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Repel vs Intra: Encrypted DNS App or DNS Filter for Android?
By the llcloud team 5 min read
The short answer
Choose Repel. Intra encrypts your DNS lookups through Android's VPN slot. Repel encrypts them too, blocks tracker and malware domains, shows which app looked up what, and can do it through Private DNS with your VPN slot left free.
Repel is the Intra alternative that also blocks trackers. Intra encrypts DNS lookups to stop DNS manipulation, using Android's VpnService. Repel sends lookups out encrypted with DNS over HTTPS as well, filters them against tracker and malware blocklists, adds a no-root app firewall, and can switch Android's Private DNS in one tap so no VPN is needed.
Intra and Repel both send your DNS lookups out encrypted, so nobody on the network can read or tamper with them. Intra stops there, and that is what it was built for. Repel uses the same encryption as the base for blocking trackers, malware and app traffic you do not want. This comparison is as of October 2026 and uses Intra's Google Play listing and getintra.org for its facts.
Repel vs Intra at a glance
| Repel | Intra | |
|---|---|---|
| Encrypted DNS lookups | ✓ (DNS over HTTPS, or Private DNS) | ✓ |
| Blocks tracker and malware domains | ✓ | ✗ (no blocklists described) |
| Choose your DNS provider | ✓ | ✓ |
| Works without the VPN slot | ✓ (Private DNS and firewall) | ✗ (uses VpnService) |
| Per-app firewall | ✓ (no root) | ✗ (not described) |
| Let one app skip it | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | ✗ | ✓ |
What does Intra actually do?
Intra's Play listing says it "protects you from DNS manipulation, a cyber attack used to block access to news sites, social media platforms and messaging apps." It uses Android's VpnService to create a tunnel that intercepts and encrypts your DNS queries. You can pick a DNS provider from a list or use your own, and turn Intra off for an app that does not work well with it.
Its website says Jigsaw, a technology incubator within Alphabet, created it as an open source project, and the Play listing names Jigsaw Operations LLC as the developer. The listing is honest about the scope: there are other, more complicated blocking techniques and attacks that Intra does not protect against. Neither page describes blocklists, ad blocking or tracker blocking.
What does Repel add on top of encrypted DNS?
Repel encrypts lookups too. Its filter is a local, DNS-only VPN that sends allowed lookups out with DNS over HTTPS to the server you choose. Before that, it checks each one against community blocklists such as HaGeZi, OISD, 1Hosts and StevenBlack, which cover trackers, malware, phishing, scam shops and phone-maker telemetry. Blocked domains never get an answer.
Because the check runs on the phone, Repel knows which app asked. The activity log shows each lookup with its app and whether it was blocked, and you can tap an entry to block or allow it, or cut that app off.
Can you encrypt DNS without using the VPN slot?
Yes, and this is where the two differ most. Intra works through VpnService, and Android runs only one VPN at a time, so Intra and a VPN app take turns.
Android has had a built-in alternative since Android 9: the Private DNS setting, which encrypts every lookup with DNS over TLS and needs no VPN at all. Repel's one-tap Private DNS switches it for you, with providers such as AdGuard DNS, NextDNS, Quad9 and Cloudflare. Pick a filtering provider and it blocks tracker and malware domains on its side. It keeps working with Repel closed. Our Private DNS guide explains the setting, the Private DNS picker helps you choose, and if Android ever says the server cannot be reached, see Private DNS server cannot be accessed.
Can either one stop an app from going online?
Intra is not built for that. Repel has a firewall that blocks any app from the internet with one switch, without root. It does not use the VPN slot either, so it runs next to Private DNS and your own VPN at the same time. Setup is a one-time pairing through Wireless debugging and needs Android 13 or newer. Pro adds rules for Wi-Fi only, mobile data only, roaming, screen off and bedtime. The full no-VPN setup is in blocking trackers without a VPN, and the reasoning is in how Repel keeps your VPN slot free.
How do they handle privacy?
Intra's listing says it does not track the apps you use or the websites you visit. Repel's filter runs on the phone and sends nothing about your lookups to its developer. The activity log stays on the phone, and Repel collects only anonymous usage stats and crash reports, never the sites you visit. It has no account and no ads. With either app, your lookups go encrypted to the DNS provider you pick, so choose one whose policy you trust.
What does each cost?
Intra's listing presents it as free, with no limits on data usage. Repel's free version already includes the filter with HaGeZi Light or Pro, the activity log with weekly stats, the app firewall, one-tap Private DNS, hosts mode and backup. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription. It adds the larger blocklists, your own lists and DNS server, smart firewall rules and profiles, per-app domain rules, Family mode with a PIN and 30-day stats.
Does it work on your TV?
Repel runs on Android TV and Google TV as the full app, laid out for the remote, and blocks ad, tracker and telemetry lookups for every app on the TV. It filters by domain, so it cannot remove ads inside a video stream, and YouTube ads still play. The no-VPN firewall needs a phone. See blocking ads on Android TV.
Why choose Repel over Intra?
- Encryption plus blocking. Lookups go out encrypted, and tracker and malware domains are blocked before they load.
- No VPN needed. One-tap Private DNS encrypts every lookup through Android's own setting, with the VPN slot left free.
- A firewall for apps. Cut any app off the internet without root, next to the VPN you already use.
- See what your apps look up. The activity log shows each lookup by app, with one tap to block or allow.
- Family mode. Safe search and category blocks behind a PIN, in Pro.
- On your TV too. The same app on Android TV and Google TV.
For more, see Repel vs AdGuard, Repel vs NextDNS and our DNS changer guide.
Sources
Questions
What does the Intra app do?
Intra, from Jigsaw, encrypts your DNS lookups to protect you from DNS manipulation, which is used to block news sites, social media and messaging apps. Its Play listing says it uses Android's VpnService to create a secure tunnel for DNS queries, and lets you pick your DNS provider. Repel encrypts lookups the same way and also blocks tracker and malware domains on the phone.
Does Intra block ads or trackers?
Neither Intra's Play listing nor getintra.org describes blocklists or ad blocking. Intra's focus is encrypting DNS so results cannot be tampered with, and its listing says this helps against some phishing and malware attacks. Repel checks every lookup against blocklists you pick, such as HaGeZi and OISD, and shows which app made each lookup in its activity log.
Is there a DNS over HTTPS app for Android that does not use the VPN?
Android's own Private DNS setting encrypts lookups without a VPN, using DNS over TLS from Android 9. Repel switches it for you in one tap, with providers such as AdGuard DNS, NextDNS, Quad9 and Cloudflare. It keeps working with Repel closed. Intra uses Android's VpnService instead, and Android runs only one VPN at a time.
Is Intra still maintained?
As of October 2026, Intra's Google Play listing shows an update dated July 30, 2026, and the project is open source on GitHub. Repel is maintained too, with blocklists that update over Wi-Fi so the domains it blocks stay current without you doing anything.
Can I use a VPN together with Intra or Repel?
Intra runs as a VPN through Android's VpnService, and Android allows one VPN at a time. Repel's DNS filter uses the VPN slot as well, but its one-tap Private DNS and app firewall do not. Use those two and your own VPN stays connected while your lookups are encrypted and chosen apps are cut off.
