# Kestrel LITE vs PacketCircle

Kestrel LITE and PacketCircle are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

Kestrel LITE ships an update every 2 months, PacketCircle every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kestrel LITE | PacketCircle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kestrel-lite/id6756029920/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 2 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tracivex LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1858071600) | [Walter Hofstetter](https://appshunter.io/developer/6795214327) |

## What reviewers say

### Kestrel LITE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kestrel-lite/id6756029920)

Analyze network packet capture files directly on your iPhone or iPad. Inspect packet details, reassemble TCP streams, and view host inventories and DNS queries. This app operates entirely offline and on-device, ensuring your data privacy.

**Highlights:** Packet list with hex+ASCII inspector, TCP stream reassembly, Flow records with bidirectional counts, Host inventory with DNS resolution, Protocol classification, Timeline view of capture activity, Chain-of-custody log

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### PacketCircle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packetcircle/id6795214325)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kestrel LITE free?

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

### Is PacketCircle free?

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

### Do Kestrel LITE or PacketCircle have ads?

Neither Kestrel LITE nor PacketCircle shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kestrel LITE or PacketCircle?

Kestrel LITE ships an update every 2 months, and PacketCircle every 6 weeks. Most recently, Kestrel LITE was updated on October 14, 2026 and PacketCircle on October 4, 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.*