PCAPdroid review
A capable open-source Android traffic analyzer with capture, filtering, and export tools.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
PCAPdroid is an open-source Android application for monitoring, analyzing, and blocking network connections made by device apps. It captures traffic without root through Android’s VpnService, processes data locally, and supports both user and system app connections. Its audience includes Android users, privacy analysts, application troubleshooters, reverse engineers, and anyone who needs device-level packet captures without rooting the phone.
The product’s strongest area is the depth of its Android traffic workflow. Connections can be filtered by IP address, host, protocol, app name, UID, and status, while HTTP requests and replies can be inspected and exported to HAR. PCAPdroid also supports HTTPS/TLS decryption and can export decrypted capture data. PCAP and Pcapng export provides a direct path into Wireshark, making the app useful when Android traffic needs deeper desktop analysis. Firewall rules can block apps, domains, or IP addresses, and third-party blacklists can help detect malicious connections.
PCAPdroid is distributed through Google Play, F-Droid, and GitHub builds, with API access and Android command-line control through adb for automated or developer-oriented workflows. The published offering is freemium with a free plan, while paid features are also available. Its main limitation is platform scope: Android is the primary supported platform, so it is not a general-purpose packet capture tool for desktops, servers, or other mobile operating systems. Choose PCAPdroid for Android-focused capture, inspection, filtering, and export; choose another product when broad multi-platform coverage is the priority.
PCAPdroid pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Captures Android traffic without root through Android VpnService
- Exports PCAP and Pcapng files for Wireshark analysis
- Combines app-aware filtering, TLS decryption, and firewall rules
- Where it doesn't
- Its primary supported platform is Android
- Paid features are available, but their prices are not published
- Advanced analysis depends on Android-specific workflows and controls
PCAPdroid fact sheet, pricing and score →
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