SmartyDNS is unsurprisingly a purebred smart DNS company. Founded in 2013, they are most focused on providing access to online entertainment across six countries. Almost uniquely among smart DNS providers, SmartyDNS makes free client software available for all who either try out or buy their products. Thus, the service is very easy to use, as opposed to manual setup (which is still available); all you need to do is log in, click a few times and then you do not need to pay attention to the smart DNS anymore. The company also practices a 14-day free trial program. This is extremely generous, as two weeks of free smart DNS is quite beneficial in itself – you will have plenty of time to experience and experiment around.
Countries | U.S., UK, DE, PL, ES, CA |
---|---|
# countries | 6 |
# channels | 183 |
# servers | 3 |
SmartyDNS has one very favorable edge that could tip the scale in its favor: the company has client software for operating systems. This smart DNS program will automatically set your computer to connect to the smart DNS proxies. You are presented a very user friendly environment, where every important bit of information can be accessed form the main page of the client. We do have to note though, that in order to log in you are required to enter your personalized security key, which you can find in your client area.
Of course, you can always set your smart DNS connection up manually – this is the most commonly used method today. SmartyDNS is also helpful in this matter; again, the client area of the official website provides great information for this agenda. The company puts some emphasis on their setup guides, which are indeed well constructed, complete with pictograms. In the case of the client software, you just have to turn things on, while if you resort to do things manually, it’s a bit of a lengthier process. Nothing difficult, though; all you need to do is access the properties of your internet connection.
As with most companies that offer smart DNS, the addresses themselves that you connect to are almost exclusively IPv4 addresses. Therefore, if your internet connection runs on IPv6, make sure to deactivate it first, and then process to enable the smart DNS.
SmartyDNS has an ok selection of channels. Overall, there are 183 different broadcasts to choose from, across six countries. They are distributed unevenly, with the USA being the most prominent country. SmartyDNS unblocks channels for you like Netflix, Hulu, the BBC family of stations, American news networks, European radio broadcasts and sports content in general. In our opinion, you gain the most benefit from SmartyDNS if you are interested in the online content of the USA or the UK. In these two cases, you are not only supplied by entertainment programs, but also news networks. Overall, we think that while the selection of channels is not impressive, it is enough for most people (unless you like to watch 200+ channels at the same time, who knows?).
Overall, there are six countries that SmartyDNS’ network covers: the USA, the UK, Canada, Germany, Poland, and Spain, with the latter represented by a sole sports channel. There is one pair of DNS addresses to use to access the whole spectrum of channels, and some minor addresses as backup. This is a slim selection, but it gets the job done. We must compliment the official website, though. The complete list of channels is easy to filter, both based on device and country. Furthermore, there is another option that lists the broadcasts based on their type – video, music or sports. In terms of connection speeds, we can conclude that we did not experience significant decreases in the quickness of our connections.
SmartyDNS does not have a VPN counterpart, nor is the company affiliated with certain VPN organizations. SmartyDNS focuses entirely on the DNS type of service, and a great testament to this is the aforementioned client software, a rarely addition on smart DNS grounds.
The privacy section of the terms and conditions states that “We may send personally identifiable information about you to third parties when…” the company “has your consent to share the information” or when they respond to court orders. This implies that SmartyDNS only stores data that makes you, the customer, personally identifiable. Since it is not otherwise clarified, this can potentially include billing information as well. Nevertheless, it seems that SmartyDNS does not keep logs of any kind.
On the technical side of privacy, we must point out that a smart DNS connection – while it does provide better safety than your regular internet connection – can still be subject to intruders. In return though, you get a total of zero loss of speed, which advanced safety solutions like data encryption cannot provide. Therefore, SmartyDNS is your company if you are interested in fast streaming with medium protection.
Web app | |
Mobile optimized | |
macOS | |
Linux |
Kindle Fire | |
---|---|
Apple TV | |
Amazon Fire TV | |
Boxee |
SmartyDNS has acceptable device support. Even though you are not to meet the most extensive selection of machines and software, it is still a decent bunch. For operating systems, you have Windows XP to Windows 10 and anything in between. Mac OS X is also good to go, along with Ubuntu Linux. Mobile devices are standard: Android, iPhone, iPad and the iPod are available. Gaming consoles are as follows: PlayStation 3 and 4, next to Xbox One and Xbox 360. Other devices include Apple TV, Roku, NOW TV Box, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung SmartTV, WD TV, D-link Router, TP-Link Router, DD-WRT Router and Asus Router. Overall, this is a fair selection in our opinion.
Visa | |
Mastercard | |
American Express | |
Discover |
Prices are quite good with SmartyDNS. Also, the pricing structure covers all common durations; from one month up to a year. This is something to compliment, as more often than not we see only a short and a long-term duration, forcing the customer into purchases they do not necessarily need. SmartyDNS is free of such limitations. Another advantageous side of the company is that they offer a two-week free trial. As the official website states, no billing info is required for this, and you can experience the full SmartyDNS product without saying goodbye to a penny. You also have a 30-day money back guarantee on your hand if you cannot access the websites you should unblock.
One month of SmartyDNS comes at a standard price of $4.95. Three months fare at $13.45 ($4.48/mo), this is already 10% off. Half a year looks even better with $23.95 overall ($3.99/mo) – 20% off. And finally, the annual plan costs $39.95 ($3.33/mo) , meaning a 33% discount. Both the values and the concessions are generous, though it is true that SmartyDNS is a bit less invested in providing widespread DNS access, focusing on certain countries instead. Nevertheless, if your main concern is money, you get great value for what you throw at it. Furthermore, if you make a second purchase at any point after your first one, it will be 50% off if you inform the company about your plans.
Payment methods include PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Alipay, Webmoney, Yandex Money, Qiwi and Boneto Bancario.
24/7 | |
Live chat | |
Phone |
SmartyDNS’ primary way of contact is via submitting a ticket. It should be noted though that the company is quite confident in their knowledgebase, as your options for directly speaking are more or less hidden on the official website. The exception is the live chat. Even though it is not online 24/7, you are often better off asking about general information there. SmartyDNS also has an e-mail address and a newsletter, too. In terms of social media presence, the company is active on Facebook, Twitter and Goggle+. All of them are focused on providing news about the company.
SmartyDNS does have some smarty solutions. The most prominent is the client software, which is very useful if you are uninterested in setting up your smart DNS connection manually. You can even have the program run automatically when your computer starts, making smart DNS usage essentially an invisible part of your internet experiences. In our opinion, the 14-day free trial is also a great tactic practices by smart DNS. These two, together with prices being so favorable, makes our verdict favorable. We recommend that you check them out – you have two free weeks at worst.
The Best Reviews team researches and tests all products first-hand. We've been reviewing products and services since 2012 and are proud to only publish human-created content.
Best Reviews may receive compensation for its content through paid collaborations and/or affiliate links. Learn more about how we sustain our work and review products.
©2012-2025 Best Reviews, a clovio brand –
All rights
reserved
Privacy
policy
·
Cookie
policy
·
Terms
of use
·
Partnerships
· Contact
us
User reviews