5 Wireshark Alternatives for Packet Capture and Network Analysis

Wireshark has long been a go-to tool for performing deep packet analysis and diagnostics. It helps network admins and security professionals analyze network packets to identify network performance issues and potential security threats.

But, Wireshark is not perfect. Users say it has a dated UI, a steep learning curve, cannot run as a service, and sometimes crashes under heavy loads. 

Discover 5 top Wireshark alternatives that address these gaps and keep your network analysis sharp.

Why IT Teams Are Exploring Alternatives to Wireshark in 2025

While Wireshark is a popular tool for packet capture and network analysis, IT teams often seek other tools due to:

• Performance Issues: Some users believe Wireshark can be slow or even crash when analyzing and capturing large amounts of data.

Source: Verified G2 Review

• Missing 24/7 Monitoring: While Wireshark captures packets, it does so only when instructed to. Wireshark does not run like a startup service, which means you cannot use it for 24/7 monitoring.

• Learning Curve: Several verified users on G2 say Wireshark generates a lot of data, which makes it difficult to apply filters. Also, finding a particular packet can be cumbersome, especially for new users.

• Outdated UI: Several users on Capterra say Wireshark has a dated or old-fashioned user interface. 

Top 5 Wireshark Alternatives

Tcpdump

Source: TCPDUMP

Type: Free, open source (BSD-licensed)

Platform: Linux, macOS, BSD (Windows via WinDump)

Interface: Command-line (text only)

Tcpdump is one of the most widely used command-line packet sniffers. It’s included by default on many Unix/Linux systems (or easily installed via packages). 

Like Wireshark, it uses the libpcap library to capture packets, but without any GUI. You run tcpdump in a terminal, optionally apply capture filters (e.g. tcp port 443), and it prints packet headers or hex dumps to the console. 

Tcpdump can save packets to a .pcap file or even feed them to Wireshark later. Here’s a Reddit user talking about how you can use a pcap file for analysis in Wireshark:

Source: Reddit

Because it’s scriptable and lightweight, tcpdump is perfect for remote servers or quick security investigations. Users often run it for quick captures or embedded monitoring, then offload analysis to Wireshark.

Note: While you’re looking at security tools, check out our post on Kaspersky alternatives.

TShark

Source: TShark

Type: Free, open source (Wireshark project)

Platform: Windows, Linux, macOS

Interface: Command-line (no GUI)

Think of TShark as the terminal version of Wireshark. It’s designed to capture and display packets when an interactive user interface isn’t necessary or available.

TShark uses the same capture engine and protocol dissectors as Wireshark, but outputs results to the console or files. 

What makes TShark superior is its ability to run as a service. Just point it at an interface, and it will log packets continuously. This makes it handy for headless setups and threat hunting: for example, you could run TShark as a background task to extract DNS query logs or HTTP sessions for analysis.

Also, it has no problem parsing large .pcap files:

Source: Reddit

If you like Wireshark’s packet filtering and decoding features but need automation, TShark gives you that.

Colasoft Capsa

Source: Colasoft

Type: Commercial (Free “Basic” edition; paid Enterprise edition)

Platform: Microsoft Windows only

Interface: Desktop GUI

Colasoft Capsa is a Windows-only packet capture tool and network analyzer (commercial) with a friendly user interface. It positions itself as an all-in-one network monitoring tool and diagnostic suite. 

This tool can capture live packets just like Wireshark. But it also offers 24×7 continuous monitoring dashboards, alarms (for DDoS attacks, unusual traffic, etc.), and high-level views of traffic on your LAN or WLAN. 

Compared to Wireshark, Capsa’s strengths are its polished UI and advanced features like automated analysis. Because Capsa runs continuously on a Windows probe, it sends instant alerts in case of suspicious traffic patterns (unusual network protocols or volume spikes). Its intuitive dashboard also helps compliance officers quickly report on network health.

Note. If you manage a remote team, review our post on 5 Tips to Maintain Security When Employees Work Remotely.

NetworkMiner

NetworkMiner

Type: Open-source forensic tool (Free edition + Professional paid version)

Platform: Windows (runs on Linux/macOS under Mono, but natively Windows-focused)

Interface: GUI

NetworkMiner is an open-source network forensics tool for Windows and Linux. Instead of focusing on live capture, it specializes in passive analysis of .pcap or packet capture files. 

Source: Reddit

You give NetworkMiner a capture file (or it can sniff live), and it automatically extracts artifacts: files, images, emails, credentials, sessions, DNS queries, etc. 

In comparison to Wireshark, NetworkMiner trades real-time inspection for after-the-fact forensics. It doesn’t have a packet-by-packet GUI view–instead, it parses the capture and summarizes it at the host level. 

It’s also notable that NetworkMiner does passive sniffing–it listens without putting network interfaces into promiscuous mode, making it stealthy for breach forensics and incident response. 

In short, use NetworkMiner when you want to mine a packet dump for intelligence. Use Wireshark when you want to browse packets or troubleshoot a live flow manually.

CloudShark

Source: CloudShark

Type: Commercial SaaS (Cloud service) or on-prem appliance (paid licensing)

Platform: Browser-based Web GUI (works on any OS with a modern browser)

Interface: Web UI

CloudShark is a SaaS product that takes Wireshark to the cloud. It lets you view and analyze packet captures in a web browser. 

It runs Wireshark’s dissection engine on a server. You upload a .pcap and then open your browser to browse packets with the familiar Wireshark UI. 

CloudShark’s selling points are collaboration and accessibility. For example, a packet capture link can be shared with non-technical colleagues to view a specific packet or conversation. 

It also integrates with tools like AWS, GitLab, etc., to embed packet analysis into workflows.

Unlike Wireshark, CloudShark does not require installation. You can access captures from iPads, phones, or locked-down terminals without installing Wireshark.

In short, it’s “Wireshark for any device, anywhere”–perfect for teams needing shared access to trace files or for environments that prohibit desktop installation.

Wireshark Alternatives: Key Feature Comparison

Here’s a tabular comparison of the key features of Wireshark and it’s 5 alternatives for easier decision-making:

Choosing the Right Tool for Your Monitoring Needs

Wireshark remains the gold standard for packet analysis, but no single tool does everything for every environment. The best choice depends on your specific needs:

• If you’re a SOC analyst or threat hunter: Go with NetworkMiner. Its artifact extraction is perfect for diving into breach-era traffic. It will reconstruct files, images, and credentials from your capture so you can focus on the breach story, not raw data.

• If you’re a network administrator (especially on Windows): Use Colasoft Capsa. It provides real-time monitoring with 24/7 dashboards and expert analysis for your LAN/WLAN. Its continuous monitoring can catch anomalies early, and the visual interface helps both beginners and experts spot security or network issues without digging through raw packets.

• If you’re a systems admin managing headless servers or need automation: Use Tcpdump or TShark. These CLI tools run anywhere (including Linux servers and appliances) and are ideal for automated capture or continuous monitoring. 

• If you’re a security operations manager or compliance officer, and need secure collaboration or audit trails: Use CloudShark. It’s built for multi-user environments. Analysts and auditors can review packet captures together in the browser, tag suspicious packets, and rely on built-in logs and access controls. 

Beyond Packet Capture: Securing Your Endpoints

While tools such as Workwize, tcpDump, or TShark help you diagnose network issues, they cannot secure your endpoints. And with 90% of cyberattacks originating at the endpoints, investing in endpoint security is only logical.

That’s when Workwize comes in. In addition to procuring and deploying IT equipment (computers, laptops, peripherals, furniture, etc.) globally, Workwize gives you complete visibility and control over your endpoints.

With this level of visibility and control, you can always ensure every endpoint has the necessary security features (antivirus) installed—boosting endpoint security.

Want to see how Workwize helps HighLevel save $1.4 million every year by streamlining and automating asset lifecycle management? Book a demo now.