NetGlobe vs GlassWire
Both put your network activity on screen, but they emphasize different things. GlassWire is a well-known Windows (and Android) network monitor — it tracks data usage, charts bandwidth history, and includes firewall controls. NetGlobe is network intelligence and diagnostics — it geolocates, inspects, and threat-checks every connection in real time, and it runs natively on macOS too. Here's an honest, feature-by-feature comparison.
The short version
If your goal is to track how much data your apps use, watch bandwidth over time, and toggle a built-in firewall on Windows or Android, GlassWire is purpose-built for that and does it well.
If you want to see and understand what your machine is connecting to — geolocated on a live map and 3D globe, with WHOIS/RDAP, TLS inspection, process trust scoring, threat-intel feeds, and a full diagnostics toolkit — on Windows or Mac, then NetGlobe is built for that — a one-time $18.99 on either platform.
Different emphases. On Windows, some people run both.
Feature-by-feature.
Where the two tools overlap, and where they don't.
| NetGlobe | GlassWire | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Real-time network intelligence & diagnostics | Network monitor — data-usage tracking + firewall |
| Platforms | Windows 10/11 and macOS 11+ (Apple Silicon & Intel) | Windows and Android — no native Mac app |
| Blocks / denies connections | No — visibility, not enforcement | Yes — includes firewall controls |
| Long-term data-usage history & per-app bandwidth | No — focused on the live picture, not usage accounting | Yes — a core strength |
| Live geolocated world map + 3D globe | Yes — 2D map and cinematic 3D globe | Connection list & graphs; limited geolocation |
| Per-endpoint intel (WHOIS / RDAP, TLS cert, reverse DNS) | Yes — one-click Endpoint Focus panel | Basic host / app details |
| Process trust scoring (code-signing, parent process, file age) | Yes — 0–100 score with reasons | New-app alerts, not scored |
| Threat-intel feeds (FireHOL, Spamhaus DROP/EDROP, ThreatFox, Tor) | Yes — built in, configurable | Not a focus |
| Diagnostics (traceroute, MTR, iperf3, speed test, port scan, path MTU) | Yes — full toolkit built in | No |
| Internet-health context (BGP instability, IODA / IHR) | Yes | No |
| Native macOS app | Yes — Apple Silicon & Intel | No — Windows / Android only |
| Runs locally · no account · no telemetry | Yes | Local monitoring; accounts/plans vary — check vendor |
| Price | $18.99 one-time · Windows & Mac | Free tier + paid plans — check vendor |
Comparison reflects each product's primary design goal. GlassWire's feature set is drawn from its public materials and can change; check the vendor's site for the latest details, plans, and pricing.
Choose GlassWire if…
- You want to track data usage and see per-app bandwidth history over days, weeks, and months.
- You're on Windows or Android and want a built-in firewall with new-app alerts.
- You're budgeting a metered or capped connection and want usage alerts.
Choose NetGlobe if…
- You want to see and understand every connection — geolocation, owner, TLS, trust score, threat-intel matches.
- You're on a Mac, or you run both Windows and Mac and want one tool on each.
- You want traceroute, MTR, iperf3, and a speed test built into the same window.
Measuring usage vs. understanding connections.
GlassWire is best understood as a usage and firewall tool. It answers questions like "how much data did this app use this month?" and "has something new started talking to the network?" — then lets you block it. Its data-usage history and per-app bandwidth charts are genuinely useful, especially on metered or capped connections, and its firewall gives you a simple on/off control per app. If those are the jobs you're hiring for, GlassWire is a strong pick.
NetGlobe answers a different question: "what is this connection, and should I be worried?" Click any line on the live map or globe and NetGlobe pivots to that endpoint — the process behind it and its 0–100 trust score, the network owner via WHOIS/RDAP, the TLS certificate, reverse DNS, path MTU, a live MTR trace, and any hits across FireHOL, Spamhaus DROP/EDROP, ThreatFox, or the Tor exit list. It's a lens for what and who, not a meter for how much.
There's also a hard platform line. GlassWire targets Windows and Android; NetGlobe runs natively on both Windows 10/11 and macOS 11+ (Apple Silicon and Intel). And where GlassWire sits in the path of traffic to enforce rules, NetGlobe deliberately does not block or throttle anything — it's visibility and diagnostics, so it won't fight your firewall or your VPN. That's exactly why, on Windows, the two can sit side by side: let GlassWire track and gate, and let NetGlobe explain, then hand you traceroute, iperf3, and a speed test to chase down anything that looks off — without leaving the app.
"Is there a GlassWire for Mac?"
It's one of the most common searches around GlassWire, and the honest answer is no — GlassWire is a Windows and Android product and doesn't ship a native macOS app. macOS has its own built-in application firewall, and there are Mac-only monitors, but if what you actually want is to see what your Mac is talking to — geolocated, with the network owner, TLS details, a process trust score, and threat-intel context — NetGlobe runs natively on macOS 11 and later and gives you that. You get the same live map and globe, the same Endpoint Focus panel, and the same built-in diagnostics you'd get on Windows. NetGlobe won't track your monthly data budget or block connections the way GlassWire does — but for most people asking for a "GlassWire for Mac," deep visibility is the thing they're really after.
NetGlobe vs GlassWire — FAQ
Is NetGlobe a firewall like GlassWire?
No. GlassWire includes firewall controls and alerts alongside its network monitoring. NetGlobe is a visibility and diagnostics tool: it shows you every connection your machine makes, geolocated and analyzed in real time, but it does not block traffic. Plenty of people run a firewall for enforcement and NetGlobe for understanding what those connections actually are.
Is there a GlassWire for Mac?
GlassWire is a Windows and Android product; it does not have a native macOS app. If you're on a Mac and want to see and understand every connection your machine makes, NetGlobe runs natively on macOS 11 and later — Apple Silicon and Intel — as well as on Windows 10 and 11, with the same geolocation, threat intel, and diagnostics on each.
Does NetGlobe track long-term data usage like GlassWire?
Not in the same way. Tracking how much data each app uses over days, weeks, and months, and charting bandwidth history, is one of GlassWire's core strengths. NetGlobe focuses on the live picture — what is connecting right now, where it goes, who owns it, and whether it's risky — rather than long-term usage accounting. If monthly data budgeting is your main goal, GlassWire is the better fit.
How much does NetGlobe cost compared to GlassWire?
NetGlobe is a one-time $18.99 purchase on both platforms — on the Microsoft Store for Windows and as a direct download for Mac, with no subscription and no account. GlassWire offers a free tier and paid plans; check the vendor's site for its current pricing and what each plan includes.
Can I use NetGlobe and GlassWire together?
Yes. On Windows they don't conflict and they complement each other well. Let GlassWire track your data usage and enforce firewall rules; use NetGlobe to explain what each connection is — geolocation, network owner via WHOIS/RDAP, TLS certificate, process trust score, threat-intel matches, and route diagnostics like traceroute and MTR.
GlassWire is a trademark of its respective owner. NetGlobe and Van Dien io are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by them. This comparison is provided for informational purposes; product details, features, and pricing can change — verify current specifics on each vendor's site.
Related comparisons
See — and understand — every connection.
A one-time $18.99 — on the Microsoft Store for Windows, or a direct download for Mac.
No account. Runs entirely on your device. See the full feature list or the FAQ.