# PortKnock vs HE.NET Network Tools

The clearest difference is price: HE.NET Network Tools at Free against PortKnock's $0.99. HE.NET Network Tools also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (70 vs 9). PortKnock's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.0). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

HE.NET Network Tools is free to download; PortKnock costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

PortKnock holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HE.NET Network Tools has 70 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of PortKnock's written reviews are positive against 78% of HE.NET Network Tools's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PortKnock ships an update every 7 months, HE.NET Network Tools every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 9, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PortKnock | HE.NET Network Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portknock/id358353536/reviews)** | [4.0 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/henet-network-tools/id858241710/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **70** |
| Positive reviews | 76.0% of reviews | **77.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 11 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Danny Sung](https://appshunter.io/developer/1555969244) | [Hurricane Electric, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/317969600) |

## What reviewers say

### PortKnock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portknock/id358353536)

This utility allows network administrators to send custom port knock sequences to servers. It requires a port knock daemon on the server and offers features like password protection, knock validation, and host management.

**Highlights:** Password Protection, Knock Validation, Import/Export Hosts, Auto App Launcher, Shows External IP Address, TCP/UDP Configuration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**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 PortKnock free?

PortKnock costs $0.99, 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, PortKnock or HE.NET Network Tools?

PortKnock is rated higher. PortKnock averages 5.0 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while HE.NET Network Tools averages 4.0 from 70 ratings.

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

Neither PortKnock nor HE.NET Network Tools shows ads.

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

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