Alternatives to GlassWire
Visual network monitoring firewall
GlassWire ranks #6 of 7 in Firewall software, with an Alt Score of 55. It is proprietary, freemium from Free and available on Windows and Android. 8 of 9 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Windows and Android users who want visibility into which apps are using their network and the ability to block suspicious or unwanted connections. Useful for privacy-conscious users, IT-savvy people troubleshooting bandwidth issues, or anyone wanting early warning of malware phoning home.
A real-time, graphed view of all network traffic in and out of your device, broken down by app, host, and IP address, plus a history you can scroll back through. A built-in firewall lets you approve or block any app's internet access individually, and you get alerts for new devices joining your network, unusual app behavior, and data usage nearing limits.
GlassWire runs as a background monitor that inspects network traffic per-application, plotting it on an interactive graph and logging it for later review. Its firewall component intercepts connection attempts so you can allow or deny them per app, either automatically via profiles or through an ask-to-connect prompt.
Where GlassWire stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave GlassWire
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Firewall software checklist (13 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Firewall software checklist | GlassWire | pfSense | NetGuard | LuLu | Little Snitch | OPNsense |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Outbound connection alerts | ||||||
| Per-app rules | ||||||
| Network-wide (router / gateway) | ||||||
| Profiles (home, public) | ||||||
| Open source | ||||||
| One-time purchase option | ||||||
| Traffic monitoring UI | ||||||
| IDS/IPS | ||||||
| Low overhead |
Every fact and feature listed for GlassWire is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Platforms Windows, Android verified 2026-07-09
OS: Windows 10 or later ... Try GlassWire on Android
https://www.glasswire.com/download/ -
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-09
These are the terms on which GlassWire, a brand owned by Domotz Inc … enable you, the Subscriber … to access our integrated technology platform
https://www.glasswire.com/license/ -
Pricing model Freemium verified 2026-07-09
Free Forever ... Download and use our software for free. Upgrade to premium and use all the features with no limitations for complete internet protection.
https://www.glasswire.com/buy/ -
Starts at Free verified 2026-07-09
Free ... €0 ... Free Forever
https://www.glasswire.com/buy/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-09
Version 3.9.1102, 116.8MB ... GlassWire is now 64-bit. Faster, lighter, and built for modern Windows.
https://www.glasswire.com/download/ -
Outbound connection alerts Yes verified 2026-07-09
Whenever anything new on your computer accesses the network GlassWire lets you know with a discreet alert that won't interrupt your workflow or server.
https://www.glasswire.com/features/ -
Per-app rules Yes verified 2026-07-09
Take full control over how each application communicates with your network using GlassWire's bidirectional firewall. This feature lets you manage incoming and outgoing connections separately
https://www.glasswire.com/features/ -
Network-wide (router / gateway) No verified 2026-07-09
GlassWire only keeps track of bandwidth for the computer and server it's installed on and not total bandwidth usage on your network.
https://www.glasswire.com/features/ -
Profiles (home, public) Yes verified 2026-07-09
Firewall Profiles: Instantly switch between different profiles for different scenarios. Have one firewall profile for public WiFi and another for home user.
https://www.glasswire.com/features/ -
Open source No verified 2026-07-09
Proprietary commercial software owned by Domotz Inc.
GlassWire, a brand owned by Domotz Inc ... Subscription, or Service Licenses
https://www.glasswire.com/license/ -
One-time purchase option No verified 2026-07-09
Only annual subscription pricing; no lifetime/one-time option.
Personal Plan ... €2.99 /mo * ... Paid annually
https://www.glasswire.com/buy/ -
Traffic monitoring UI Yes verified 2026-07-09
Use GlassWire's simple to use interface to view all your past and present network activity on a graph. Click the graph to see what applications initiated the incoming or outgoing bandwidth
https://www.glasswire.com/features/ -
IDS/IPS Partial verified 2026-07-09
Limited IDS-like detection; explicitly disclaims full IDS and has no IPS beyond manual blocking.
GlassWire also has a toolbox of network security checks like system file change detection, device list change detection, app info change detection, ARP spoofing monitoring
https://www.glasswire.com/features/
FAQ
Yes. NetGuard and Portmaster have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
pfSense, NetGuard and LuLu — every license claim links its source.