LuLu vs TripMode (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, LuLu and TripMode share a 2.6 GPA, both have a free plan, and LuLu has no paid plan to buy, against $1.25 a month when paid by the year for TripMode.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
LuLu grades higher on the free plan. TripMode grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
TripMode
Mac app that blocks background data use on slow or metered networks
Which one is for you
Pick LuLu if
- Fits if you want to see which Mac apps connect to the internet
- Works for people who want a free firewall for outgoing traffic
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want protection for incoming traffic, as it watches outgoing connections only
- Watch out: the maker says some traffic can't be blocked because it bypasses Network Extensions
- Tight if you dislike setup, as install needs several manual approvals in System Settings
- Watch out: macOS 15.3 or later is recommended because of network problems in early macOS 15
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
| 2.6GPALuLuGood | 2.6GPATripModeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source, under 60% of the category's cheaper quarter. | 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 | AFree outright with no cap and no locked features. | CA 7-day trial, then a feature-limited free mode that the listing does not describe. |
| Features | CBlocks and allows outgoing connections with rules, passive mode and block mode. It covers outgoing traffic only, and some traffic is out of its reach. | 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 | CNo rating on record. You approve several things in System Settings, then decide on each new connection. | BNo store rating is on record, but you install it, pick which apps may connect, and that is it. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, and the maker recommends macOS 15.3 or later. No other platforms or integrations. | DMac only, macOS 11.0 or later. The Windows version and TripMode 2 are end of life. |
| Best for | seeing and blocking outgoing connections on a Mac | 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: LuLu and TripMode. How we grade
Price against what you get
LuLu has no paid plan and scores 1.7 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.
TripMode scores higher, and starts $1.25 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 LuLu 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
- LuLu is open source, according to its own site.
- TripMode can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- LuLu also covers malware protection.
- TripMode also covers site & app blocker, reports and system monitor.
At a glance
| LuLu | TripMode | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $14.99 per year after a 7-day trial |
| Free plan | None | 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 | ||
| Made by | Objective-See | Alix SÃ rl |
| Price read from | objective-see.org | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
LuLu
- The maker says some traffic does not pass through Network Extensions, so LuLu cannot block it.
- It recommends macOS 15.3 or later because of networking problems in early macOS 15 releases.
- Installation needs several manual approvals in System Settings.
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
LuLu
- Outbound blocking
- Alerts on and blocks outgoing connections from apps that have no rule yet.
- Rules
- Create allow or block rules, with options to auto-allow Apple programs and installed apps.
- Passive mode
- Runs without alerts, applying existing rules and allowing or denying new connections automatically.
- Block mode
- Blocks all traffic routed through LuLu, except destinations on an allow list.
- Lists
- Allow and block lists in the settings window, alongside rule and update options.
- Network Extension
- Uses Apple's Network Extension framework, which needs manual approval in System Settings.
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
LuLu
LuLu$0
Free and open source; the source is linked from the product page.
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, LuLu or TripMode?
As of Nov 13, 2026, LuLu is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $1.25 a month when paid by the year for TripMode. LuLu is free, and TripMode starts at $14.99 per year after a 7-day trial.
Which has a free plan, LuLu or TripMode?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both LuLu and TripMode have a free plan.
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.