Comparison

mDNSShark vs PocketAdmin

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

Head to head
About

mDNSShark

Explore your local Wi-Fi network with ease. This app discovers printers, media servers, and IoT devices by tapping into network protocols. It offers a simple, private way to understand what's connected and how services communicate, with no external servers or data collection.

Highlights
  • Local network scanning
  • mDNS, DNS-SD, SSDP protocol support
  • Device and service discovery
  • Private and no data collection
  • Open-source development
  • User-friendly interface
Features
Read full description

mDNSShark is an open-source iPhone app that shows what is on your local network. It uses Multicast DNS (mDNS), DNS-SD, and SSDP to find printers, media servers, IoT gadgets, and other services on your Wi-Fi, with no setup. WHAT YOU GET - Device discovery: Bonjour/mDNS, SSDP, and subnet scans, with manufacturer lookups. - Security assessment: flags risky exposed services and checks device manufacturers against CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and the NVD. - Packet capture: see which servers your phone talks to (DNS lookups, IP addresses, ports) and export to pcap for Wireshark. - TLS Inspection (optional subscription): decrypt and read your own device's HTTPS traffic using a certificate you install and trust. PRIVACY Scans and analysis run on your phone. Your device list and scan results are never uploaded; only vendor names are sent to the NVD when you tap Refresh CISA Data. There is no telemetry, no analytics, and no trackers. Two things leave your device, and both are visible to you: while Packet Capture is on, DNS lookups go to the resolver you choose (Google Public DNS by default), and the Refresh CISA Data button you tap yourself downloads CISA's public catalog and asks the NVD about device vendors seen on your network. Discovery needs only local network access; Packet Capture also asks you to allow a VPN configuration. SUBSCRIPTION TLS Inspection Monthly is an auto-renewing monthly subscription. The price and any free trial are shown in the app before you subscribe. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase, or when a free trial ends. The subscription renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel any time in Settings > Apple Account > Subscriptions. Discovery, scans, and the Security tab are free. OPEN SOURCE mDNSShark is built by engineers who like transparent, lightweight tools, and it is open to anyone curious about local networks. Report bugs, suggest features, or contribute code in our public repository: https://github.com/Shapehaven-Innovations/mDNSShark Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://shapehaveninnovations.com/privacy.html

About

PocketAdmin

This comprehensive toolkit provides IT professionals with essential network and system administration tools. It offers features for network visualization, server management, remote access, monitoring, diagnostics, and password management, all accessible from a mobile device.

Highlights
  • Network topology mapping
  • Server power and snapshot management
  • SSH terminal with SFTP
  • Real-time monitoring and alerts
  • Network diagnostic tools
  • Password management with Face ID
  • Team collaboration and sharing
Read full description

The source of truth for every network you run, at work or in your homelab. Save a switch, server or NAS once, with its logins and a photo of the rack, and every tool picks it up: SSH, Pinpoint, Topology, Uptime Watch, Backup Jobs. No more retyping IPs across five apps. Every tool is free, with no account, no ads and no analytics. You pay only to share your sites with a team. Built by a working sysadmin. SEE YOUR NETWORK • Topology: a live map of how your switches connect, drawn from LLDP and CDP • Pinpoint: which switch port an IP, MAC or device is on, even by scanning its label with the camera • Port Map, SNMP and a port sheet that can shut a port, cycle PoE or set a label • LAN Scanner, IP Manager and Subnet Calculator • Syslog & Traps: receive device events live SERVERS & BACKUPS • Hypervisor: Proxmox, vSphere and Nutanix guests: power, snapshots, migrate and clone • Out-of-Band: iDRAC, iLO and other controllers over Redfish or IPMI: power, boot, sensors, event log and fault alerts • Backup Jobs: did last night's backups run? Veeam, Veeam 365, Proxmox, Nutanix, TrueNAS, Synology, Rubrik, Cohesity, Commvault, Unitrends, Acronis and Duplicati • Vulnerabilities: known CVEs for the firmware your gear actually runs • Configs, Hardware Inventory and Bulk Run: one command across every device REMOTE ACCESS • SSH: a real terminal that runs vim, top, htop and tmux, with SFTP, port forwards and a special-keys bar • RDP, VNC, Telnet and a REST client MONITORING • Uptime Watch: HTTP, TCP, ping, DNS and any SNMP value, with alerts, Site Mode and a Live Activity • Expiry Watch: certificates and domains before they lapse • Domain Health: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and DNSSEC DIAGNOSTICS • Ping, Traceroute, Test-NetConnection, nslookup, Port Scanner, Wake-on-LAN • HTTP / TLS Checker, Whois, MAC vendor lookup, SMTP test, Bonjour • DHCP Probe for rogue servers, Path MTU, NTP, and Packet Capture reader • iperf3 and Internet Speed Test WI-FI & FIELD TOOLS • Network Info, Latency and Traffic Monitors, Link Metrics, Bluetooth Scanner, Roaming Forensics • Coverage Map: walk a room and map Wi-Fi with LiDAR • AR Measure for cable runs, QR generator, NFC reader and sound level meter PASSWORDS & FILES • Passwords: logins with one-time codes, Wi-Fi you can join, SSH keys and API tokens, behind Face ID. Imports from Bitwarden • Files: manuals, contracts, photos and clips, filed under the site or device they belong to • Active Directory: search users, unlock accounts and reset passwords, through the open-source PocketAdmin directory backend (or try the built-in demo) TEAMS Share sites, devices, logins, files and monitors with your team. Everything syncs through iCloud, with passwords encrypted end to end. Roles, a shared activity history, and a notification when a teammate changes something. Your personal logins never leave your phone. Creating a team needs the Team subscription, monthly or yearly, and the first month is free. Joining a team someone else made is free. Payment is charged to your Apple ID and renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple ID settings. BUILT FOR THE JOB • Favorites, recent tasks, and hide the tools you don't use • App Lock with Face ID • Shortcuts action to check your monitors • Credentials kept in the iOS Keychain, never in plain text From ping to packets, SSH to subnets, PocketAdmin is your whole IT toolbox in one pocket. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://gdwentertainment.com/pocketadmin/privacy.html

Screenshots

mDNSShark4 screens
PocketAdmin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PocketAdmin at every 5 days against mDNSShark's fortnightly. On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. mDNSShark sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month and PocketAdmin sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for mDNSShark against 5.0 for PocketAdmin. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

mDNSShark ships an update fortnightly, PocketAdmin every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
mDNSShark versus PocketAdmin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermDNSSharkPocketAdmin
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings22
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.217.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShapeHaven Innovations LLCGDW Entertainment, LLC

Customer experience

mDNSShark

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

PocketAdmin

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

mDNSShark

Subscriptions1
  • TLS Inspection Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month
8 purchases

PocketAdmin

Subscriptions8
  • Team 5 Monthly1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Team 15 Monthly1 Month trial$39.991 Month
  • Team 50 Monthly1 Month trial$99.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Team 5 Yearly1 Month trial$159.991 Year
  • Team 100 Monthly1 Month trial$179.991 Month
  • Team 15 Yearly1 Month trial$319.991 Year
  • Team 50 Yearly1 Month trial$799.991 Year
  • Team 100 Yearly1 Month trial$999.991 Year

Questions

Is mDNSShark free?
mDNSShark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PocketAdmin free?
PocketAdmin is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, mDNSShark or PocketAdmin?
mDNSShark and PocketAdmin are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do mDNSShark or PocketAdmin have ads?
Neither mDNSShark nor PocketAdmin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, mDNSShark or PocketAdmin?
mDNSShark ships an update fortnightly, and PocketAdmin every 5 days. Most recently, mDNSShark was updated on October 28, 2026 and PocketAdmin on October 29, 2026.

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