Best Network Packet Capture Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Termshark is ranked #1 of 20 as of 5 October 2026, ahead of Malcolm and NetworkMiner. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Malcolm.
When you need to collect and examine network traffic, packet capture software can work with live traffic or saved traces. Compared on capture file formats, live capture, offline trace analysis, display filters, and protocol decryption, these entries show different ways to inspect packets. Command-line capture and supported platforms can help you assess fit with your setup; check free-plan availability and paid-from pricing too. Termshark, Malcolm, and NetworkMiner are among the options, alongside tcpdump and Wireshark. Use the listed capabilities to weigh whether your work centers on capturing traffic, examining existing files, or both.
20 network packet capture software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
10 of the 20 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TermsharkWindows · Mac · Linux · Android | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 2 | MalcolmWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 3 | NetworkMinerWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 4 | SniffnetWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 5 | tcpdumpWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 6 | TSharkWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 7 | WiresharkWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 8 | ArkimeWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 9 | Colasoft CapsaWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 10 | PCAPdroidAndroid | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 11 | nChronosWeb · Windows · Linux · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 12 | EndaceProbeWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 13 | EndaceVisionWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 14 | GL PacketScanWeb · Windows · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 15 | netsniff-ngLinux | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 16 | SentryWireWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 17 | VIAVI Observer AnalyzerWindows | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 18 | Airtool PiMac | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
| 19 | PacketWatchWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
| 20 | OmnipeekWeb · Windows | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 4.7 |
Compare all 20 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Live capture | Offline trace analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Termshark | 6.7 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 2 | Malcolm | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 3 | NetworkMiner | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 4 | Sniffnet | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 5 | tcpdump | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 6 | TShark | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 7 | Wireshark | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 8 | Arkime | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 9 | Colasoft Capsa | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 10 | PCAPdroid | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 11 | nChronos | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 12 | EndaceProbe | 5.5 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 13 | EndaceVision | 5.2 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | GL PacketScan | 5.2 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | netsniff-ng | 5.2 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 16 | SentryWire | 5.2 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 17 | VIAVI Observer Analyzer | 5.0 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 18 | Airtool Pi | 4.8 | No | — | No | — | Yes | No |
| 19 | PacketWatch | 4.8 | No | — | No | — | Yes | Yes |
| 20 | Omnipeek | 4.7 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which network packet capture software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Termshark is ranked #1 of 20 with a score of 6.7. Malcolm is second and NetworkMiner third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 20 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation.