Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

iftop VS KillSwitch

Compare iftop VS KillSwitch and see what are their differences

iftop logo iftop

iftop does for network usage what top(1) does for CPU usage.

KillSwitch logo KillSwitch

KillSwitch is an advanced system monitoring tool that is apart of
  • iftop Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-08-25
  • KillSwitch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-01

iftop features and specs

  • Real-time Monitoring
    iftop provides real-time bandwidth monitoring, enabling users to quickly identify network usage and any potential issues.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The tool features a simple, text-based user interface that is easy to navigate, making it accessible for users with varying levels of experience.
  • Detailed Traffic Insight
    iftop offers detailed information about network traffic, including source and destination IP addresses, service ports, and data flow rates.
  • Lightweight
    Being a command-line tool, iftop is lightweight in nature and does not consume significant system resources.
  • Open Source
    iftop is open source, allowing users to access, modify, and distribute the software freely, which can lead to community-driven improvements.

Possible disadvantages of iftop

  • Lacks Historical Data
    iftop does not have the capability to store historical data, making it unsuitable for long-term network monitoring and analysis.
  • Limited Features
    Compared to other network monitoring tools, iftop has a limited feature set and may not meet the requirements of advanced network analysis needs.
  • Requires Root Permissions
    The tool requires root or elevated permissions to run, which might be a security concern in certain environments.
  • Text-based Output
    As a text-based tool, iftop may not provide the most visually appealing outputs, which can be a drawback for users who prefer graphical interfaces.
  • Not Cross-Platform
    iftop is primarily designed for Unix-like systems and may not be available or easily operable on non-Unix platforms like Windows.

KillSwitch features and specs

  • Real-time Monitoring
    KillSwitch provides real-time monitoring of active processes and network connections, allowing users to quickly identify suspicious activities.
  • Detailed Process Information
    The tool offers detailed information about each running process, including their origin, which helps in identifying potentially dangerous software.
  • Comprehensive Threat Detection
    KillSwitch is part of Comodo Cleaning Essentials, which includes a comprehensive threat database to detect rootkits and other advanced threats.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The interface is designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible for users of varying technical expertise.
  • Portable Tool
    As a portable tool, KillSwitch does not need installation, allowing users to run it directly from a USB drive.

Possible disadvantages of KillSwitch

  • Limited to Windows
    KillSwitch is designed to work on Windows operating systems, limiting use for users with other operating systems like macOS or Linux.
  • Dependency on Comodo's Database
    The effectiveness of its threat detection relies heavily on Comodo’s database being up-to-date.
  • Potential for False Positives
    As with many security tools, there's a risk of false positives, where legitimate processes may be mistakenly flagged as threats.
  • Requires Technical Knowledge
    While the interface is user-friendly, understanding the implications of certain actions, like terminating processes, requires technical knowledge.
  • Limited Additional Features
    Compared to full-fledged security suites, KillSwitch offers limited additional features outside of process and network monitoring.

iftop videos

How to monitor network bandwidth using Iftop

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to install iftop and use it on Linux Mint 18.3
  • Review - Untangle Traffic monitoring with Iftop

KillSwitch videos

The NEW KILLSWITCH for Steam Deck | Revised Model Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to iftop and KillSwitch)
Monitoring Tools
59 59%
41% 41
Performance Monitoring
67 67%
33% 33
Command Line Tools
37 37%
63% 63
OS & Utilities
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing iftop and KillSwitch, you can also consider the following products

psutil - psutil is a module providing an interface for retrieving information on all running processes and...

Kiwi application monitor - Kiwi application monitor is a small program which lets you monitor your applications/processes, Windows and User activity.

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Battle Encoder Shirase - Software that controls per-process CPU usage: an “active” software CPU cooler.

gtop - System monitoring dashboard for terminal

Processes - https://www.oneperiodic.com/products/processes/