GlassWire review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Windows network monitor and firewall with a traffic time machine
Black Friday: is there a GlassWire sale?
GlassWire report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for seeing which Windows apps talk to the internet
GlassWire graphs which apps your PC talks to, keeps a history and alerts you to new connections, with a free edition and a Premium firewall. The free edition keeps 24 hours of history, and the firewall controls are Premium only.
Who GlassWire is for
- 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
Who GlassWire is not for
- 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
Why GlassWire gets a 2.4
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyPremium is $2.99 a month for one license, billed annually, which lands in the middle of this category. Multi-license prices were not readable.
- CFree plan and trialA free edition with 24 hours of history, 1 day of bandwidth data and 1 remote connection. You will hit these caps.
- CFeaturesActivity 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.
- BEase of useNo store rating is on record, but you install it and the graph starts filling in with nothing to set up.
- BPlatforms and integrationsA Windows PC program plus an Android app, for the remote and alert side. Nothing for Mac.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from GlassWire's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make GlassWire? Put this grade on your site
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/glasswire#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/glasswire.svg" alt="GlassWire: 2.4 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where GlassWire stands among desktop utilities
GlassWire's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 35 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 33.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 172 of 186) and worst on features (C, above 2).
Its paid plans start at $2.99 a month, against a middle price of $2.99 for the category: 18 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. GlassWire’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 186, level with 22
- CFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 186, level with 66
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 186, level with 110
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186, level with 108
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 172 of 186, level with 14
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 desktop utilities. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep GlassWire, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace GlassWire you would be making an engine that recognises new malware as it appears. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 118 of the 186 other desktop utilities grade higher. It costs $35.88 a year.
What you could make
- Reports: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- An engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
- Readings from inside the operating system.
- Blocking that reaches every browser and app and is hard to switch off.
- Apps for Windows and Android that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. GlassWire’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is GlassWire?
GlassWire is a Windows network monitor and personal firewall that graphs which apps your PC talks to, keeps a history of past activity and alerts on new connections or new devices on your network. A free edition covers basic monitoring; Premium adds firewall controls and unlimited history.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
GlassWire pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, GlassWire has a free plan, and paid plans start at $2.99 per month, paid annually (Personal).
- Starts at
- $2.99 per month, paid annually (Personal)
- 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.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Basic network monitoring: 24 hours of network history, current-day alert logs and 1 remote connection. |
| Premium (Personal) | $2.99per 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. |
Read from glasswire.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with GlassWire before you buy.
GlassWire alternatives
- GlassWire vs NetLimiter
Free trial
- GlassWire vs TripMode
Free plan · from $14.99/yr
- GlassWire vs Radio Silence
Free trial · from $9 one-time
- GlassWire vs Process Lasso
Free plan · from $23.97 one-time
Common questions
Does GlassWire have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. GlassWire is listed for Windows and Android.
Does GlassWire have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. GlassWire is listed for Windows and Android.
Is GlassWire open source?
GlassWire is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.