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Wireshark vs ngrep: catalog facts
Wireshark	ngrep
Free Free and open source. The foundation is funded by sponsors, training and certification.	Free Free open-source software.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, Linux, Command line
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	Grep-style matching on packet payloads Accepts tcpdump-style BPF filters
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	Text output only, with no protocol decoding like Wireshark Capturing traffic usually needs root or administrator rights
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

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