Overview

GlassWire pairs a network-traffic monitor with controls for blocking app connections. It is a practical fit for people who want to identify which programs use bandwidth and review suspicious activity without starting with a paid plan. Its central trade-off is that the free tier keeps only a short record, while longer-term review and expanded firewall controls require Premium.

Key features

The desktop product sorts traffic by app, IP or host, traffic type, and other categories, giving users a way to investigate what is behind a usage total. Alerts flag unusual network or app changes that could indicate malware and can warn when an unknown device joins Wi-Fi. These notices can bring activity to a user’s attention, while the product’s stated role is monitoring and personal firewall control.

Premium adds bidirectional firewall control, custom profiles, Ask to Connect, and Lockdown Mode. That makes the paid tier the better fit for users who want to do more than observe traffic and need to manage app connections. Free users get 24 hours of network history, one day of bandwidth usage history, and alert logs for the current day; those caps are a real constraint when a problem is noticed after the relevant activity has passed. Premium removes the history limits.

On Android, GlassWire graphs data use by app, alerts when apps access the network, and can block app connections over mobile or Wi-Fi. GlassWire says Android app and data-usage information never leaves the phone and that the app itself uses no data, a useful privacy assurance for people monitoring mobile use.

Pricing

The Free plan is free forever. It includes one day of bandwidth usage, 24 hours of network history, and current-day alert logs. It is suited to checking recent activity, but not to keeping a useful record for later comparisons.

The Personal Plan costs 2.99 USD per month, billed Paid annually, and includes up to 20 licenses, unlimited bandwidth usage, unlimited network history, and unlimited alert logs. It is the relevant upgrade for households or users who need longer records and the Premium firewall tools. Both Free and Premium include community support; Premium also includes dedicated support.

Platforms

GlassWire supports Android, web, and Windows. The desktop download requires Windows 10 or later and supports x64 and ARM64 architectures. The Android app provides mobile data monitoring and connection blocking. GlassWire also publishes recent download hash values on its changelog page so users can check whether a downloaded file is corrupted or tampered with.

Who it's for

GlassWire suits individual users who want app-level visibility into network activity, alerts about unusual changes, and a way to block connections. Free is a sensible starting point for short-term checks; users who need ongoing records or more firewall controls should consider the Personal Plan. It is less suitable for someone whose primary need is a long history without an annual paid plan.

Pros and cons

Useful traffic breakdowns: Desktop views by app, host or IP, and traffic type help narrow down which activity is driving usage.
Monitoring without an upfront fee: Free includes traffic monitoring and alerts, making recent activity available without a subscription.
Meaningful free-tier history caps: Network history stops at 24 hours, bandwidth history at one day, and alert logs at the current day, limiting later investigation.
Firewall controls sit in Premium: Users who want bidirectional control, custom profiles, Ask to Connect, or Lockdown Mode need the paid tier.
Android privacy claim: GlassWire says usage information stays on the phone and the app itself uses no data.

Alternatives

For a free bandwidth tool with a live usage monitor, reports, and a five-rule limit, SoftPerfect Bandwidth Manager is a simpler option; its Lite plan lacks GlassWire’s described app-connection controls and traffic alerts. ntopng is worth considering for home and network practitioners seeking an open-source network-monitoring option, with a suggested maximum of 256 live local hosts on its Community plan.

Nagios XI offers a free self-supported plan capped at seven nodes or 100 services, whichever comes first, making it an option when that monitored-resource cap fits. sFlowTrend is another alternative.

ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer has a free edition limited to two interfaces, which may suit a small interface-count requirement. ElastiFlow offers a free Basic plan with throughput and device limits alongside dashboards and ML detections, for readers whose needs fit those stated caps.

Intermapper uses device-based licensing with custom quotes, while SparrowIQ is a paid option with quote-required plans.

For broader category browsing, see Bandwidth Monitoring Software and Network Monitoring.

Verdict

Choose GlassWire if you want clear app-level traffic visibility, alerts, and personal firewall controls, with Android monitoring as a bonus and the option to start free. The strongest reason to look elsewhere is the free plan’s short history; if you need to revisit activity over longer periods, the Personal Plan is necessary.

	Cacti	GlassWire
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	No
Paid from	Free	$2.99/mo
Platforms	Linux, self-hosted, Web, Windows	Android, Web, Windows
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Synthetic checks	Yes
Traffic monitoring	Yes
Topology maps	Yes
Deployment	self_hosted
Paid from		2.99 /mo
Application monitoring		Yes
Historical data retention		unlimited
Bandwidth alerts		Yes

Cacti vs GlassWire

Cacti

GlassWire