Comparison

Surge 5 vs Network Sniffer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Surge 5

This advanced network utility allows developers to intercept, process, and forward network traffic. It offers deep control over connections, including URL redirection, local file mapping, and HTTPS decryption. Ideal for debugging and network analysis.

Highlights
  • Network connection takeover
  • Modify network requests/responses
  • Forward traffic to other proxies
  • Intercept and save network data
  • Decrypt HTTPS traffic
  • Rule-based forwarding
  • Ad blocking by domain
Features
Read full description

Surge is an advanced network toolbox and proxy utility. It is designed for developers and therefore requires professional knowledge to use. These four capabilities form the core workflow of Surge: · Takeover: Take over the network connections sent by the device. Surge supports both proxy service and virtual NIC takeover, capturing HTTP, HTTPS, TCP, and UDP traffic from any app — even those ignoring proxy settings. All features work on the cellular network. · Processing: Modify the requests and responses that have been taken over: URL rewrite, header and body rewrite, local file mapping, custom DNS answers, and JavaScript-based modification. · Forwarding: Forward requests to proxy servers, either globally or driven by a flexible rule system. Policy groups select the best server automatically by latency, availability, or learned connection quality. · Intercept: Record and inspect requests and responses, including headers and bodies, and decrypt HTTPS traffic with MITM. Highlighted Features · Proxy protocols: HTTP/HTTPS, SOCKS5, SOCKS5-TLS, HTTP2 CONNECT, TrustTunnel, Shadowsocks, Snell, Trojan, Hysteria 2, AnyTLS, and SSH, with UDP relay support. · Used as a WireGuard or Tailscale client, converting the L3 VPN into a proxy policy. · Rules based on domain match/suffix/keyword/wildcard, CIDR IP range, GeoIP, ASN, protocol, port, and logical combinations; reusable rule sets hosted locally or remotely. · Policy groups: manual selection, automatic latency testing, fallback, load balancing, and the self-learning Smart group. · Complete DNS suite: DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-HTTP/3, DNS-over-QUIC, DNS-over-TLS, and concurrent queries for the fastest answer. · Local DNS mapping (equivalent to /etc/hosts) with wildcards, aliases, and per-domain DNS servers. Switch your app between production and development environments without changing any code. · Decrypt HTTPS traffic with Man-in-the-Middle and a built-in CA certificate generator. · Record and display HTTP requests and responses with JSON, text, image, and video viewers for the captured body; album mode for the request list; pre-filter for capturing. · Raw L3 packet capture. · Scripting: extend Surge with JavaScript — modify requests and responses, write custom rules, customize DNS answers, and run scheduled tasks. · Block unwanted requests by rules with high-performance pre-matching. · Measure traffic usage and network speed on Wi-Fi, cellular, and proxy connections. · Remote Dashboard: observe and debug traffic in real time from a Mac via Wi-Fi or USB, including cellular traffic. · Surge Ponte: access your home or office network remotely via your own devices, with no third-party service involved. · HTTPS proxy protocol supports client-side TLS certificate validation. · Safari extension to add rules; widgets and Information Panel for quick control. · Sync profiles across devices with iCloud Drive or Dropbox. · Full IPv6 support, TLS 1.3, HTTP/2, and QUIC. · High performance and industrial-grade stability, suitable for intensive use. Surge does not provide any proxy or VPN service; you need to configure your own servers. You may read the online manual for more information: https://nssurge.com/support Terms and Conditions: https://nssurge.com/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://nssurge.com/legal/privacy

About

Network Sniffer

Analyze your device's network activity to understand app behavior. Identify which apps are connecting to the internet, their data usage, and potential privacy risks. Gain control over your network with detailed visual reports and advanced inspection tools.

Highlights
  • Deep network analysis with visual reports
  • Capture HTTP/HTTPS/WebSocket traffic
  • External proxy for custom inspection
  • JavaScript scripting for custom rules
  • Request replay and rewrite
  • Real-time speed and data usage widgets
Features
Read full description

Network Sniffer is an intelligent network activity analyzer that helps you understand what your apps are really doing online. No technical skills required — easily identify: Which apps are secretly connecting to the internet? Are they sending requests frequently in the background? Is your privacy at risk or data being wasted? You're no longer a passive user — you're in control. Core Features (not limited to): 1. Deep Network Analysis: Visual reports showing which apps are connecting, what they are sending, how often, and whether there’s abnormal or wasteful activity. 2. Network Sniffing: Capture HTTP/HTTPS/WebSocket traffic on your iOS device, with full MITM support for encrypted traffic analysis. 3. External Proxy: Route device traffic through an external proxy server, enabling custom inspection, filtering, and debugging of network requests. 4. JavaScript Scripting: Create custom rules and behaviors using JavaScript to enhance and personalize your network inspection. 5. Request Replays: Resend captured requests to test app behavior under various conditions — ideal for debugging and performance testing. 6. Request/Response Rewrite: Modify headers and bodies of requests and responses on the fly, giving you unmatched control over data flows. 7. Client Proxy: Forward requests from other devices on your local network to this device for centralized debugging. 8. Upstream Proxy Support: Forward HTTP requests to a third-party proxy server for advanced testing or network routing scenarios. 9. Widgets & Dynamic Island Support: Monitor upload/download speeds and data usage in real time via homescreen widgets or the iPhone Dynamic Island. Permissions Network Sniffer requires VPN permission to function. This is only used for local traffic capture — no remote servers or proxying involved. Privacy Notice Network Sniffer does not upload any of your data and does not include any proxy, VPN bypass, or "scientific access" functions. Your data stays on your device. If you have any feedback or questions, please feel free to contact us at miaozhi.ai@gmail.com

Screenshots

Surge 54 screens
Network Sniffer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Network Sniffer at 4.6 against Surge 5's 4.1. Network Sniffer also leads on review sentiment (71% vs 52%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Surge 5's advantage is chart position (#5 vs #174) and ratings volume (1K vs 199). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Surge 5 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and Network Sniffer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Network Sniffer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surge 5 has 1K ratings behind it against 199, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Surge 5's written reviews are positive against 71% of Network Sniffer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Surge 5 ships an update monthly, Network Sniffer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Surge 5 versus Network Sniffer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurge 5Network Sniffer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (1K ratings)4.6 (199 ratings) — better
Positive reviews51.7% of reviews71.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1K — better199
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#5 — better#174
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size73 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSurge Networks Inc.CHENGDU MIAOZHI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Customer experience

Surge 5

All ratings1,005 ratings
Positive77.3%
Neutral2.4%
Negative20.3%
Written reviews451 reviews
Positive51.7%
Neutral4.2%
Negative44.1%

Network Sniffer

All ratings188 ratings
Positive88.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative8.5%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive71.1%
Neutral2.6%
Negative26.3%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Surge 5

Subscriptions1
  • Feature Subscription$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Surge Pro$49.99
1 purchases

Network Sniffer

One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$7.99

Questions

Is Surge 5 free?
Surge 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Network Sniffer free?
Network Sniffer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Surge 5 or Network Sniffer?
Network Sniffer is rated higher. Surge 5 averages 4.1 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Network Sniffer averages 4.6 from 199 ratings.
Do Surge 5 or Network Sniffer have ads?
Neither Surge 5 nor Network Sniffer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Surge 5 or Network Sniffer?
Surge 5 ships an update monthly, and Network Sniffer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Surge 5 was updated on November 2, 2026 and Network Sniffer on November 3, 2026.
Which is more popular, Surge 5 or Network Sniffer?
Surge 5 currently peaks at #5 in the App Store charts, and Network Sniffer at #174. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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