# AirPort Utility vs HE.NET Network Tools

The clearest difference is rating: HE.NET Network Tools at 4.0 against AirPort Utility's 3.1. HE.NET Network Tools also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 36%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). AirPort Utility's advantage is ratings volume (2K vs 72) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). 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 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AirPort Utility has 2K ratings behind it against 72, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of AirPort Utility's written reviews are positive against 76% of HE.NET Network Tools's.

AirPort Utility ships an update every 4 months, HE.NET Network Tools every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AirPort Utility | HE.NET Network Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airport-utility/id427276530/reviews) | **[4.0 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/henet-network-tools/id858241710/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | 72 |
| Positive reviews | 36.2% of reviews | **75.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 12 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [Hurricane Electric, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/317969600) |

## What reviewers say

### AirPort Utility

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airport-utility/id427276530)

Manage your Wi-Fi network and Apple AirPort base stations from your iOS device. View network status, connected devices, and configure advanced settings like security, channels, and IPv6. Easily update firmware, change passwords, and access network information.

**Highlights:** Graphical Wi-Fi network overview, View connected Wi-Fi devices, Change network and Wi-Fi settings, Restart or restore base stations, Update base station firmware, View and update passwords, Configure IPv6 settings

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and efficient
- 💡 Useful for managing Apple routers
- 👍 Provides important network information
- 👍 Convenient for configuring settings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and compatibility issues with iOS updates
- 🔒 Limited security and access control features
- 👎 Outdated and lacking new features
- 👎 Difficult to use for advanced configuration

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to detect or connect to routers
- Crashes when entering router password
- Inconsistent behavior across iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Improved user interface and navigation
- More advanced network management tools
- Remote configuration and monitoring capabilities
- Support for non-Apple routers and legacy devices


### 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 AirPort Utility free?

AirPort Utility 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, AirPort Utility or HE.NET Network Tools?

HE.NET Network Tools is rated higher. AirPort Utility averages 3.1 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while HE.NET Network Tools averages 4.0 from 72 ratings.

### Do AirPort Utility or HE.NET Network Tools have ads?

Neither AirPort Utility nor HE.NET Network Tools shows ads.

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

AirPort Utility ships an update every 4 months, and HE.NET Network Tools every 2 months. Most recently, AirPort Utility was updated on November 6, 2026 and HE.NET Network Tools on November 1, 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.*