NetLimiter vs TripMode (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TripMode grades higher than NetLimiter: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
TripMode grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
NetLimiter
Per-app internet bandwidth limits and monitoring for Windows
Free trial
TripMode
Mac app that blocks background data use on slow or metered networks
Free plan · from $14.99/yr
Which one is for you
Pick NetLimiter if
- Fits if one app keeps eating your connection and you want a hard cap on it
- Works for people who want quotas and history for each app
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use a Mac or Linux machine, as it runs only on Windows
- Skip it if you want a lifetime license: it runs for 1 or 2 years, then goes restricted
- Watch out: no list price could be confirmed because checkout prices load by script
- Watch out: a license covers one computer, virtual machines included
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
| 2.2GPANetLimiterFair | 2.6GPATripModeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo list price could be confirmed: the checkout loads by script and is localised. Licenses run for 1 or 2 years, then the program drops to a restricted mode. | 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 28-day trial. The listing does not say whether it needs a card, and there is no free plan. | CA 7-day trial, then a feature-limited free mode that the listing does not describe. |
| Features | BPer-app limits, live traffic, a connection blocker, quotas, schedules, filters, long-term stats and remote administration. The listing names no gap in the core job. | 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 set limits per app from a list. | BNo store rating is on record, but you install it, pick which apps may connect, and that is it. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only: 7, 10, 11 and later. No Mac, Linux or phone version. | DMac only, macOS 11.0 or later. The Windows version and TripMode 2 are end of life. |
| Best for | capping how much bandwidth each Windows app uses | 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: NetLimiter and TripMode. How we grade
Where they differ
- TripMode can be bought with a one-time purchase.
In commonSite & app blockerReportsSystem monitor
At a glance
| NetLimiter | TripMode | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $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 | 28-day trial period | 7-day free trial, then $14.99 a year unless cancelled |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Locktime Software s.r.o. | Alix SÃ rl |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
NetLimiter
- Windows only; the vendor says it works on Windows 7, 10, 11 and later.
- A license covers one computer, including virtual machines, and runs for a set period of 1 or 2 years.
- When a license period ends the program switches to a restricted mode until the license is renewed.
- Checkout prices load by script and are localized by its payment provider, so no list price could be confirmed.
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
NetLimiter
- Bandwidth limits
- Set a maximum transfer speed for the machine, an application, a user or a single connection, or adjust an entity's bandwidth priority.
- Real-time traffic monitoring
- Shows how much data each application sends and receives, with a live traffic chart and a log of connections allowed or blocked.
- Connection blocker
- Rules block chosen applications from connecting to the internet; an interactive Ask prompt can create a rule as a connection is attempted.
- Quotas and scheduling
- Set data transfer quotas per application or filter that trigger a limit or blocker rule, and schedule when rules switch on and off.
- Filters and long-term stats
- Build filters from application paths, domains, IP ranges and users, and view detailed traffic history stored locally.
- Remote administration
- Control other machines running NetLimiter remotely, and set which users may control or monitor traffic on a machine.
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
NetLimiter
Pricing could not be confirmed. See netlimiter.com.
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, NetLimiter or TripMode?
As of Nov 13, 2026, NetLimiter has no price we could confirm, and TripMode starts at $14.99 per year after a 7-day trial.
Which has a free plan, NetLimiter or TripMode?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only TripMode has a free plan. NetLimiter does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do NetLimiter and TripMode run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only NetLimiter lists a Windows app 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.