Best Airtool Pi Alternatives in 2026
The top Airtool Pi alternatives are Wireshark, TShark and Malcolm: 15 network packet capture software our editors would look at instead of Airtool Pi, in our ranking order.
Airtool Pi: A focused iOS tool for remote wireless captures through Linux-based sensors. Where it falls short: requires iphone or ipad.
Switching from Airtool Pi? For most network packet capture software buyers the best Airtool Pi alternative is Wireshark, built for broad professional packet analysis.
Why People Look for an Airtool Pi Alternative
- Requires iPhone or iPad
- Requires compatible Linux-based sensor hardware
- Paid product with one listed plan
- No free plan — 8 of the alternatives below have it
- No offline trace analysis — 7 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallWireshark9.4
Broad professional packet analysis
Visit Wireshark - Best free optionWireshark9.4
Has a free plan (Airtool Pi has none)
Visit Wireshark - Best for offline trace analysisMalcolm9.0
Offline trace analysis (Airtool Pi: no)
Visit Malcolm
All 15 Airtool Pi Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
-
Best forBroad professional packet analysis
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.4 vs 6.9
A broad packet analysis toolkit with live capture, deep inspection, filtering, and TShark.
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Wireshark -
Best forAutomation-focused packet analysis
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.1 vs 6.9
A free, open-source CLI analyzer for scripted capture, filtering, and protocol inspection.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit TShark -
Best forFree full-stack network monitoring
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Free plan
- Offline trace analysis
- Command-line capture
A broad, free toolkit for live capture, PCAP analysis, and security-focused traffic investigation.
- Command-line capture
- Offline trace analysis
- Display filters
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Malcolm -
Best forSearchable server-side packet capture
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.8 vs 6.9
A self-hosted choice for searchable sessions, retained PCAP, and server-side packet analysis.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Arkime -
Best forReliable command-line capture
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.6 vs 6.9
Free, open-source capture and analysis for command-line network workflows.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit tcpdump -
Best forTelecom and 5G packet analysis
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 6.9
A telecom-focused analyzer for live, offline, and decoded 4G, 5G, voice, and signaling traffic.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit GL PacketScan -
Best forEnterprise always-on packet recording
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Offline trace analysis
- Editor score 8.4 vs 6.9
Enterprise packet recording with broad deployment options and quote-based pricing.
- Protocol decryption
- Offline trace analysis
- Display filters
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Endace -
Best forLarge-scale high-speed retention
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Offline trace analysis
- Editor score 8.3 vs 6.9
A high-capacity packet capture platform for retrospective network and security analysis.
- Offline trace analysis
- Display filters
- Live capture
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit VIAVI -
Best forCloud packet investigations with detection
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Offline trace analysis
- Editor score 8.2 vs 6.9
Full packet capture and detection for cloud-based network investigations.
- Offline trace analysis
- Display filters
- Live capture
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit PacketWatch -
Best forLong-term forensic packet retention
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Offline trace analysis
- Editor score 8.1 vs 6.9
A forensic packet capture platform built for long-term retention and retrospective investigation.
- Offline trace analysis
- Display filters
- Live capture
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit SentryWire -
Best forHistorical traffic troubleshooting
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Offline trace analysis
- Editor score 8.0 vs 6.9
A continuous packet-capture system for investigating historical network and application behavior.
- Offline trace analysis
- Display filters
- Live capture
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Colasoft -
Best forWindows wireless and voice analysis
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 6.9
A Windows packet analyzer with remote capture, wireless analysis, and voice troubleshooting.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Omnipeek -
Best forWindows capture with built-in diagnosis
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Free plan
- Editor score 7.8 vs 6.9
A Windows-focused analyzer with broad capture and diagnosis features, but costly paid tiers.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Colasoft Capsa -
Best forSimple cross-platform packet monitoring
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Free plan
- Offline trace analysis
- Command-line capture
A free, open-source packet monitor with live capture and offline PCAP analysis.
- Command-line capture
- Offline trace analysis
- Display filters
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Sniffnet -
Best forPCAP forensics and asset discovery
- Better than Airtool Pi:
- Free plan
- Editor score 7.6 vs 6.9
A focused PCAP forensics tool with broad artifact extraction and a free edition.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit NetworkMiner
Airtool Pi Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Airtool Pi?
Wireshark: #1 in our Network Packet Capture Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A broad packet analysis toolkit with live capture, deep inspection, filtering, and TShark.
Is there a free alternative to Airtool Pi?
Yes. Wireshark, TShark, Malcolm, Arkime and tcpdump have a free plan or a free tier (8 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for Airtool Pi alternatives?
Requires iPhone or iPad; Requires compatible Linux-based sensor hardware; Paid product with one listed plan.
How do I switch from Airtool Pi?
Export your data from Airtool Pi (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Airtool Pi.
How to Switch from Airtool Pi
- Export your data from Airtool Pi (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Airtool Pi.
Airtool Pi vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Live capture | Offline trace analysis | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Airtool Pi | No | Yes | No | 6.9 | |
| 1 | Wireshark | Yes | Free | 9.4 | ||
| 2 | TShark | Yes | Free | 9.1 | ||
| 3 | Malcolm | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 4 | Arkime | Yes | Free | 8.8 | ||
| 5 | tcpdump | Yes | Free | 8.6 | ||
| 6 | GL PacketScan | 8.5 | ||||
| 7 | EndaceProbe | Yes | Yes | 8.4 | ||
| 8 | Observer GigaStor | Yes | Yes | 8.3 | ||
| 9 | PacketWatch | No | Yes | Yes | 8.2 | |
| 10 | SentryWire | Yes | Yes | 8.1 | ||
| 11 | nChronos | Yes | Yes | 8.0 | ||
| 12 | Omnipeek | No | 7.9 | |||
| 13 | Colasoft Capsa | Yes | $695 one-time | 7.8 | ||
| 14 | Sniffnet | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | 7.7 |
| 15 | NetworkMiner | Yes | $1,300/user one-time | 7.6 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update