NETCAP

NETCAP turns live traffic and saved packet captures into structured records for analysis, security research, and forensics. It is best suited to analysts who want to move from capture into investigation; Core is a capable free starting point, while Pro’s single-seat price makes its deeper analysis tools a deliberate purchase.

Overview

NETCAP’s central strength is the bridge between packet capture and structured data. Core covers more than 66 audit record types across protocols such as TCP, UDP, HTTP, TLS, DNS, and DHCP, and can process either live traffic or PCAP files. That breadth makes it relevant to both ongoing monitoring and retrospective investigations, rather than only one capture scenario.

Core is an open-source CLI under GPL-3.0, with community support. A commercial license for proprietary use is also offered on negotiable terms. The main divide is clear: Core supplies capture and export; Pro adds a desktop investigation layer and analysis assistance.

Key features

Core supports distributed collection and HTTP proxy capture, then emits Protocol Buffers, CSV, JSON streams, or Prometheus metrics. The range is useful for teams feeding records into different analysis or monitoring workflows. It also includes a Maltego transformation plugin, giving users a path to bring its output into that environment.

Pro adds interactive graph analysis, an activity timeline, investigation notes, and more than 35 analysis modules. It also lists handoffs or integrations with Wireshark, Metasploit, hashcat, John, and BetterCrack. These additions are most valuable when an analyst needs to correlate activity and maintain investigation context; they are less compelling for someone whose work ends at capture and export.

Pro’s AI features flag anomalies in decoded traffic and draft incident reports that users can edit before exporting. The download page says captures are analyzed locally, without an upload step, which matters for sensitive investigations.

Pricing

Core: free, forever. It includes the open-source CLI, 66+ audit record types, and community support. This is the strongest fit for individuals or teams comfortable with a command-line workflow who need capture and structured output without Pro’s investigation interface.

Pro: $548 a month, with a billed €48/year option also shown. It includes one seat, email support, and a 14-day free trial. The trial requires no credit card, subscriptions can be canceled at any time, and access continues through the billing period. Pro is for an individual analyst who expects to use its investigation and analysis features; the one-seat allowance is a meaningful constraint for collaborative teams.

Enterprise: custom pricing, with unlimited team seats, priority support with an SLA, custom integrations, and volume licensing. It is the relevant tier for organizations needing team-wide access or tailored integrations, but its custom terms make it a separate purchasing conversation rather than a predictable extension of Pro.

Core gives up Pro’s investigation modules, graph and timeline views, AI assistance, and email support. The maker also describes a commercial license for proprietary use, with negotiable terms, so organizations embedding Core in proprietary software should account for that separately.

Platforms

Core provides Linux, macOS, and Windows binaries as well as Docker images; Pro is offered for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Pro’s desktop downloads require macOS 14 or later, Windows 10/11 64-bit, or Debian or Ubuntu amd64. Those requirements are worth checking before choosing the paid tier, particularly on older machines or other Linux distributions.

Who it's for

NETCAP is a good fit for network analysts, security researchers, and forensic practitioners who need to turn live traffic or stored PCAPs into records they can analyze elsewhere. Core is particularly practical when the workflow is command-line driven and the priority is structured output. Pro makes sense when interactive investigation and report drafting justify a one-seat subscription.

It is a weaker match for teams that need several Pro users under a simple per-team price, or for users who only need straightforward packet inspection and do not expect to use NETCAP’s additional analysis layer.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Live capture and PCAP processing in the same tool support both current and retrospective work.
• Pros: More than 66 record types and four output formats give Core useful scope without a paid subscription.
• Pros: Pro’s graph, timeline, notes, and analysis modules add investigation context beyond raw capture.
• Pros: Local Pro analysis avoids an upload step for captures, a useful property for sensitive traffic.
• Cons: Pro is limited to one seat, so teams needing shared access must look at Enterprise.
• Cons: The sharp jump from free Core to a paid Pro subscription is difficult to justify if capture and export are all that is needed.
• Cons: Pro requires relatively recent desktop operating systems and specified Linux builds.

Alternatives

For a broader shortlist, see Network Protocol Analyzers and Network Packet Analyzer Software.

• Scapy is a free, GPLv2 Python-based option for readers who want a free tool that runs on Python 3.7+ across its listed platforms.
• NetworkMiner is a freemium alternative with a free edition and GPLv2 source code written in managed C# on the .NET Framework.
• Kismet is a free and open-source option for readers who prefer a tool with no paid plan or usage limit stated.
• tcpdump is a free BSD-licensed choice for users seeking a capture tool, though capture permission depends on the operating system and configuration.
• TShark is a free option from the Wireshark project, maintained by a nonprofit supported by donations.
• Wireshark is a free alternative for readers looking for its full version without a license fee.
• Zui is free to download and use for readers who want that alternative.
• Arkime is a free, open-source option with no paid-only features or license fees.

Verdict

Choose NETCAP if your work depends on turning live or saved packet data into structured records and you may benefit from Pro’s investigation toolkit. Core is the most persuasive reason to start: it offers substantial protocol coverage and flexible output at no cost. Look elsewhere if you need only basic packet analysis, or if Pro’s one-seat price and desktop requirements do not suit your workflow.