Best Network Packet Capture Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Termshark is ranked #1 of 20 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Malcolm and NetworkMiner. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Malcolm.
Whether you’re capturing traffic as it happens or examining a saved trace, the listed capabilities offer ways to compare packet analysis tools. The entries are ranked, starting with Termshark, Malcolm, and NetworkMiner. Check capture file formats and live capture alongside offline trace analysis; display filters and protocol decryption are further points to assess for examining traffic. Command-line capture and supported platforms can help you gauge fit with your working setup. Free-plan availability and the “Paid from” amount are also listed. Arkime and PCAPdroid appear among the other entries, as do tcpdump and TShark, so compare the details against your capture and analysis needs.
20 network packet capture software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
20ranked
9free plans on this page
4 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Network Packet Capture Software 20 channels on this page · 68 of 160 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromLive captureOffline trace analysisDisplay filtersProtocol decryptionCapture file formatsCommand-line capture Spec sheet Score
01 Termshark Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisYesDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatspcapCommand-line captureYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.6
02 Malcolm Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisYesDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsPCAP, PCAPNGCommand-line captureYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.4
03 NetworkMiner Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive capturenot statedOffline trace analysisnot statedDisplay filtersnot statedProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsnot statedCommand-line capturenot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.3
04 Sniffnet Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisYesDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsPCAPCommand-line captureYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.1
05 Arkime Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive capturenot statedOffline trace analysisnot statedDisplay filtersnot statedProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsnot statedCommand-line capturenot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.0
06 PCAPdroid Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisYesDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionYesCapture file formatsPCAP, PcapngCommand-line captureYes 7/8spec lines stated 7.0
07 tcpdump Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive capturenot statedOffline trace analysisnot statedDisplay filtersnot statedProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsnot statedCommand-line capturenot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.0
08 TShark Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive capturenot statedOffline trace analysisnot statedDisplay filtersnot statedProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsnot statedCommand-line capturenot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.0
09 Wireshark Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive capturenot statedOffline trace analysisnot statedDisplay filtersnot statedProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsnot statedCommand-line capturenot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.0
10 EndaceProbe Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisYesDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionYesCapture file formatspcap, pcapng, ERFCommand-line capturenot stated 5/8spec lines stated 6.8
11 VIAVI Observer Analyzer Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisYesDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsPCAPCommand-line capturenot stated 4/8spec lines stated 6.4
12 nChronos Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisYesDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsColasoft Packet File (.cscpkt, .rawpkt, .cscproj); Accellent 5Views (.5vw); EtherPeek V9 (.pkt); HP Unix Nettl (.TRC0, .TRC1); libpcap/Wireshark/Ethereal/Tcpdump (.cap, .pcap); Microsoft Network Monitor 1.x/2.x (.cap); Novell LANalyzer (.tr1); NetXRay 2.0; Windows Sniffer (.cap); Sun Snoop (.Snoop); Visual Network Traffic Capture (.cap)Command-line capturenot stated 4/8spec lines stated 6.2
13 EndaceVision Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLive capturenot statedOffline trace analysisnot statedDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionYesCapture file formatspcap, ERFCommand-line capturenot stated 3/8spec lines stated 5.9
14 netsniff-ng Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisYesDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatstcpdump-capable pcap; tcpdump-capable pcap with nanosecond resolution; Alexey Kuznetzov's pcap; netsniff-ng pcapCommand-line captureYes 6/8spec lines stated 5.9
15 SentryWire Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisYesDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsPCAPCommand-line capturenot stated 4/8spec lines stated 5.9
16 Airtool Pi Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisNoDisplay filtersnot statedProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsPcapNGCommand-line captureNo 5/8spec lines stated 5.8
17 GL PacketScan Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLive capturenot statedOffline trace analysisnot statedDisplay filtersnot statedProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsnot statedCommand-line capturenot stated 0/8spec lines stated 5.8
18 PacketWatch Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLive captureYesOffline trace analysisYesDisplay filtersYesProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsPCAPCommand-line capturenot stated 5/8spec lines stated 5.8
19 Omnipeek Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLive capturenot statedOffline trace analysisnot statedDisplay filtersnot statedProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsnot statedCommand-line capturenot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.4
20 Colasoft Capsa Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLive capturenot statedOffline trace analysisnot statedDisplay filtersnot statedProtocol decryptionnot statedCapture file formatsnot statedCommand-line capturenot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.2
Compare all 20 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Live capture | Offline trace analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Termshark | 7.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 2 | Malcolm | 7.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 3 | NetworkMiner | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 4 | Sniffnet | 7.1 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 5 | Arkime | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 6 | PCAPdroid | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 7 | tcpdump | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 8 | TShark | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 9 | Wireshark | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 10 | EndaceProbe | 6.8 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 11 | VIAVI Observer Analyzer | 6.4 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 12 | nChronos | 6.2 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 13 | EndaceVision | 5.9 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | netsniff-ng | 5.9 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 15 | SentryWire | 5.9 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 16 | Airtool Pi | 5.8 | No | — | No | — | Yes | No |
| 17 | GL PacketScan | 5.8 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 18 | PacketWatch | 5.8 | No | — | No | — | Yes | Yes |
| 19 | Omnipeek | 5.4 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 20 | Colasoft Capsa | 5.2 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which network packet capture software is ranked first on Specifiction?
Termshark is ranked #1 of 20 with a score of 7.6. Malcolm is second and NetworkMiner third.
How many of these have a free plan?
9 of the 20 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing. Paid placements never change a rank.
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