The Radio Silence Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Radio Silence in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Radio Silence
The Insider’s Guide
Mac firewall and network monitor that blocks apps from going online
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Radio Silence’s own pages.
Made by Juuso Salonen · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Radio Silence’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Radio Silence’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 35 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade
Radio Silence is a macOS firewall and network monitor. It lists the connections that apps and background processes make in real time and lets you block any app from reaching the internet. The firewall runs in the background after you set it up, so the window does not need to stay open.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Radio Silence, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Install it and block an app with nothing to configure.
- 1
Best for blocking Mac apps from the internet
Radio Silence is a Mac firewall and network monitor that blocks any app from going online.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $9 one-time, for personal use.
- 3
You can try it first
24-hour trial in the downloadable installer, with no feature limits
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 35 of 186
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
It depends on the utility: a converter or a calculator is an afternoon.
Radio Silence at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $9 one-time, for personal use
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 24-hour trial in the downloadable installer, with no feature limits
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Juuso Salonen
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for blocking Mac apps from the internet
Radio Silence is a Mac firewall and network monitor that blocks any app from going online. But the trial is only 24 hours, blocking is per app with no port or address rules on record, and it runs on macOS only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $9 one-time for personal use, far below a year of this category's typical subscription. The Team licence is $49. |
| Free plan and trial | D | The downloadable installer has a 24-hour trial with no feature limits. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee on purchases, which isn't a trial. |
| Features | C | Outbound blocking, a live connection monitor and background-process control. The vendor's pages describe no rules by port or address. |
| Ease of use | B | Install it and block an app with nothing to configure. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Mac only, with version 3.4 needing macOS 10.15 or newer. No other platform. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Radio Silence is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users who want specific apps kept offline
- People who prefer a one-time price over a subscription
- Households or small teams covered by one license
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$9 one-time
To start
Radio Silence is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $9 one-time, for personal use.
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.
Trying it first
24-hour trial in the downloadable installer, with no feature limits
Read from radiosilenceapp.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Mac firewall and network monitor that blocks apps from going online. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, system monitor.
Outbound blocking, a live connection monitor and background-process control.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Radio Silence is made by Juuso Salonen.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
35/186
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Radio Silence'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 value for money (A, above 55 of 186) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 3).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Radio Silence’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 55 of 186
- DFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 186
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 186
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 111 of 186
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Your call
It depends on the utility: a converter or a calculator is an afternoon.
Radio Silence sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. At $9, paid once, it costs less than the weekend it would take to replace, which is the argument for keeping it.
What you could not
- Readings from inside the operating system.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Radio Silence’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
LuLu, NetLimiter, GlassWire and TripMode
The 4 tools Radio Silence is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
LuLu
Free
Free open-source Mac firewall for outgoing connections.
- LuLu has a free plan. Radio Silence does not, though it has a free trial.
- Radio Silence can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- LuLu is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
NetLimiter
Free trial
Per-app internet bandwidth limits and monitoring for Windows.
- Only Radio Silence lists a macOS app.
- Only NetLimiter lists a Windows app.
- Radio Silence can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
GlassWire
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Windows network monitor and firewall with a traffic time machine.
- GlassWire has a free plan. Radio Silence does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Radio Silence lists a macOS app.
- Only GlassWire lists Windows and Android apps.
- 2.6GPA
TripMode
Free plan · from $14.99/yr
Mac app that blocks background data use on slow or metered networks.
- TripMode has a free plan. Radio Silence does not, though it has a free trial.
- TripMode also covers site & app blocker and reports.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Radio Silence free?
No, Radio Silence is a paid product, but you can try it first. 24-hour trial in the downloadable installer, with no feature limits.
How much does Radio Silence cost?
Radio Silence lists 2 plans. Personal: $9 one-time, for a single user.
What platforms does Radio Silence work on?
Radio Silence is available on macOS.
Does Radio Silence have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Radio Silence is listed for macOS.
Does Radio Silence have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Radio Silence is listed for macOS.
Is Radio Silence open source?
Radio Silence is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Who makes Radio Silence?
Radio Silence is made by Juuso Salonen.
What are the alternatives to Radio Silence?
The closest alternatives to Radio Silence in our directory are LuLu, NetLimiter, GlassWire and TripMode.
How does Radio Silence compare with other desktop utilities?
Radio Silence's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 35 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 33.
Could I make my own version of Radio Silence?
It depends on the utility: a converter or a calculator is an afternoon.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Radio Silence’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Radio Silence's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Juuso Salonen. Prices change, so check radiosilenceapp.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Radio Silence, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/radio-silence
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Radio Silence: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/radio-silence
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/radio-silence/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
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- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Mos Insider's GuideFree Mac menu bar utility for smooth mouse wheel scrolling3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Radio Silence’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Radio Silence is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Juuso Salonen. Prices and plans change: check radiosilenceapp.com before you buy.