Little Snitch is an excellent tool which lets you analyze network connections on macOS and creates a firewall to protect your computer from unauthorized outbound connections. However, Little Snitch is quite expensive and not many users can afford it. So in this article, we bring you the best Little Snitch alternatives which are cheaper and some of them are absolutely free. Be assured, the apps do not compromise on privacy and you also get almost all the popular Little Snitch features. Now having said that, let’s go through the list and find apps similar to Little Snitch.
Note: Looking for firewall apps for Windows? Click on the link to get the list.
Best Little Snitch Alternatives in 2020
We have included 10 best Little Snitch alternatives which are remarkably good and can run on the latest macOS version. Besides, we have also mentioned apps which are completely free and open-source so you can comfortably choose based on your requirement. With that said, let’s not delay further and jump to the list altogether.
1. Radio Silence
We have ranked Radio Silence as our first alternative because it’s much easier to use and costs way less than Little Snitch. Besides that, Radio Silence is packed with almost all the features of Little Snitch in a user-friendly interface. You can inspect your network and create a firewall to protect your MacBook from outbound connections. There is also an option to create custom profiles which once activated, can block a group of apps from accessing the internet.
Apart from that, you can go deep and monitor what processes are trying to establish a connection with online servers. And the best part is, just like Little Snitch, you will receive a notification prompt whenever an app or service tries to make a connection. Thereafter, you can block, inspect or allow the connection without jumping through hoops. To sum up, Radio Silence is among the best Little Snitch alternatives and we recommend it without any reservation.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Inspect and block outbound connections
- Create rules and filter list
- Notification prompt
Cons
- None
Radio Silence: Install (Free trial for 30 days, one-time purchase of $9)
2. Lulu
Lulu is not only a Little Snitch alternative but one of the best firewall apps for macOS. It’s an open-source app and completely free without any limitations on outbound or inbound connections. Surprisingly, unlike other open-source apps, Lulu looks absolutely great with a beautiful user-friendly design and customizable interface. You can easily find apps which are making outgoing connections and block them straight away with a single click. Also, the distinct part about Lulu is that it comes in pre-blocking mode by default. Which essentially means that the moment you install Lulu, it will start blocking apps from accessing the internet. Only when you grant permission, apps will be able to establish a connection. Simply put, if you are looking for a free Little Snitch alternative, there is no app better than Lulu.
Pros
- Free and open source
- Easy to use
- Inspect and block outbound connections
- Create rules and filter list
- Notification prompt
Cons
- Not as intuitive as some of the other Little Snitch replacements on this list
Lulu: Install (Free)
3. Murus
Murus is our next alternative to Little Snitch because it offers a free network analyzer and firewall with its Lite version. It is based on macOS’ native Packet Filtering protocol which lets you monitor network connections in real-time. However, bear in mind, the free version only allows you to monitor and filter the inbound connections. If you want to protect your MacBook from outbound connections as well, you can go with the paid Murus Basic or Pro version. In any case, both the premium versions are cheaper than Little Snitch so that should be good.
Apart from that, you can create presets of apps and services to block internet access. There are also options for advanced filtering and port management which you can use if you are an advanced user. All in all, if you are looking for an which is similar to Little Snitch but free, then Murus Lite can be a good choice.
Pros
- Offers a free version called Murus Lite
- Inspect and block outbound connections
- Advanced Features
- Create rules and filter list
- Notification prompt
Cons
- Interface can be overwhelming
Murus: Install – Lite (Free), Basic ($10), Pro ($35)
4. Vallum
Vallum is one of the best-designed apps for monitoring network connection on macOS. It surely looks much better and refined than Little Snitch. With Vallum, you can intercept outbound connections and block apps from accessing the internet. You can also create custom app list and pre-defined rules which will govern the internet connectivity as you have set up. The best part is that there is drag and drop support which you can use to allow or block apps seamlessly. Apart from that, you can block outbound connections based on geo-location, pre-defined schedules and more. To conclude, Vallum is one of the most advanced firewall apps for macOS and you can surely use it as a Little Snitch replacement.
Pros
- Beautiful user interface
- Easy to use
- Inspect and block outbound connections
- Create rules and filter list
- Advanced features
- Notification prompt
Cons
- Can be overwhelming for beginners
Vallum: Install (Free trial for 30 days, one-time purchase of $15)
5. Hands Off
Hands Off easily ranks among the best Little Snitch alternatives because it has both advanced features and user-friendly interface. The app allows you to protect your privacy by enabling the sniffing mode which blocks all the applications and services from accessing any remote server. Whenever an app tries to establish a connection, you get a notification alert whether to allow or block the connection altogether. What I like about Hands Off is that it does not feel too advanced, unlike Little Snitch which can be overwhelming on the face for normal users. You can easily breeze through the advanced settings and create your own set of rules and app exclusion list. To sum up, Hands Off is definitely a strong contender if you are looking to replace Little Snitch. The app is pretty simple and easy to use.
Pros
- Powerful network monitoring app
- Easy to use
- Inspect and block outbound connections
- Create rules and filter list
- Notification prompt
Cons
- Expensive (Costs even more that Little Snitch)
Hands Off: Install (Free, one-time purchase of $49.99)
6. Netiquette
Netiquette is a latest network monitoring tool created by Objective-See team who have developed another app in this list, Lulu. It’s still in beta, but the app surprisingly works great. Similar to Lulu, it’s completely free and open-source so that’s awesome. But Netiquette’s simple and intuitive design makes it distinct from Lulu and Little Snitch. With Netiquette, you can view outbound network connections, block them and also export network log for further research. As of now, it does not have custom rules and app list features. However, we can expect with further release Netiquette will gain these features. I would say Netiquette is the most clean and simple network monitor you can get on macOS. To bare it all, if you want a Little Snitch alternative which is being actively developed right now, Netiquette is the best app to opt for.
Pros
- Free and open source
- Easy to use
- Actively developed
- Inspect and block outbound connections
Cons
- Can’t create rules and filter list
- Does not have notification prompt
- In beta; can have bugs
Netiquette: Install (Free)
7. TCPBlock
TCPBlock is another popular app like Little Snitch which acts like both a network monitor and a firewall. While the app is not the best in terms of user experience, it surely works and you can use it to block outbound connections. There is also a network log feature where you can find all the details of apps which have established internet connection in the past. Besides that, the app is pretty lightweight and does not hog your computer resources. And just like Little Snitch, you can create a custom list of apps and services which can access the internet so that is great. Do note that it does not work on Mojave so you can use it on older versions of macOS. To sum up, if you are looking for a Little Snitch alternative, but with less advanced features then TCPBlock can be a great pick.
Pros
- Simple network analyzer and firewall app
- Inspect and block outbound connections
- Create rules and filter list
Cons
- Not user-friendly
- Does not work with Mojave
TCPBlock: Install (Free)
8. Loading
Loading is a unique app in this list which is not a complete firewall app and does not have as many features as Little Snitch. The app sits on the menu bar and shows a loading sign whenever any app tries to create a connection in the background. From the menu bar, you can find the app and disable the data transmission then and there. It’s a straightforward app which does not offer custom rules, apps or anything advanced, but on the usability front, it wins squarely. So if you are looking for the most simple app which lets you block outbound connections without any bells and whistles of Little Snitch then Loading is your best pick.
Pros
- Lightweight firewall app
- Sits on the menu bar; easily accessible
- Block outbound connections
Cons
- Does not have advanced features
Loading: Install (Free)
9. IceFloor
IceFloor is a network monitoring app which is also free and open-source. It is built on macOS’ Packet Filtering(PF) technology so you can easily allow or block outbound connections with this app. There is also an option to create configurations files which will let you customize rules, apps, and services against internet access on your MacBook. The only downside is that the interface is not that user-friendly and you will have to go through the user manual to set it up. Also, keep in mind, IceFloor does not work properly on the latest version of macOS, Mojave. So, if you are using High Sierra or Sierra on MacBook, IceFloor is a great Little Snitch alternative which is free and works for the most part.
Pros
- Free and open-source
- For High Sierra or Sierra
- Inspect and block outbound connections
- Create rules and filter list
Cons
- Not user-friendly
- Does not work with Mojave
- No notification prompt
IceFloor: Install (Free)
10. Private Eye
Private Eye is a pretty old firewall app which is only compatible with macOS 10.7 and 10.8. So if you are using older builds of macOS, Private Eye can be a good alternative to Little Snitch. I say that because it works pretty well and without fail on older macOS versions. You have all the standard features of Little Snitch like inbound and outbound logging, apps filtering and ability to create custom rules. Also, the app is not packed with advanced features so don’t worry, you won’t be overwhelmed by endless settings. To conclude, if you want a lightweight app which can block apps from accessing the internet, Private Eye can be a decent choice.
Pros
- Pretty old app; best for older macOS versions
- Inspect and block outbound connections
- Create rules and filter list
Cons
- Not user-friendly
- Does not work with Mojave
- No notification prompt
Private Eye: Install (Free)
Protect Your Privacy with the Best Apps Like Little Snitch
So that was our list of 10 best Little Snitch alternatives which work absolutely great and offer hosts of advanced features. We have made sure to include apps which are easy to use and does not overwhelm the user with endless features. However, there are some apps which are packed with advanced features and can be helpful if you are proficient in network analysis. So that is all from our side. If you liked our selection of apps, comment down below and let us know.
Comments
7
Be careful: Lulu destroyed my system … had to erase the main drive and reinstall .. three days lost … same happenned to many, I learned afterwards, looking forsolutions
Regarding the recommendation by “abc” to configure the Mac firewall to “block all incoming connections,” if you do that it will cause problems with every app that relies on incoming network connections. And that can be a lot of apps if you like to use third-party apps, like many of us do. In many, if not most cases, it may prevent apps from performing essential functions, such as auto-updating software when that feature is enabled.
In my experience there seem to be many Mac users who assume that the built-in security protections are sufficient protection against all threats. Unfortunately, that is not the case. . . In fact, there have been recent Zero-Day threats that Apple confirmed are in the wild that the Mac firewall and other built-in protocols could not defend against. These vulnerabilities were subsequently patched during Mac OS and iOS updates but it was some time after the threats were already circulating on the Internet. In at least two of the most recent instances the utility Lulu was capable of identifying the attacks and alerting the user before any harm would occur.
Network connection utilities are an effective defense against certain kinds of threats that the Mac security system is not designed to address. Multi-layer security that includes certain third-party utilities provide the best protection against the evolving range of security threats we all face today.
I add Radio Silence work on M1
Just use built-in firewall of Mac.
1. Turn On Firewall then click on ‘Firewall Options’
2. Enable ‘Block all incoming connections’
3. Enable ‘Enable stealth mode’
4. Click on ‘Advanced’ and Enable ‘Required an administrator password to access system-wide preferences’
5. Use ‘FileVault’ and ‘Time Machine Backup’
This is good enough for system and data security, if you’re a good boy.
Lightweight firewall app. I like it very much
Little Snitch; it alerts you of outgoing connections and asks you confirm every connection your apps are trying to make.
Any helpful suggestions to make on the list of alternatives to Little Snitch? Feel free to write a comment!