Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

PCAPdroid VS Nethogs

Compare PCAPdroid VS Nethogs and see what are their differences

PCAPdroid logo PCAPdroid

PCAPdroid is an android app to capture the phone traffic and analyze it remotely (e.g. via Wireshark). The traffic can be easily downloaded from a remote device thanks to the integrated HTTP server, or streamed to a remote UDP receiver.

Nethogs logo Nethogs

NetHogs is a small 'net top' tool.
  • PCAPdroid Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-03
  • Nethogs Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-26

PCAPdroid features and specs

  • Open Source
    PCAPdroid is an open-source tool, meaning that its source code is publicly available. This allows developers to review, modify, and improve the software, enhancing transparency and trust in the tool.
  • Network Packet Capture
    PCAPdroid allows users to capture network traffic on Android devices without requiring root access. This is useful for network analysis, diagnostics, and security inspections.
  • Data Privacy
    The software emphasizes data privacy by capturing traffic locally on the device and not sending it to external servers. This provides users with the assurance that their data is not being inadvertently shared.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    PCAPdroid provides an intuitive interface that makes it easier for users to navigate and operate the tool even if they are not network experts.

Possible disadvantages of PCAPdroid

  • Complex Configuration
    Setting up the tool for packet capture may require a certain level of technical expertise, which could be challenging for beginners in networking or software development.
  • Platform Limitation
    PCAPdroid is specifically designed for Android devices, so users on other platforms, such as iOS or desktops, cannot use this tool directly.
  • Resource Intensity
    Continuous packet capture can be resource-intensive, potentially affecting device performance and battery life on Android devices.
  • Limited to Local Traffic
    PCAPdroid is limited to capturing traffic from the device it is installed on, meaning it cannot capture or analyze traffic from other devices on the network.

Nethogs features and specs

  • Real-Time Monitoring
    Nethogs allows users to monitor network bandwidth usage in real time, distinguishing traffic usage by process, which is useful for managing and troubleshooting network performance issues.
  • Process-Based Traffic Tracking
    Unlike some network monitoring tools that only provide overall traffic data, Nethogs separates traffic by process, helping users identify which applications or processes are consuming bandwidth.
  • Lightweight and Simple
    Nethogs is a lightweight utility that is easy to install and use, making it accessible for users who need straightforward network monitoring without large overhead.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source tool, Nethogs allows users to audit, modify, or enhance the codebase to better fit their needs or to contribute to the community.

Possible disadvantages of Nethogs

  • Limited Feature Set
    Nethogs focuses specifically on process-based network traffic monitoring and does not include advanced features like historical data logging or the management of alerts.
  • Linux-Only
    Nethogs is only available for Linux systems, limiting its use for users who operate on other operating systems like Windows or macOS.
  • Command-Line Interface
    While powerful, the command-line interface might be intimidating or less user-friendly for individuals who prefer graphical user interfaces for system monitoring.
  • Real-Time Only
    As Nethogs provides only real-time data, it lacks the capability to produce historical data reports, which could be a drawback for users needing long-term data analysis.

PCAPdroid videos

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Nethogs videos

Nethogs Linux Shell Network Traffic Monitoring

More videos:

  • Review - Nethogs - Bandwidth Monitor - Linux TUI
  • Review - Remote linux server admin tools: byobu, htop, nethogs, nload, iptraf

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PCAPdroid and Nethogs)
Monitoring Tools
60 60%
40% 40
Log Management
66 66%
34% 34
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Performance Monitoring
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Nethogs seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 5 times since March 2021. 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.

PCAPdroid mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of PCAPdroid yet. Tracking of PCAPdroid recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Nethogs mentions (5)

What are some alternatives?

When comparing PCAPdroid and Nethogs, you can also consider the following products

Wireshark - Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer for Unix and Windows. It lets you capture and interactively browse the traffic running on a computer network.

tcpdump - tcpdump is a common packet analyzer that runs under the command line.

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

NetworkMiner - NetworkMiner is a Network Forensic Analysis Tool (NFAT) for Windows.

nload - Monitor network traffic and bandwidth usage in real time

SmartSniff - SmartSniff is a packet sniffer that capture TCP/IP packets and display them as sequence of conversations between clients and servers.