat basis, but the company I was running was only a midsize Australian company, and it was a reasonable budget per computer for that system. It started off being a free product, and then Cisco bought it, and it went to a reasonable price. I was using Cisco AMP as well. So, my per computer cost was reasonably high, but for a small company, it was within an acceptable level."

More Cisco Umbrella pricing and cost advice

"The cost of using Google Cloud DNS can be relatively high compared to other options, especially considering the cloud environment. I would rate it 6 out of 10. Cheaper alternatives might be desirable, but the decision depends on various factors such as vendor lock-in, organizational adaptability, and alignment with other technologies in use."

"It is expensive but cost-effective."

"I am not sure about the pricing. However, I can give you a rough estimate which is like ten cents per month per zone."

"The product is expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Non Profit

Comms Service Provider

16%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	50
Midsize Enterprise	30
Large Enterprise	51

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	2
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	4

Questions from the Community

Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Zscaler?

Cisco Umbrella and Zscaler Internet Access are two broad-spectrum Internet security solutions that I have tried. Zscaler Internet Access is a good option for carrying out multiple security functi...

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Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Microsoft Cloud App Security?

Cisco Umbrella is an integral component of the Cisco SASE architecture. It integrates security in a single, cloud-native solution, unifying multiple features like DNS-layer security, threat intelli...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Umbrella?

The pricing for Cisco Umbrella is fair compared to other platforms out there for DNS security. We acquired it as a bundle with other Cisco purchases.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Cloud DNS?

Pricing and support are really good. There are no complaints about the pricing.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Google Cloud DNS?

I am not heavily involved with Cloud DNS, but from an end-user perspective, the customization part could be improved. More features around rules-based configurations would be beneficial.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Google Cloud DNS?

I have my app, which is running on either GKE or GCE. We have a load balancer. We use both internal and external load balancers. If we want to change the underlying infrastructure, like in differen...

See all answers

Comparisons

Zscaler Internet Access vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 17% of the time

Palo Alto Networks DNS Security vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 8% of the time

Cisco Secure Access vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 6% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 3% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 3% of the time

More Cisco Umbrella Competitors

Quad9 vs Google Cloud DNS

Compared 56% of the time

Cloudflare vs Google Cloud DNS

Compared 9% of the time

Amazon Route 53 vs Google Cloud DNS

Compared 7% of the time

Azure DNS vs Google Cloud DNS

Compared 5% of the time

Infoblox DDI vs Google Cloud DNS

Compared 3% of the time

More Google Cloud DNS Competitors

Product Reports

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Cisco Umbrella

May 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Google Cloud DNS

May 2026

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Also Known As

OpenDNS

No data available

Overview

Cisco Umbrella provides fast-deploying DNS-layer security with powerful threat protection capabilities. Trusted by over 30,000 entities, it ranks highly in DNS security and effectively supports secure remote work environments.

Cisco Umbrella offers comprehensive DNS security, web filtering, and ease of use, enhancing network security through robust threat protection and malware prevention. It processes over 600 billion requests daily, making it a leader in its field. The seamless integration with existing infrastructures and cloud-based nature makes it suitable for remote and distributed work environments, ensuring consistent security throughout. Management is streamlined with a single-pane interface that simplifies administration, while in-depth reporting capabilities provide valuable insights for continuous monitoring.

What are the key features of Cisco Umbrella?

DNS Security: Provides leading protection by managing DNS queries and blocking malicious sites.
Web Filtering: Offers granular control over web content to safeguard internet usage.
Ease of Integration: Fits well into existing infrastructures, simplifying deployment and use.
Intuitive Management: Single-pane management streamlines administration and enhances usability.
Cloud-Based Flexibility: Supports secure remote work environments.

What benefits can users expect from using Cisco Umbrella?

Superior Threat Protection: Reduces risk by effectively detecting and preventing cyber threats.
Consistent Security: Provides uniform protection across network environments.
Efficiency and Visibility: Leverages comprehensive reporting for better security insights.
Easy Deployment: Quick and straightforward setup with minimal disruption.

Cisco Umbrella is widely adopted in industries requiring advanced DNS-level security to counteract malware, phishing, and cyber threats. Its ability to monitor and protect remote and roaming employees makes it an attractive option for sectors highly dependent on cloud services. By managing DNS queries and blocking harmful sites, Cisco Umbrella enhances cybersecurity across networks, providing an added layer of protection for businesses worldwide.

Cisco

Google Cloud DNS offers seamless integration, performance, and stability, making it easy to manage domains with both internal and external endpoints, essential for various applications.

Google Cloud DNS provides robust performance in managing domains. With user-friendly features for DNS zones and application-specific DNS assignments, it supports both internal and external endpoints, enhancing application performance. Known for quick reflection and technical support, it operates reliably across different cloud platforms, crucial for load balancing and web applications. Users note that improvements in UX and documentation could facilitate more effective use, especially for those less familiar with DNS records. Integration challenges, particularly with Cloudflare, and migration issues are areas for enhancement. While cost concerns exist compared to cheaper providers, users desire improved customization and rules-based configurations.

What are the key features of Google Cloud DNS?

Integration and Stability: Offers seamless operation across cloud platforms.
DNS Zone Management: Features for creating and managing DNS zones efficiently.
User-friendly Setup: Simple setup process for managing domains.
Quick Reflection: Rapid DNS updates for efficient domain management.
Technical Support: Available support to assist with any DNS-related issues.

What benefits should users look for when evaluating Google Cloud DNS?

Enhanced Performance: Supports both internal and external endpoints, boosting application performance.
Reliability Across Platforms: Ensures consistent service across different cloud services.
Traffic Management: Facilitates both inbound and outbound traffic control.
Seamless Integration: Integrates with Google services like Kubernetes Engine and Compute Engine.

Industries primarily use Google Cloud DNS for server management and domain publication. It serves as both public and private domain solutions in network architectures like hub-and-spoke setups. Organizations leverage it for applications reliant on Google Kubernetes Engine or Google Compute Engine with load balancers. It manages traffic effectively across network setups, allowing infrastructure changes without affecting application availability. For many, it is the default choice for DNS services.

Google

Sample Customers

Chart Industries, City of Aspen, Eastern Mountain Sports, FLEXcon, George Washington University, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, Ohio Public Library Information Network, PTC, Richland Community College, Smart Motors, Tulane University, VeriClaim

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April 2026

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