Wireshark vs Scapy

Wireshark9.4Visit Scapy9.0Visit

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

vs

Scapy #3 in Network Protocol Analyzers 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Scapy

• Wireshark fits best

  Broad, free desktop packet analysis

• Scapy fits best

  Programmable packet crafting and analysis

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Side by side

Feature	Wireshark 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Scapy 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	9.0
Ranking	#1 in Network Protocol Analyzers	#3 in Network Protocol Analyzers
Best for	Broad, free desktop packet analysis	Programmable packet crafting and analysis
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop, Self-hosted
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Community, Docs	Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Wireshark 5/5 · Scapy 5/5
PCAP support	✓	✓
Traffic decryption	✓	✓
CLI tools	✓	✓
Remote capture	✓	✓
Flow analysis	✓	✓
Specs
Deployment	Desktop	Both
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	Build and send custom packets with Python or the interactive shell. Decode protocols and import or export PCAP files. Analyze flows and support remote capture through Wireshark extcap.
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	Its workflow centers on Python and an interactive shell. TLS decryption requires available session secrets. It is a toolkit, not a hosted SaaS service.
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 →	Scapy is an open-source Python program and library for sending, sniffing, dissecting, forging, and analyzing network packets. It is aimed at users who need programmable control over packet construction and inspection rather than a fixed… 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

• Scapy — where it wins

  • Build and send custom packets with Python or the interactive shell.
  • Decode protocols and import or export PCAP files.
  • Analyze flows and support remote capture through Wireshark extcap.

  Where it doesn't

  • Its workflow centers on Python and an interactive shell.
  • TLS decryption requires available session secrets.
  • It is a toolkit, not a hosted SaaS service.

• Wireshark9.4/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit WiresharkFull verdict →
• Scapy9.0/10 · Free plan

  A free, programmable toolkit for crafting, capturing, decoding, and analyzing packets.

  Visit ScapyFull verdict →