IBM NS1 Connect vs Palo Alto Networks DNS Security comparison

IBM and Palo Alto Networks are both solutions in the Domain Name System (DNS) Security category. IBM is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.6, while Palo Alto Networks is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.5. IBM holds a 2.2% mindshare in DS, compared to Palo Alto Networks’s 9.8% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Palo Alto Networks users who would recommend it.

IBM NS1 Connect

Read 17 IBM NS1 Connect reviews

2,655 Views
1,062 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Palo Alto Networks DNS Secu...

Read 16 Palo Alto Networks DNS Security reviews

4,768 Views
4,720 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM NS1 Connect

Palo Alto Networks DNS Secu...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between IBM NS1 Connect and Palo Alto Networks DNS Security based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Domain Name System (DNS) Security solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM NS1 Connect vs. Palo Alto Networks DNS Security Report (Updated: July 2026).

Buyer's Guide

IBM NS1 Connect vs. Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

July 2026

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Helped 909,725 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

IBM NS1 Connect

Ranking in Domain Name System (DNS) Security

8th

Average Rating

9.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Managed DNS (6th)

Palo Alto Networks DNS Secu...

Ranking in Domain Name System (DNS) Security

3rd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Domain Name System (DNS) Security category, the mindshare of IBM NS1 Connect is 2.2%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks DNS Security is 9.8%, up from 8.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Domain Name System (DNS) Security Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Palo Alto Networks DNS Security	9.8%
IBM NS1 Connect	2.2%
Other	88.0%

Domain Name System (DNS) Security

Featured Reviews

DavidJackson1

Software Engineer at Abbott

Smart routing has improved uptime and performance and enables real-time automated traffic control

The best features IBM NS1 Connect offers, in my opinion, are real-time monitoring, intelligent traffic routing capabilities, and being API driven. The intelligent traffic routing and API-driven features of IBM NS1 Connect have helped my team by allowing routing based on user location, endpoint switching based on latency, and DNS response time. Additionally, IBM NS1 Connect has API integration. IBM NS1 Connect positively impacts my organization by making our website load faster and enhancing the user interface to be more intuitive and user-friendly. It's very economical and cost-effective. I also love it because it saves time through automation, saving around 30% to 35% of our time and also saving man-source. Our application uptime has improved by 40% to 45%. Although there have been a few outages, the service uptime has significantly improved our trust with clients. It is very cost-effective and affordable, hence providing a great return on investment.

Read full review

Andres Briceño

Cybersecurity Coordinator at Pronaca

Comprehensive security protects networks effectively while support excels

The main feature of the Palo Alto Networks DNS Security protects our network from external attacks, malware, and data theft. I use the DNS Security's real-time threat intelligence, as it's a feature that works in real-time in the firewalls. Because we configured this real-time help feature in our firewalls, this feature works during internal navigation to the internet. If we have a virus or malware in our network, the firewall detects this threat and protects our network. DNS Security protects us against threats, malware, and malicious domains or malicious navigation to the internet. The threat analytics has helped us because it works together with the SOC analytics and the platform manager, so this has affected our approach to zero-day vulnerabilities and threat updates. The reporting and analytics tools help provide insights into trends and threat vectors. We configured a dashboard where we can see all threat preventions and DNS Securities. If the SOC analytics detect threats or anomalies in the dashboard, we work quickly to prevent these threats.

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

"Everything we download into our observability platform so that we can also track any changes in traffic behavior or things like that is also something that we use quite a lot. I'd say traffic management, the speed of updates, and observability are the top three things that we use."

"NS1 was the first solution that could express the logic we needed to be hidden behind the records, and we couldn't adapt any other solution to our needs."

"We leverage two things from Managed DNS that we couldn't do with any other solution. One is their filter chain technology, which allows us to shift some of the intelligence we need for the traffic steering to the DNS. The second one is data sources, which enables us to manipulate multiple records simultaneously using NS1's internal message DOS. In our case, we are trying to direct the traffic in over 150,000 different NS1 records to an arbitrary set of repeating responses."

"IBM NS1 Connect has a positive impact on my organization, as I believe it improves security, availability, and DDoS attack mitigation because it detects failures and automatically redirects users to healthy resources."

"For starters, it integrates with Terraform and a lot of our infrastructure is effectively built out using Terraform. That makes all this stuff extremely easy... when we deploy, all the entries are created and configuration is done."

"Managed DNS helped improve our end-user experience, it reduced our latency dramatically, and our users' experience is much better now."

"The fact that it's an API-first platform for DNS and application traffic management is one of the reasons we looked into NS1. We use it for a lot of automation and metrics gathering and it's been great."

"Their Pulsar filters allow us to collect RUM metrics from our users so that we can determine the best paths for our users to take. That has been very useful in providing the best user experience, and for responding to and recovering from downtime of our multiple CDNs."

More IBM NS1 Connect pros

"A lot is working well."

"I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten."

"The support team has good knowledge about the solution."

"Palo Alto Networks DNS Security is a stable solution."

"The most valuable features of DNS Security include its ability to protect against command and control traffic, anonymizers, newly registered domains, and DNS tunneling."

"We now have insight into our DNS requests and we can actively see how many thousands of malicious requests have gotten knocked down in the last day or week that we didn't have before. There's more insight for both security and more insight."

"The most valuable feature is DNS filtering."

"The product is easy to install."

More Palo Alto Networks DNS Security pros

Cons

"When we first deployed, we flipped the switch, and it didn't work as well as we expected."

"We would really like them to become a DNS registrar."

"I am not overall satisfied with the license and cost for IBM NS1 Connect because my pre-sales team interacts on that part regarding pricing."

"The Filter Chain setup is a bit hard to grasp at first."

"We use our client in our infrastructure to communicate with NS1. This client is a bit complex in the way that it is set up. NS1 has their own client solution that you can deploy into your platform to do this, but even that is a bit complex. So, I would like a very simple, thin, light API agent that we can deploy into our platform to communicate with NS1. That would be welcome."

"We care about monitoring and telemetry work, and NS1 provides a pretty good system for monitoring. We can monitor our endpoints and points of presence around the world. If there are any issues, we can easily remove them from our network, but this area needs some improvement because it is not always reliable in NS1. In the past, we had a number of false-positive cases when the monitoring system told us about some problems in our infrastructure that were not true. NS1 is improving the system, and we are constantly talking about this with them. I know that they are releasing a new version of their monitoring system, which is really important for us, but this is a different area where we would expect them to improve."

"When we first deployed, we flipped the switch, and it didn't work as well as we expected. It wasn't a complete outage, but we had issues in some places with some customers. The NS1 team went out of their way to resolve it on Thanksgiving. We have a post about it on our blog. We called it "Black Thursday.""

"I would like to see the UI updated to allow me to do finer searches."

More IBM NS1 Connect cons

"The product should provide email protection."

"We would like to have cloud-based management."

"With Palo Alto Networks DNS Security, sometimes the DNS clients don't work well, and they get disconnected, making it an area where improvements are required."

"The scalability can be improved."

"Sometimes, it blocks legitimate traffic for custom applications, requiring manual intervention."

"Palo Alto should explore agentless approaches to integrate DNS Security more easily and efficiently."

"The solution’s scalability could be improved."

"The installation is more complex because the solution has another approach to security."

More Palo Alto Networks DNS Security cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"NS1's pricing is much more aggressive than its competitors in the market and you get more value out of what you pay for it."

"Everything can always be cheaper, but as it is today the pricing is fair."

"The cost of this product is one of the reasons that we chose it."

"We pay about $30,000 a month. We used to pay about $20,000 with Dyn every month, for lower volume than we're doing right now, but it had none of the features that we have available with NS1, so it was worth it for us. It seems competitive for us, given that we're doing 4.5 billion requests."

"From a cost standpoint, it's certainly not the most expensive out there, and it's also not the cheapest, but it does well to balance the cost and the functionality/reliability."

"The product is expensive. My company makes payments on a quarterly basis towards the solution's costs."

"There aren't many vendors offering DNS security solutions, but generally, Palo Alto subscriptions tend to be more expensive than other security vendors."

"There is an annual license for the solution and I am satisfied with the pricing."

"Palo Alto Networks DNS Security is an expensive product. I rate the product's pricing an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten points are expensive."

"It is not an expensive solution."

"The product is expensive compared to Fortinet."

"If one is very cheap and ten is very expensive, I rate the tool's price as two."

"The solution's pricing is equal to Cisco AMP or Cisco Umbrella."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

University

Financial Services Firm

15%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Computer Software Company

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	1
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	13

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Large Enterprise	10

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with NS1 Managed DNS?

The aspect that needs improvement about IBM NS1 Connect is that the integration with AI is not seamless at this moment. That particular portion needs to be re-evaluated. We were able to increase th...

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What is your primary use case for NS1 Managed DNS?

I have worked on both deployment models of IBM NS1 Connect in the company's environment and in the clouds. I utilize IBM NS1 Connect's Intelligent Traffic Steering feature.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering NS1 Managed DNS?

I purchased IBM NS1 Connect through AWS Marketplace. We do use analytical tools built into the product. I rate this product 9 out of 10.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Palo Alto Networks DNS Security?

DNS Security protects us against threats, malware, and malicious domains or malicious navigation to the internet, which is where it can be improved the best. Palo Alto helps us with support, so I d...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Palo Alto Networks DNS Security?

I can describe my use cases for Palo Alto Networks DNS Security, which is used for protecting our network. I use this product, Palo Alto Networks DNS Security, with Palo Alto firewalls.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Palo Alto Networks DNS Security?

I don't have experience with Palo Alto Networks AutoFocus. Regarding the DNS Security, I have firewalls with the DNS Security module in the firewall. DNS Security is something we configure in our f...

See all answers

Comparisons

Cloudflare vs IBM NS1 Connect

Compared 25% of the time

Amazon Route 53 vs IBM NS1 Connect

Compared 18% of the time

Akamai Edge DNS vs IBM NS1 Connect

Compared 11% of the time

Managed DNS Services vs IBM NS1 Connect

Compared 9% of the time

Constellix DNS vs IBM NS1 Connect

Compared 7% of the time

More IBM NS1 Connect Competitors

Cisco Umbrella vs Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

Compared 61% of the time

Infoblox Advanced DNS Protection vs Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

Compared 5% of the time

DNSFilter vs Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

Compared 5% of the time

Infoblox BloxOne Threat Defense vs Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

Compared 5% of the time

BlueCat Edge vs Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

Compared 4% of the time

More Palo Alto Networks DNS Security Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM NS1 Connect

August 2026

Download IBM NS1 Connect product report

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

August 2026

Download Palo Alto Networks DNS Security product report

Also Known As

NS1 Managed DNS, NS1

No data available

Overview

IBM NS1 Connect delivers comprehensive DNS management with features like DNSSEC, low latency, and intelligent traffic routing. It integrates seamlessly with automation tools, making it ideal for improving infrastructure management.

IBM NS1 Connect offers a robust DNS management platform combining security, speed, and reliability. Its API-driven functionality allows for seamless integration with Terraform and other tools, enhancing geolocation-aware capabilities and real-time performance monitoring. Smart Domains ensure optimal routing, while Pulsar boosts user experience. Real-time telemetry and intelligent traffic routing minimize load times, contributing to efficient service delivery and application uptime. Recommendations for improvement include enhancing DNS timeout resolutions and providing educational resources for networking novices.

What are IBM NS1 Connect's key features?

DNSSEC: Enhances security by protecting DNS information.
Low Latency: Ensures faster DNS query responses.
API-driven Functionality: Facilitates easy integration with tools like Terraform.
Real-time Telemetry: Provides up-to-date performance insights.
Intelligent Traffic Routing: Directs traffic for optimized user experience.
Pulsar: Enhances performance with smart routing algorithms.
Filter Chains: Offers customizable rules for traffic handling.
Secondary DNS: Ensures redundancy and disaster recovery.

What benefits should users look for?

Cost-effectiveness: Reduces infrastructure costs by leveraging cloud hosting.
Improved Application Uptime: Minimizes downtime with reliable DNS management.
Faster Provisioning: Speeds up infrastructure setup and updates.
Reliable Metrics: Provides accurate performance data for informed decision-making.
Enhanced User Interface: Offers a straightforward navigation experience.

In healthcare, IBM NS1 Connect enhances CDN routing and facilitates efficient DNS management. Financial institutions leverage its geo-load balancing capabilities for secure transaction processing. E-commerce brands use its low latency and automation features to improve website responsiveness and reduce error rates. Telecom companies benefit from its API integration, allowing for seamless upgrades and network optimizations.

IBM

Palo Alto Networks DNS Security provides robust protection against DNS-based attacks with seamless deployment and integration, enhancing network security with minimal disruption.

Focused on real-time threat intelligence, Palo Alto Networks DNS Security blocks tunneling and rebinding attacks while offering malware protection and command/control traffic shielding. Its deployment is seamless, requiring no major architectural changes and ensuring global integration with scalable stability. DNS sinkholes and machine learning play key roles in threat detection, alongside comprehensive reporting and analytics for proactive cyber defense. While pricing and technical support face some criticism, its effectiveness in malware defense remains valuable to users.

What are the key features?

DNS Filtering: Block malicious DNS requests efficiently.
Real-Time Threat Intelligence: Provides insights to preempt threats.
Malware Protection: Shields against malware infiltration.
Command/Control Shielding: Protects against control server attacks.
Machine Learning: Enhances threat detection capabilities.
DNS Sinkhole: Identifies and blocks malicious domains.

What are the expected benefits or ROI?

Improved Network Security: Strengthen defenses against DNS and malware threats.
Proactive Defense: Benefit from real-time threat insights.
Seamless Integration: Easy deployment without infrastructure overhauls.
Insightful Analytics: Comprehensive reports for informed decision-making.

In sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, Palo Alto Networks DNS Security is essential for preventing data breaches, securing critical infrastructure, and protecting remote workforce access. By integrating seamlessly with existing firewalls, it ensures comprehensive coverage for both on-premise and cloud environments, addressing insider threats and securing endpoints like mobile devices and laptops.

Palo Alto Networks

Sample Customers

Avast Software, Bloomberg L.P., BBC, Carfax, CNBC LLC, Deloitte Consulting LLP, Disney Streaming, Dropbox, EBAY Inc, Gannett Media Corp, Salesforce, Wayfair, Workday

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

IBM NS1 Connect vs. Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

July 2026

Free Report: IBM NS1 Connect vs. Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM NS1 Connect vs. Palo Alto Networks DNS Security and other solutions. Updated: July 2026.

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