Wireshark vs Ettercap

Wireshark9.4Visit Ettercap8.6Visit

Higher score Wireshark #1 in Network Protocol Analyzers 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Wireshark

vs

Ettercap #7 in Network Protocol Analyzers 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Ettercap

• Wireshark fits best

  Broad, free desktop packet analysis

• Ettercap fits best

  Traffic interception and Wi-Fi decryption

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Side by side

Feature	Wireshark 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Ettercap 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.6
Ranking	#1 in Network Protocol Analyzers	#7 in Network Protocol Analyzers
Best for	Broad, free desktop packet analysis	Traffic interception and Wi-Fi decryption
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Linux, macOS
Support	Community, Docs	Email, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Wireshark 5/5 · Ettercap 5/5
PCAP support	✓	✓
Traffic decryption	✓	✓
CLI tools	✓	✓
Remote capture	✓	✓
Flow analysis	✓	✓
Specs
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Capture sources	Both	Both
Our review
Pros	Live capture and offline analysis support Deep inspection, filtering, decryption, and PCAP support Includes TShark and remote capture over SSH	Free and open source with no commercial pricing tier Supports SSL interception and WEP/WPA Wi-Fi packet decryption Combines live sniffing, PCAP handling, filtering, and plugins
Cons	Desktop deployment may not fit hosted or browser-based workflows Remote capture is provided through SSH Its extensive feature set is focused on technical packet analysis	Desktop deployment limits it to local analyzer workflows Platform support is focused on Linux and macOS Packet modification and interception require authorized security work
Our verdict	Wireshark is an open-source network protocol analyzer for capturing, browsing, filtering, and inspecting network traffic. It is designed for network professionals, security experts, developers, and educators who need to examine live… Read the review →	Ettercap is an open-source network security suite for authorized traffic inspection and man-in-the-middle testing. It is aimed at security professionals and network administrators who need to inspect live traffic, analyze protocols, work… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Wireshark — where it wins

  • Live capture and offline analysis support
  • Deep inspection, filtering, decryption, and PCAP support
  • Includes TShark and remote capture over SSH

  Where it doesn't

  • Desktop deployment may not fit hosted or browser-based workflows
  • Remote capture is provided through SSH
  • Its extensive feature set is focused on technical packet analysis

• Ettercap — where it wins

  • Free and open source with no commercial pricing tier
  • Supports SSL interception and WEP/WPA Wi-Fi packet decryption
  • Combines live sniffing, PCAP handling, filtering, and plugins

  Where it doesn't

  • Desktop deployment limits it to local analyzer workflows
  • Platform support is focused on Linux and macOS
  • Packet modification and interception require authorized security work

• Wireshark9.4/10 · Free plan

  A broad, free desktop analyzer for live captures, PCAP files, filtering, and protocol inspection.

  Visit WiresharkFull verdict →
• Ettercap8.6/10 · Free plan

  A free desktop analyzer for traffic interception, PCAP work, and Wi-Fi decryption.

  Visit EttercapFull verdict →