# v_trace vs HE.NET Network Tools

The clearest difference is rating: HE.NET Network Tools at 4.0 against v_trace's 1.5. HE.NET Network Tools also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 37%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

HE.NET Network Tools holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HE.NET Network Tools has 70 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of v_trace's written reviews are positive against 78% of HE.NET Network Tools's.

v_trace ships an update every 5 months, HE.NET Network Tools every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | v_trace | HE.NET Network Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.5 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/v-trace/id335485119/reviews) | **[4.0 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/henet-network-tools/id858241710/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **70** |
| Positive reviews | 36.5% of reviews | **77.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 6 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vlad Alexa](https://appshunter.io/developer/947221329) | [Hurricane Electric, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/317969600) |

## What reviewers say

### v_trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/v-trace/id335485119)

Visualize your network's path to any destination. This tool maps server locations and displays hop latency with color-coded pins. Understand your internet connection's route and performance.

**Highlights:** Visual traceroute, Map display of network hops, Color-coded latency indicators, Target IP address or hostname input, Hop latency determination

**In-app purchases:** none


### HE.NET Network Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/henet-network-tools/id858241710)

A comprehensive suite of network diagnostic tools for professionals. It offers features like ARP/NDP lookup, DNS queries, IP calculations, bandwidth testing, and port scanning. Securely manage two-factor authentication codes and view network routing tables.

**Highlights:** ARP/NDP lookup, DNS lookup, IP Calculator, iperf bandwidth test, Port Scan, SSL/TLS Information, Two-factor authentication code storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎯 Comprehensive network diagnostic tools in one app
- 💰 Completely free with no ads or paywalls
- 🔒 Privacy-friendly and no data collection
- ⚡ Lightweight and efficient performance
- 🛠️ Advanced features like SSL cert chain analysis

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes on Interface Information tool
- 🐛 Dark mode text readability issues
- 🐛 iperf3 tool unreliable and buggy
- 🐛 DNS resolver doesn't show NXDOMAIN responses
- 🐛 App crashes when scrolling tool menu

**Reported bugs**

- Interface Information crashes app immediately
- iperf3 fails with 'operation not permitted' error
- iperf2 crashes on iOS 8+
- DNS lookups not responding after updates
- iperf3 only runs for 1 second despite longer duration settings

**Requested features**

- Vision Pro compatibility and controls
- SRV record lookup in DNS tool
- IPv6 subnet calculator
- WOL (Wake-on-LAN) magic packet support
- MTR (My Traceroute) tool


## Frequently asked questions

### Is v_trace free?

v_trace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HE.NET Network Tools free?

HE.NET Network Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, v_trace or HE.NET Network Tools?

HE.NET Network Tools is rated higher. v_trace averages 1.5 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while HE.NET Network Tools averages 4.0 from 70 ratings.

### Do v_trace or HE.NET Network Tools have ads?

Neither v_trace nor HE.NET Network Tools shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, v_trace or HE.NET Network Tools?

v_trace ships an update every 5 months, and HE.NET Network Tools every 2 months. Most recently, v_trace was updated on October 7, 2026 and HE.NET Network Tools on October 9, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*