Best Smart DNS Services in 2023

There was a time when DVDs owned the movie/series market. Well, these days are now in the past as all the couch potatoes out there stream their content online. Although streaming services are more than you can count nowadays, there’s a small hiccup. Channels like these are restricted to their own geo-location. I’m a streamer myself and I don’t have a problem accessing these channels where I reside. Let me tell you my solution in this review.

Best Smart DNS Service in 2023

Benefits of Smart DNS?

Smart DNS helps shift your current whereabouts into another country depending on the channel you want to unblock. So, you might guess that the service strictly exists for bypassing regional restrictions.

By shifting your location I mean that you’ll appear to be accessing the channel’s website from the region it has coverage in. It simply does that by redirecting part of your traffic that’s relevant to the unblocking process.

Smart DNS changes the URLs that are responsible for showcasing your location. As you all know, streaming channels can determine your location and block your access accordingly. When you use a Smart DNS server, the channel will qualify you as someone who’s accessing their website from within its region. Hence, you’ll obtain full streaming access regardless of where your physical location might be.

Smart DNS doesn’t tamper with your IP address. This means that you’ll be able to access geo-restricted content while still able to view your local channels. And since there’s no encryption during the process, you’ll be able to operate at full internet speed.

Just to give you a small insight about what’s going to come next in this review, I’m going to be assessing the top Smart DNS providers. Take a look at them in the table below.

Best Smart DNS Service

You will find dozens of Smart DNS services on the market. However, not all of them can unblock the channels you need. While the likes of Overplay, Getflix, Unblock-US, SmartyDNS, and UnoTelly have all upped their game recently, they all still lag far behind. In this review, I’m covering the top services that can aid you with your streaming experience. Most of the names on our list are VPN clients who offer a Smart DNS service. Now, without further ado, here are the best Smart DNS providers of 2023:

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a company located in the British Virgin Island. It’s a reliable VPN provider that allows access to thousands of servers in more than 128 locations. If you choose this provider, you’ll find out that it’s SmartDNS service is not an isolated plan. Upon subscription, you can use both its VPN and SmartDNS features at will. In case you don’t know your way around, ExpressVPN’s Smart DNS is called MediaStream, which allows access to hundreds of channels across the globe.

This VPN client’s Smart DNS is easy to set up. You can find dozens of guides to navigate you through the process depending on the platform you’re operating. It works without using any additional software and is compatible with almost all the devices and operating systems.

The service will only cost you 12.95$ dollars a month, 9.99$ with a 6-months plan, and 8.32$ with a yearly plan. You’ll be saving a lot of money if you invest in a yearly subscription.

If you’re looking for more, check out this full ExpressVPN Review.

NordVPN

Do you want to access Netflix and other video streaming service despite being outside their regions? Have you ever encountered a “Netflix Proxy Error” or “Blocked” while using a VPN? Well, there’s a solution to that. NordVPN‘s VPN and Smart DNS services are more than capable of getting the version of Netflix you’ve always wanted with just a few clicks.

SmartPlay is its name, NordVPN’s own Smart DNS feature. You can get the American catalog of Netflix wherever you are and so many more geo-restricted channels.

SmartPlay is a technology designed specifically to unblock geo-restricted streaming content from sites like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and ESPN. It is compatible with over 150 sites worldwide.

When you subscribe to NordVPN, you get access to both its VPN and Smart DNS services. All you have to do is sign up for the VPN provider by paying 11.95$ a month, 9$/month for a 6-month subscription, or a yearly fee of 6.99$/month. 

To see what more the service has to offer, take a look at our NordVPN Review.

BulletVPN

BulletVPN is extremely easy to use, making it a solid option for beginners. It also offers a reliable connection and strategically placed servers that have the ability to unblock sites like US Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, so it’s suitable for those wanting to stream. BulletVPN has okay speeds, but remember, the provider is still new on the market. It will get better as time goes by.

BulletVPN offers a Smart DNS service upon subscription. For people who care about streaming speed instead of security, I bet you’re going to like this. When you work with Smart DNS, even if it’s part of a VPN provider, you’re data won’t be encrypted. Therefore, you’ll be streaming your TV series at full speed minus the VPN protection.

BulletVPN will cost you $10.98 per month, 6 months for 9.16$ a month, and 1 year for 3.75$ a month. The yearly plan is very cheap compared to other providers. So, why not give it a try? It does offer a 30-day money back if you don’t wish to continue after all.

This VPN has a lot more to offer. You can check BulletVPN’s full review for more information.

Unlocator

Unlocator is a Danish Smart DNS service that’s run by Linkwork. Ever since its debut back in 2013, this provider has gained a lot of popularity thanks to being trustworthy and completely functional.

Its Smart DNS is very reliable and easy to use. Using their Smart DNS service is very efficient and flexible. You can now access restricted content especially if you’re on the move.

So far the service has unblocked over 230 channels in different countries worldwide. This is by far the most content that has ever been bypassed by a smart DNS service provider. The cool thing is that it also offers a VPN service. So, if you’re one of those security-minded people, you’re guaranteed the safest internet approach.

The monthly subscription is $4.95, the 6-month plan costs $27.50, and the annual subscription costs $49.95. You also get a free 7-day trial upon subscription. Check out Unlocator’s review and give it a test drive if you want.

Smart DNS vs. VPN

People who know their way around the internet may know the difference between the two. Before we begin, they both bypass geo-restrictions but in different ways. Now, for those in the dark, let me shed some light on the matter before you decide to invest in any one of them.

A Virtual Private Network aka VPN is a tool used for encrypting, decentralizing, relocating, and generally masking your personal information while you’re using the internet. These services protect you from the seedy underbelly of the online world and give you access to content that is otherwise unreachable. There are merits and demerits when you’re using a VPN. Although you get to protect your data by high-level encryptions, yet that comes with a price – your internet speed.

Smart DNS is strictly for bypassing regional restrictions. There is no added security and no change in your IP address. All it does is redirect part of your traffic that’s required to access a certain channel. In other words, it lets you appear as if you’re connecting via a different region. This is great for accessing region-locked content (such as Netflix from another country) but has no privacy benefits.

Did you ask yourself if Smart DNS is safe? Well, a VPN is the choice if you’re looking for safety. In case you’re not, then Smart DNS is the perfect candidate to use while streaming as it doesn’t tamper with your connection speed.

List of Channels You Can Unblock with Smart DNS

The following geo-blocked streaming channels can be accessed outside their designated regions with the help of Smart DNS. Keep in mind that different Smart DNS proxy services support unblocking different channels.

USA

• US Netflix
• Hulu
• Amazon Prime
• HBO GO
• HBO Now
• Showtime
• MLB.tv
• NHL.TV
• NFL
• PBS
• Showtime
• RedBox
• Freeform
• Britbox

UK

• BBC iPlayer
• Sky Go
• Now TV
• ITV
• TV Player
• My5
• Eleven Sports
• Virgin TV Go
• Channel 4
• BT Sport
• BoxNation
• UKTV Play
• BBC Radio

Others

• Hotstar
• DAZN
• SonyLiv
• 6Play
• CBC
• RTE Player
• BeIN Sport
• Match TV
• RTP
• TSN

Australia

• Stan
• Foxtel Go
• ABC iView
• Optus Sport
• Channel 9
• Channel 7
• SBS
• TenPlay

Best Smart DNS Services in 2023 – Conclusion

Now you have an idea on what to use if you’re ever what to bypass geo-restrictions with DNS. Setting up is quite easy. You can set up Smart DNS on any device including your Android, iOS, PC, Mac, gaming consoles, and streaming devices with ease by following the right guidance. For now, this is all you need to know, I hope this review gave you what you were looking for.