Repel vs Blokada: Which DNS Filter Should You Use on Android?

Blokada is one of the best-known names in Android DNS filtering, and Repel does a similar job in a different way. Before comparing them, it helps to know there are two Blokadas: the free Blokada 5 and the subscription-based Blokada 6. This comparison is as of October 2026 and uses Blokada's website, its Google Play listing and posts from its team for its facts.

Repel vs Blokada at a glance

Which Blokada are we talking about?

Blokada's website explains the split. Blokada 5 is free, open source, needs no subscription, works on Android 5 and newer, and is offered as an APK download. Blokada 6 is "simply available on Google Play", filters through encrypted private DNS in Blokada's cloud, and is managed in a web dashboard.

A 2022 announcement on Blokada's community forum said Blokada 6 is the paid version and can only be used with a subscription, with a seven-day free trial. Help Net Security's January 2026 overview still describes the Play version as generally requiring a paid subscription with a free trial.

Where does Blokada win?

It covers more than your phone. Blokada 6's Play listing says one subscription protects Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux, and Blokada Cloud works on any platform that supports DNS over TLS or HTTPS. Blokada Plus adds a no-log WireGuard VPN that encrypts your traffic and hides your IP address, for up to five devices. Repel is not a VPN service and only runs on Android phones and TVs.

Blokada 5 has its own strength: it is free and open source, so anyone can read the code. And Blokada makes its money from subscriptions and donations, not ads.

What is the biggest difference?

How each one handles the VPN slot and app control. Android lets only one app use its VPN service at a time. Blokada Plus is a VPN, so it takes that slot. Help Net Security describes Blokada for Android as filtering through a local VPN interface as well.

Repel adds an app firewall that does not use the VPN at all. It blocks any app from the internet with one switch, without root, and your own VPN stays connected. Setup is a one-time pairing through Wireless debugging on the phone, and it needs Android 13 or newer. Pro adds rules for Wi-Fi only, mobile data only, roaming, screen off and bedtime, and profiles for Home, Work and Travel.

Repel's own DNS filter does use the VPN slot. If you keep a VPN on all day, pair the firewall with one-tap Private DNS instead, which uses no VPN and keeps working with Repel closed. Our guide to blocking trackers without a VPN shows the setup.

Cloud or on-phone filtering?

Blokada 6 filters in the cloud. Its listing says that reduces battery and data use, and filter lists update automatically. The trade-off is that your lookups go to Blokada's servers.

Repel filters on the phone. A local, DNS-only VPN checks each lookup against the lists you choose, and allowed lookups go out encrypted with DNS over HTTPS to the server you pick. The activity log stays on the phone and nothing is sent to Repel's developer. It shows which app looked up which domain, and you can block or allow an entry, or cut the app off, from the log.

If you would rather filter off the phone too, Repel's one-tap Private DNS can switch Android's Private DNS to a filtering provider such as AdGuard DNS, NextDNS, Quad9 or Cloudflare. Our Private DNS guide explains how that works.

What do they have in common?

Quite a lot. Both block tracker and malware domains for every app on the phone, not only in one browser, and both work without root. Both let chosen apps skip the filter when something breaks, and both show a log of what was blocked. Neither shows ads. And both share the same honest limit of DNS filtering: anything served from the same domain as the content gets through.

What does each cost?

Blokada 5 is free. Blokada 6 needs a subscription after the trial, with prices that vary by country, and Blokada's site says refunds are available within seven days of purchase.

Repel's free version includes the filter with HaGeZi Light or Pro, the activity log, timed pauses, a widget, the app firewall, one-tap Private DNS, hosts mode and backup. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription.

Which should you choose?

Choose Blokada 6 if:

• You want one subscription that filters your phone, computer and iPhone.
• You also want a WireGuard VPN from the same provider.
• You prefer cloud filtering and a web dashboard.

Choose Blokada 5 if:

• You want a free, open source filter and are comfortable installing an APK.

Choose Repel if:

• You want to block specific apps from the internet while your VPN stays on.
• You want to see which app looked up which domain.
• You want a one-time Pro purchase from Google Play.
• You want family mode with a PIN, or the same filter on Android TV.

For more options, compare Repel vs RethinkDNS, Repel vs NextDNS and Repel vs NetGuard. If a filter stops on its own, battery management is the usual cause, see why Android kills background apps.

Sources

• Blokada website
• Blokada on Google Play
• Blokada community: Blokada v6.2, the official Blokada on Play Store
• Help Net Security: Blokada for Android product showcase (January 2026)