GlassWire vs TripMode (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TripMode grades higher than GlassWire: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
GlassWire grades higher on platforms. TripMode grades higher on value for money and features. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
GlassWire
Windows network monitor and firewall with a traffic time machine
TripMode
Mac app that blocks background data use on slow or metered networks
Which one is for you
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 TripMode if
- Fits if you tether a Mac to a phone and want background apps kept off
- Works for people who travel on a small data allowance
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Windows, as that version is marked end of life
- Skip it if you hold an old license key, since the vendor no longer sells them and the old ones do not work with the App Store version
- Tight if you stay on the free mode, since the listing does not say what it leaves out
- Watch out: the listing shows two prices for Monthly, Yearly and Lifetime without explaining the difference
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAGlassWireFair | 2.6GPATripModeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPremium is $2.99 a month for one license, billed annually, which lands in the middle of this category. Multi-license prices were not readable. | A$14.99 a year, about $1.25 a month, below the cheapest quarter of this category. Lifetime is $39.99, under a year of the middle subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free edition with 24 hours of history, 1 day of bandwidth data and 1 remote connection. You will hit these caps. | CA 7-day trial, then a feature-limited free mode that the listing does not describe. |
| Features | CActivity graph, time machine, firewall, alerts, data limits and remote monitoring. The gap the listing shows: click-to-block, Ask to Connect and lockdown mode are Premium only. | BBlock by default, hotspot detection, live monitor and reports, data limits, profiles and scheduling. The listing names no gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating is on record, but you install it and the graph starts filling in with nothing to set up. | BNo store rating is on record, but you install it, pick which apps may connect, and that is it. |
| Platforms and integrations | BA Windows PC program plus an Android app, for the remote and alert side. Nothing for Mac. | DMac only, macOS 11.0 or later. The Windows version and TripMode 2 are end of life. |
| Best for | seeing which Windows apps talk to the internet | keeping Mac apps off a limited data plan |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: GlassWire and TripMode. How we grade
Price against what you get
GlassWire starts at $2.99 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. TripMode starts at $1.25 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3.
GlassWire scores higher, and starts $1.74 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other desktop utilities on the chart, none scores higher than GlassWire for less, and 6 score higher than TripMode for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- TripMode can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- GlassWire also covers malware protection.
At a glance
| GlassWire | TripMode | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $2.99 per month, paid annually (Personal) | $14.99 per year after a 7-day trial |
| Free plan | Free edition: traffic monitoring and network time machine limited to 24 hours of history, 1 day of bandwidth data and 1 remote connection. | A feature-limited free mode is available on the Mac App Store; the listing does not say which features it leaves out. |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial, then $14.99 a year unless cancelled |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | GlassWire | Alix SÃ rl |
| Price read from | glasswire.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
TripMode
- Mac only; the App Store listing states macOS 11.0 or later. TripMode for Windows and TripMode 2 are marked end of life.
- The vendor no longer sells license keys; purchases go through the Mac App Store, and an old license does not work with that version.
- The App Store listing shows two prices for each of Monthly, Yearly and Lifetime without explaining the difference.
- It is also included in Setapp, which the vendor lists at $9.99 a month for over 240 apps.
Key features
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.
TripMode
- Block by default
- Lists every app requesting internet access and blocks them by default; you choose which apps get through and see each one's data use.
- Hotspot detection
- Remembers networks it was activated on and turns on by itself when you connect to a mobile hotspot or tether an iPhone.
- Live monitor and reports
- Shows real-time traffic per app and reports usage for the last day, week or month, with the servers and domains each app contacted.
- Data limits
- Warns before a limit you set is reached, then blocks all transfers; limits can apply to specific networks such as a hotspot.
- Profiles and scheduler
- Profiles for work, calls, streaming or gaming, with a scheduler to switch TripMode on or off at set times.
- Automation
- Supports AppleScript and Shortcuts for automating when and how it runs.
Plans
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.
TripMode
Free$0
Feature-limited mode of the Mac App Store app.
Monthly$4.99
per month; the listing also shows $5.99 under this name
Auto-renewing subscription with full access, including Family Sharing.
Yearly$14.99
per year; the listing also shows $17.99 under this name
Auto-renewing subscription after the 7-day trial, with all updates included.
Lifetime$39.99
one-time; the listing also shows $49.99 under this name
One-time in-app purchase with full access and unlimited updates, shared through Family Sharing.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, GlassWire or TripMode?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TripMode is cheaper to start with: $1.25 a month when paid by the year, against $2.99 a month for GlassWire. GlassWire starts at $2.99 per month, paid annually (Personal), and TripMode starts at $14.99 per year after a 7-day trial.
Which has a free plan, GlassWire or TripMode?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both GlassWire and TripMode have a free plan.
Which platforms do GlassWire and TripMode run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only GlassWire lists Windows and Android apps and only TripMode lists a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.