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Traceroute for Linux vs mtr: catalog facts
Traceroute for Linux	mtr
Free Free to download and already packaged by most Linux distributions.	Free Free and open source under the GPL.
Linux, Command line	macOS, Linux, Command line
Default traceroute in most major Linux distributions Compatible with the original Van Jacobson traceroute	Per-hop loss and latency over time, instead of a single traceroute snapshot Report mode produces output that is easy to paste into a support ticket
Linux only by design Command-line output with no graphical view	Intermediate routers deprioritise ICMP, so middle hops often show misleading loss Needs elevated privileges for raw sockets on most systems
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-2.0
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.