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Wireshark vs Arkime: catalog facts
Wireshark	Arkime
Free Free and open source. The foundation is funded by sponsors, training and certification.	Free The open-source software is available without a license fee. Hosting, hardware and…
Windows, macOS, Linux	Linux, Self-hosted, Web
Dissectors for hundreds of protocols, so the packet contents are readable rather than hex Display filters that cut a huge capture down to one conversation	Indexes sessions while retaining packet data in PCAP format.
Capturing on most systems needs elevated privileges or a driver such as Npcap The interface assumes you already know roughly what you are looking for	Large captures require substantial storage and careful retention settings.
Downloadable app	Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License: Apache-2.0
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

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