As a fan of obscure or lesser-known media, I often come across streaming services that cater precisely to my interests. Unfortunately, many of these services are region-locked and simply not available in my country.

Elsewhere, streaming catalogs vary significantly by location, so if I'm trying to stream a show on a service I subscribe to, it might not be available in my country.

A VPN is the obvious solution to the problem, but a VPN comes with overheads like routing your entire phone's traffic through an external server. Not something that's always desirable.

That's why, lately, I've been experimenting with smart DNS services on Android. Specifically, I wanted to see if I could access Tubi without going through a VPN.

Turns out, it took me mere minutes to set up the smart DNS, and when done, I could easily access streaming services without the overhead of a VPN connection active on my phone.

Why I chose a smart DNS over a VPN

Targeting one specific problem

You might be wondering why I chose to go the smart DNS route over just running a VPN. A smart DNS is designed to solve a much narrower problem.

While a VPN by default routes the entirety of internet communications from your phone through a remote server and encrypts the connection along the way, a smart DNS works differently. A smart DNS is designed specifically to circumvent geographic restrictions.

If I turn on a VPN and opt for a European or American server, my connection changes entirely. Every app on the phone now uses that VPN connection, and this can have some interesting side effects.

Much as I appreciate the privacy and location benefits of the VPN, my banking app refuses to work with it, making it a no-go for all-day use.

Moreover, many popular websites specifically target known VPN IP addresses and block them, making a VPN ineffective for bypassing region blocks.

A smart DNS, on the other hand, leaves the rest of the connection untouched.

For my test, I opted for Unlocator, but there are more than a few options available, allowing you to shop around. Moreover, Unlocator is designed specifically to work without needing an additional app.

The exact setup tends to vary depending on the smart DNS service you opt for. For most of them, you'll need to turn off Android's Private DNS function. Unlocator uses the DNS settings under Wi-Fi and network settings for configuration.

Onboarding is simple, and by default, it suggests turning off Private DNS as it can override Unlocator's DNS configuration.

Next, open the settings for your connected Wi-Fi network, and change the IP settings from DHCP to Static. Next, enter Unlocator's DNS servers. That's it.

After you've saved the configuration and reconnected, the phone starts using Unlocator for DNS requests on the Wi-Fi connection. Unlike a VPN, you don't need to switch it on or off. It just works.

Smart DNS can unlock multiple streaming services

It doesn't change your phone's location

A smart DNS is an excellent targeted way of getting around regional restrictions. The DNS configuration stays in place, and Unlocator's servers reroute the DNS queries.

It is worth knowing that, unlike a VPN, a smart DNS won't magically change the overall geolocation of your phone.

If a website or streaming service starts poking and prodding your geolocation through a GPS check, a smart DNS won't be able to solve for that. But that's exactly the kind of problem a smart DNS provider solves.

With Unlocator configured as a DNS entry, I was instantly able to pull up Tubi on my Android phone, something I couldn't do earlier. It does this without hijacking the entirety of my phone's internet traffic.

Beyond Tubi, most Smart DNS services give you plenty of incentives to stay subscribed.

Unlocator, for example, maintains a large list of supported streaming services including US-based Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, PBS and others.

This means that with a single DNS entry on my Android phone, I can unlock access to a variety of streaming services I've previously been unable to access. As a horror fan, I'm looking forward to checking out Shudder.

Still, there are limitations. Unlike a VPN, a Smart DNS doesn't work with every website. Changing your DNS won't magically make your phone appear in a different geographical region.

A Smart DNS will only work with the websites supported by the DNS provider. So, if you need to bypass restrictions on an unsupported website, or encrypt your phone's internet connection, a VPN service is still the better option.

Why changing the DNS setting can be a smarter choice than a VPN

Despite its limitations, a smart DNS service has a lot of value for me. For one, there's the ease of use. It takes seconds to change the DNS settings on the phone, and I'm good to go.

No need to install an app or toggle off a setting every time I need to use it. It's a hyper-targeted tool to tackle one problem, which is something I prefer.

Plus, it doesn't interfere with my regular connection, so I can use my banking apps and local streaming services just fine.

It's a small change buried within Android's network settings, but it solves every single VPN and region-based blocking limitation I've come across.