Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

NetGuard VS GlassWire

Compare NetGuard VS GlassWire and see what are their differences

NetGuard logo NetGuard

NetGuard

GlassWire logo GlassWire

Visualize network activity in detail, get notified when new apps access the network, look out for...
  • NetGuard Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-27
  • GlassWire Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-20

NetGuard features and specs

  • Privacy Enhancement
    NetGuard helps in enhancing user privacy by blocking unwanted internet traffic, preventing personal data from being sent without the user's consent.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The application has a straightforward and intuitive interface, making it easy for users to configure and manage their network settings.
  • No Root Required
    NetGuard does not require root access to function, making it accessible to a broader range of Android users who may not want to root their device.
  • Battery Efficiency
    The app is designed to use minimal battery power, ensuring that it does not significantly impact device battery life.
  • Open Source
    NetGuard is open-source software, which allows users to inspect the code for transparency and potentially contribute to its development.

Possible disadvantages of NetGuard

  • Limited to Android
    NetGuard is currently only available for Android devices, which limits its usefulness for users of other operating systems.
  • Paid Features
    While the basic functionality is free, some advanced features require a purchase, which could be a barrier for some users.
  • Network Performance
    In some cases, users may experience a decrease in network performance due to the filtering process used by NetGuard.
  • Complexity for Novices
    Despite a generally user-friendly interface, users unfamiliar with network configuration may find it challenging to fully utilize the application's capabilities.
  • Limited Customer Support
    As an open-source project, NetGuard might not offer as robust customer support as commercial alternatives, which could be a drawback for some users.

GlassWire features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    GlassWire offers a visually appealing and intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to monitor network activity and understand data usage.
  • Comprehensive Network Monitoring
    GlassWire provides detailed insights into the user's network activity, including bandwidth usage, application connections, and geographic data for connected servers.
  • Real-Time Alerts
    The software offers real-time alerts for suspicious activity, helping users quickly respond to potential security threats.
  • Firewall Management
    GlassWire integrates firewall management features, allowing users to block specific applications from accessing the network.
  • Privacy Protection
    The software includes various privacy protection features, such as detecting spyware, malware, and other unwanted software.
  • Historical Data
    Users can access historical network activity data to analyze trends and identify unusual behavior over time.
  • Ease of Installation
    GlassWire is easy to install and set up, making it accessible even to users with minimal technical expertise.

Possible disadvantages of GlassWire

  • Cost
    Although GlassWire offers a free version, many advanced features are locked behind a paywall, which could be a drawback for cost-conscious users.
  • Resource Usage
    Some users have reported that GlassWire can consume a significant amount of system resources, potentially slowing down their computer.
  • Limited Cross-Platform Support
    While GlassWire supports Windows and Android, it lacks support for other popular platforms like macOS and iOS, limiting its usability for some users.
  • Complexity for Novices
    Despite its user-friendly design, some of GlassWire's more advanced features may be overwhelming for users who aren't familiar with network security concepts.
  • Periodic Connectivity Issues
    Some users have reported occasional connectivity issues, including problems with the service not starting or functioning properly.
  • Updating Issues
    There have been occasional reports of problems during the update process, where features may not work as expected or data may seem inconsistent post-update.
  • False Positives
    GlassWire's real-time alerts sometimes generate false positives, causing unnecessary alarms and potential inconvenience.

NetGuard videos

How to Block Android Apps in connecting to Internet with NetGuard

GlassWire videos

Glasswire Firewall Review | Tested against Ransomware

More videos:

  • Review - BEST FIREWALL.... EVER?! // GlassWire Review - Personal Security & Privacy Monitoring
  • Review - Master Your Network With Glasswire 2.0

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to NetGuard and GlassWire)
Monitoring Tools
28 28%
72% 72
Security & Privacy
100 100%
0% 0
Firewall
0 0%
100% 100
Ad Blockers
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare NetGuard and GlassWire

NetGuard Reviews

We have no reviews of NetGuard yet.
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GlassWire Reviews

Best firewall software of 2024
Probably its best feature is the presentation of detailed statistics of network usage broken down by IP/Host, application, and type of network traffic. GlassWire has an ‘Ask to Connect’ mode to allow or deny new app connections. And you can create custom profiles, for instance, when you’re connected to your home WiFi or when you’re at work.
Best Free Firewalls for Windows, Mac & Android in 2024
GlassWire monitors incoming and outgoing traffic to protect against intrusions. It’s among the most beginner-friendly and intuitive firewall programs I’ve seen. The app provides useful graphs that make it easy to tell what each process is doing. Once you’re in the app, you’ll see 5 tabs that highlight the following details:
Source: www.wizcase.com
10 Best Free Firewall Software for Windows in 2024
The software in the list have different priorities, some of them are great for features, security, and privacy, the others have an edge on pricing. For optimal protection and prevention from threats, we would recommend you to go for ZoneAlarm, Comodo Firewall, or Glasswire. If you want visibility and control of your applications, then go for Peerblock, or Tinywall. The best...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, NetGuard seems to be a lot more popular than GlassWire. While we know about 48 links to NetGuard, we've tracked only 2 mentions of GlassWire. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

NetGuard mentions (48)

  • Sniffnet – monitor your Internet traffic
    There is OpenSnitch [0] on Linux, but it us a bit clumsy to setup. I tried it once and didn't get far, but have it again on my todo list. Not aware of something similar on Linux. On Android there is NetGuard [1] which is awesome (not affiliated, just a happy customer). [0] https://github.com/evilsocket/opensnitch. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS
    Netguard if you want to use it on Android https://netguard.me/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • The Global Surveillance Free-for-All in Mobile Ad Data
    Additionally to an OpenWRT [1] Wi-Fi router or Adguard Home [2] server that you can run for yourself, there's also this excellent project called NetGuard [3]. The developer got kicked out of the Play Store for bogus reasons, and had to continue to develop it as an externally funded effort. Support him, buy a pay what you want license, and give him a couple bucks for it if you value open source software like this.... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • OpenSnitch is a GNU/Linux interactive application firewall
    There's netguard[1], although most of the convenience features are behind a small payment. [1] https://netguard.me. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Ash HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
    Use briar. Use LineageOS without gapps (aka without Google Play Services). Obviously don't use Meta or Google apps, because that's where the backdoors are for governments. Use AppWarden to enable/disable/verify the usage of known trackers in your apps. Use NetGuard as an Android firewall. [1] https://briarproject.org/ [2] https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices [3] https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AppWarden [4]... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
View more

GlassWire mentions (2)

  • What is the use of an Av when it can be bypassed easily?
    Don’t use netstat use Glasswire as it will help to monitor your network and let you know to where your data is being sent, including the file/service which is sending it. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Bandwidth - 20p-40p per day passive.
    I run the app behind pihole with sinkhole but if your looking to monitor the traffic it sends to see if its any good for you use something like glasswire.com The free version will allow you to monitor the outgoing traffic. Source: almost 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing NetGuard and GlassWire, you can also consider the following products

Blokada - The best ad blocker for Android. Free and open source.

TinyWall - Lightweight and non-intrusive firewall

RethinkDNS - 2B+ Android users deserve access to a safer and open Internet.

Windows 10 Firewall Control - Windows 10 Firewall Control: simple and exhaustive solution for applications network activity controlling and monitoring.

AFWall+ - AFWall+ (Android Firewall +) - iptables based firewall for Android

Windows Firewall Control - Windows Firewall Control is not the built in firewall system in the Windows operating systems.