The Best GlassWire Alternatives for Network Monitoring
GlassWire is a popular network monitoring tool that offers detailed visualization of network activity, alerts for new app connections, and even malware detection. While it's a powerful solution, users often seek alternatives due to specific operating system requirements, pricing, or a desire for open-source options. If you're looking for a reliable GlassWire alternative, you've come to the right place. This guide explores some of the top tools that provide similar or enhanced functionalities for keeping an eye on your network.
Top GlassWire Alternatives
Whether you need a free solution, cross-platform compatibility, or a more lightweight option, the following tools offer excellent alternatives to GlassWire, each with unique strengths.
simplewall
simplewall is a lightweight and simple tool for configuring the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP), making it a great free and Open Source GlassWire alternative for Windows users. It's less than a megabyte, compatible with Windows Vista and higher, and offers a simple interface with a rules editor for creating custom rules. Key features include a built-in timer, an ad-free experience, and both inbound and outbound firewall capabilities, making it excellent for security and privacy.
Little Snitch
Little Snitch is a powerful commercial firewall for Mac users, serving as an excellent GlassWire alternative for those on Apple's ecosystem. It excels at protecting your private data by intercepting unwanted outbound connection attempts from applications and allowing you to decide how to proceed. Its core feature is comprehensive network monitoring, giving you granular control over what leaves your system.
BiniSoft.org Windows Firewall Control
BiniSoft.org Windows Firewall Control is a free GlassWire alternative for Windows that extends the native Windows Firewall. It runs in the system tray, providing easy control over the firewall with four filtering modes: High Filtering, Medium Filtering, Low Filtering, and No Filtering. Its features include application blocking and robust network monitoring, making it a powerful tool for managing your Windows network security.
netdata
netdata is a free and Open Source system for distributed real-time performance and health monitoring, making it a versatile GlassWire alternative for Mac, Linux, Web, BSD, and self-hosted environments. It provides unparalleled insights into everything happening on a system, from physical servers to IoT devices, using interactive web dashboards. Key features include real-time monitoring, server monitoring, hardware monitoring, charts, and even a chatbot, making it ideal for comprehensive system and network oversight.
TinyWall
TinyWall is a free software solution that hardens and controls the advanced firewall built into Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8, serving as an effective GlassWire alternative for older Windows systems. Its primary feature is selective temporary blocking, offering a streamlined approach to managing your firewall rules without annoying pop-ups.
NetWorx
NetWorx is a versatile commercial tool for Mac, Windows, and Linux that helps you objectively evaluate bandwidth consumption, making it a strong GlassWire alternative for network usage monitoring. It collects bandwidth usage data, measures internet speed, and can identify network problems or suspicious activity. Notable features include network monitoring, portable installation, and speed charts, providing comprehensive insight into your connection.
BitMeter OS
BitMeter OS is a free and Open Source GlassWire alternative available for Mac, Windows, and Linux, focusing on tracking internet and network connection usage. It allows you to monitor usage via a web browser or command-line tools, displaying various graphs and charts over time. Key features include network usage history, a small-footprint design, and a wiki-like interface for easy data access.
NetSpeedMonitor
NetSpeedMonitor is a free and lightweight Network Monitoring Toolbar for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, or Windows 7, serving as a simple GlassWire alternative. It displays current upload and download speeds of your network interfaces and the amount of data transferred directly in your taskbar. Its primary features are network activity monitoring and a real-time network speed display.
Privatefirewall
Privatefirewall is a free personal firewall and intrusion detection application for Windows, making it a robust GlassWire alternative for comprehensive online security. It constantly monitors your PC for intrusions, reports findings, and allows advanced users to customize settings for internet traffic filtering, port scanning, IP tracking, and secure POP e-mail protection. Its core strength lies in its detailed network monitoring capabilities.
Windows Firewall Notifier
Windows Firewall Notifier (WFN) is a free and Open Source GlassWire alternative that extends the default Windows embedded firewall behavior. It allows you to visualize and handle incoming or outgoing connections with features like connections listing, real-time connection mapping with routes, bandwidth monitoring, and optional notification pop-ups for unknown outgoing connections. It's also portable, offering flexibility for Windows users.
Choosing the best GlassWire alternative depends on your specific needs, whether that's a free option, cross-platform support, or advanced security features. Explore these alternatives to find the perfect network monitoring solution that fits your requirements and keeps your system secure and performing optimally.