GlassWire vs Radio Silence (2026): which should you pick?

Pick GlassWire if

• Fits if you want to see which apps connect out from a Windows PC
• Works for people who want an alert when a new device joins the network

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want to block apps on the free edition, as the firewall needs Premium
• Tight if you want a week of history, since free keeps 24 hours
• Not for you if you use a Mac or Linux machine, as the PC edition is Windows 10 or later
• Watch out: discounts there use codes, and multi-license prices load by script

Pick Radio Silence if

• Fits if you want to stop specific Mac apps from phoning home
• Works for people who want a one-time purchase instead of a subscription

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you use Windows or Linux, as only macOS is covered
• Tight if you want to evaluate it properly: the trial lasts 24 hours
• Too light for you if you want rules by port or address, as only per-app blocking is described
• Watch out: it isn't sold on the Mac App Store, since the vendor says firewalls can't be

GlassWire

• Firewall features such as click-to-block, Ask to Connect and lockdown mode need Premium.
• The vendor lists Windows 10 or later as the requirement for the PC edition; no Mac or Linux version is shown.
• Multi-license prices on the pricing page load by script and were not readable; discounts there use codes.

Radio Silence

• macOS only: version 3.4 needs macOS 10.15 or newer, and older systems use legacy versions.
• Not sold through the Mac App Store; the vendor says firewalls cannot be, because of the system access they need.
• The trial lasts 24 hours, though the vendor adds a 30-day money-back guarantee on purchases.
• Blocking is per app; the vendor's pages describe no rules by port or address.

GlassWire

Network activity graph

Shows which apps and hosts your PC connects to, with usage broken down by app, IP or host and traffic type.

Network time machine

Lets you go back in time to see what a PC was doing while you were away; the free edition keeps 24 hours, Premium keeps unlimited history.

Firewall controls

Ask to Connect, click-to-block, lockdown mode and firewall profiles let you allow or deny each app's connections.

Alerts on changes

Warns when a new app accesses the network, when an unknown device joins your WiFi or when an app changes in a way that could suggest malware.

Data usage limits

Tracks data use on a PC or phone and alerts you before you reach a limit.

Remote monitoring

Monitors other PCs through remote GlassWire connections: 1 on the free edition, unlimited on Premium.

Radio Silence

Outbound app blocking

Build a list of apps that may not reach the internet. The FAQ says the built-in macOS firewall does not stop outbound traffic, while this one does.

Live network monitor

Shows every network connection made by apps and processes as it happens, so a misbehaving app can be found and blocked from the list.

Helpers and background processes

Finds helper apps, invisible background processes, daemons and XPC services that make connections, and blocks child processes of a blocked app.

Runs without the window open

The firewall starts with the Mac and stays active after the window is closed; the interface is only used to change the block list.

Local traffic still allowed

A blocked app cannot reach the network but can still talk to local processes on the same Mac.

GlassWire

• Free$0

  Basic network monitoring: 24 hours of network history, current-day alert logs and 1 remote connection.

• Premium (Personal)$2.99

  per month for 1 license, paid annually

  Adds the click-to-block firewall, Ask to Connect, unlimited history and more; the page also sells 2, 5, 10 and 20 licenses.

Radio Silence

• Personal$9

  one-time, for a single user

  One license for one person; the FAQ says it can be installed on all of that person's Macs.

• Team$49

  one-time, for a whole team

  Covers an entire team with no seat limit. Not a subscription.