TripMode review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Mac app that blocks background data use on slow or metered networks
Black Friday: is there a TripMode sale?
TripMode report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for keeping Mac apps off a limited data plan
TripMode blocks Mac apps from the internet unless you allow them, which stops background updates eating a hotspot plan. It is Mac only and sold through the Mac App Store alone, and the listing shows two prices for each plan.
Who TripMode is for
- 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
Who TripMode is not for
- 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
Why TripMode gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for money$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.
- CFree plan and trialA 7-day trial, then a feature-limited free mode that the listing does not describe.
- BFeaturesBlock by default, hotspot detection, live monitor and reports, data limits, profiles and scheduling. The listing names no gap in the core job.
- BEase of useNo store rating is on record, but you install it, pick which apps may connect, and that is it.
- DPlatforms and integrationsMac only, macOS 11.0 or later. The Windows version and TripMode 2 are end of life.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Alix Sàrl'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 TripMode? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/tripmode#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/tripmode.svg" alt="TripMode: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where TripMode stands among desktop utilities
TripMode's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 69 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 46.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 55 of 186) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $1.25 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.99 for the category: 6 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. TripMode’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 55 of 186, level with 131
- CFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 186, level with 66
- BFeaturesAbove 113 of 186, level with 72
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186, level with 108
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 186, level with 110
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 TripMode, or make your own?
Keep it
The plain part of TripMode you could make: reports. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $14.99 a year.
What you could make
- Reports: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Readings from inside the operating system.
- Blocking that reaches every browser and app and is hard to switch off.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. TripMode’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 TripMode?
TripMode is a Mac app that blocks apps from using the internet unless you allow them, which stops background updates and syncs from eating a limited data plan. It adds a live traffic monitor, usage reports, data limits and hotspot detection. It is now sold only through the Mac App Store.
Worth knowing
- 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
- 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.
TripMode pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, TripMode has a free plan, and paid plans start at $14.99 per year after a 7-day trial.
- Starts at
- $14.99 per year after a 7-day trial
- Free plan
- A feature-limited free mode is available on the Mac App Store; the listing does not say which features it leaves out.
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial, then $14.99 a year unless cancelled
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Feature-limited mode of the Mac App Store app. |
| Monthly | $4.99per month; the listing also shows $5.99 under this name | Auto-renewing subscription with full access, including Family Sharing. |
| Yearly | $14.99per year; the listing also shows $17.99 under this name | Auto-renewing subscription after the 7-day trial, with all updates included. |
| Lifetime | $39.99one-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. |
Read from apps.apple.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with TripMode before you buy.
Works with
TripMode alternatives
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- TripMode vs TG Pro
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Common questions
Does TripMode have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. TripMode is listed for macOS.
Does TripMode have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. TripMode is listed for macOS.
Is TripMode open source?
TripMode 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.