IBM NS1 Connect vs Palo Alto Networks DNS Security comparison

Why PeerSpot?

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 8.5, while Palo Alto Networks is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.3. IBM holds a 2.1% mindshare in DS, compared to Palo Alto Networks’s 10.7% 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

3,085 Views
1,203 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Palo Alto Networks DNS Secu...

Read 16 Palo Alto Networks DNS Security reviews

5,597 Views
5,541 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM NS1 Connect

Palo Alto Networks DNS Secu...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

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: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

IBM NS1 Connect vs. Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

September 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 915,341 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

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Managed DNS (7th)

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 October 2026, in the Domain Name System (DNS) Security category, the mindshare of IBM NS1 Connect is 2.1%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks DNS Security is 10.7%, up from 8.7% 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	10.7%
IBM NS1 Connect	2.1%
Other	87.2%

Domain Name System (DNS) Security

Featured Reviews

Sanchit Makkar

Dns architect at a outsourcing company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Intelligent global traffic steering has improved reliability and reduced latency for users

IBM NS1 Connect has a very steep learning curve in terms of learning the custom filter chains and the complex multi-region setup, which requires a specialized DNS expert and can be difficult for beginners. One has to get trained on IBM NS1 before starting to use it. The documentation and the interface could be improved, as a step-by-step video configuration guide would be helpful in new implementations. Daily change audit features and easier rollback options should also be provided in the GUI itself. The dashboard and the GUI have gray areas for advanced tasks, which require API interaction and can be overwhelming for beginners.

Read full review

Partha Dash

Global Network Tech Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

Protects against threats by quickly identifying insider risks and compromised devices

Palo Alto should explore agentless approaches to integrate DNS Security more easily and efficiently. The existing system sometimes presents challenges with backbone routing, impacting productivity. An agentless approach could be more lightweight and user-friendly. Additionally, there is a need for improvement in the pricing model for support and license renewals.

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

"The Filter Chain is one of the most valuable features, for geo-load balancing and geo-fencing. The Filter Chain is the most useful because it allows us to do several things. With geo-fencing we can redirect a particular user to a particular answer. That's very valuable for us. Filter Chains with monitoring is our strategy to provide redundancy."

"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."

"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."

"Going with NS1 has also improved the user experience for our users."

"The best benefits of using IBM NS1 Connect are the performance and availability of the product towards the cloud, and when comparing the performance with other products, I believe it is above par, as it is really helpful and gives me at least a 20 to 30% improvement in functionality."

"NS1 gives us a nice flat line, because it's always performant and fast and that's what we want to see."

"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."

"The solution's stability is absolutely perfect."

More IBM NS1 Connect pros

"DNS sinkhole is a valuable feature."

"The most valuable feature is DNS filtering."

"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 features of the solution are DNSSEC and the domain generation algorithm."

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

"When comparing other cloud-based DNS security solutions to this one I have found the main beneficial feature in this solution to be we do not need to change our architecture."

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

"So, in general, it's very stable because the process to deliver new features and new releases in not so long...I rate the scalability a nine out of ten."

More Palo Alto Networks DNS Security pros

Cons

"The technical support is slow. You raise a PR, and then it takes several weeks for them to respond."

"There could maybe be additional ways to manage traffic. There are no major improvements we're looking for. It's a very complete solution."

"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 love to see improvement in the testing capabilities they provide. They have a simulate-filter feature so that you can simulate how your traffic would flow, based on their Filter Chains. I believe that was shut off for quite some time. Having that as a way to test our load-balanced CDN structure would be fantastic."

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

"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."

"I believe IBM NS1 Connect can be improved in several ways. The main concern I identified is the cost, which is higher than other solutions despite its uses."

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

More IBM NS1 Connect cons

"The solution can capture more market if made more cost-competitive than Infoblox or Cisco Umbrella."

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

"The number of hotfixes indicates that there are many bugs in the new releases. Comparing a few years earlier, a release contained much fewer hotfixes."

"I'm not really sure what needs improvement. The only hiccup I've really seen is a couple of the DNS requests get flagged as the Sophos traffic instead of DNS traffic, but that's more of their app detection in the DNS Security. I haven't really seen any issues with the DNS security."

"The pricing of the Palo Alto Networks DNS Security is very high."

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

"The solution’s scalability could be improved."

"The product should provide email protection."

More Palo Alto Networks DNS Security cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

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

"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."

"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."

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

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

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

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

"It is not an expensive solution."

"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."

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

"The product is expensive compared to Fortinet."

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

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Domain Name System (DNS) Security solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

915,341 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

13%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Healthcare Company

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Performing Arts

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	2
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	14

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Large Enterprise	10

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with NS1 Managed DNS?

I believe IBM NS1 Connect can be improved in several ways. The main concern I identified is the cost, which is higher than other solutions despite its uses. Additionally, they could improve their h...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for NS1 Managed DNS?

My main use case for IBM NS1 Connect is handling DNS traffic and routing traffic. A specific example of how I use IBM NS1 Connect to route traffic is routing the API, the websites' API, and the app...

See all answers

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

Regarding IBM NS1 Connect's AI capabilities, the accuracy and reliability of output involve least privileged API keys, API key rotation, secret management, and monitoring and alerting, with alerts ...

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 24% of the time

Amazon Route 53 vs IBM NS1 Connect

Compared 17% of the time

Akamai Edge DNS vs IBM NS1 Connect

Compared 10% 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 63% 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 4% 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

September 2026

Download IBM NS1 Connect product report

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks DNS Security

September 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

September 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: September 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

915,341 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our IBM NS1 Connect vs. Palo Alto Networks DNS Security report.

See our list of best Domain Name System (DNS) Security vendors.

We monitor all Domain Name System (DNS) Security reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.