Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

PCAPdroid VS tcpflow

Compare PCAPdroid VS tcpflow 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.

tcpflow logo tcpflow

tcpflow, a TCP Flow Recorder, is a program that captures data transmitted as part of TCP...
  • PCAPdroid Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-03
  • tcpflow Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-08-29

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.

tcpflow features and specs

  • Detailed Traffic Capture
    tcpflow captures data transmitted as part of TCP connections, which provides a detailed view of the data being passed over the network. This can be helpful for debugging and analysis by reconstructing the actual data streams.
  • Ease of Use
    tcpflow has a straightforward command-line interface, making it easy to use for network administrators and developers who are familiar with terminal operations.
  • Data Stream Reconstruction
    Unlike some network sniffing tools, tcpflow reconstructs TCP data streams, which is useful for viewing the actual contents of transmissions as they occurred.
  • Wide Compatibility
    tcpflow is compatible with multiple platforms, allowing users to leverage it across various operating systems without significant issues.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, tcpflow allows users to modify, inspect, and enhance the tool as required, providing flexibility for developers to tailor it to their needs.

Possible disadvantages of tcpflow

  • Limited Protocol Support
    tcpflow primarily focuses on the TCP protocol and does not natively support other protocols, which could limit its use in more complex network environments.
  • Resource Intensive
    Capturing and reconstructing full TCP streams can be resource-intensive, consuming significant disk space and processing power, especially on busy networks.
  • Potential Privacy Concerns
    As tcpflow captures raw data from network traffic, there can be privacy and security concerns if sensitive information is unintentionally captured and stored.
  • No Real-time Analysis Tools
    tcpflow captures and stores data but lacks built-in tools for real-time analysis, which means users need to process and analyze captured data separately.
  • Lacks Advanced Features
    Compared to more comprehensive network analysis tools, tcpflow lacks advanced features such as protocol decoding, visualization, or automated reporting, which could be a limitation for in-depth analysis.

PCAPdroid videos

No PCAPdroid videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

tcpflow videos

tcpflow User Interface

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PCAPdroid and tcpflow)
Monitoring Tools
71 71%
29% 29
Log Management
70 70%
30% 30
Productivity
63 63%
37% 37
Security
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using PCAPdroid and tcpflow. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

What are some alternatives?

When comparing PCAPdroid and tcpflow, 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.

Debookee - Debookee is the simplest & most powerful network traffic analyzer for macOS.

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

Ettercap - Ettercap is a suite for man in the middle attacks on LAN.

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