ApiCatcher vs Tracer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ApiCatcher
This tool captures and debugs HTTP/HTTPS traffic on your mobile device. It allows you to modify, resend, and analyze requests, generate API documentation, and apply custom rules for flexible customization. All data is stored locally for privacy.
- Capture HTTP/HTTPS traffic
- Modify and resend requests
- Generate API documentation
- Rewrite and script rules
- Export traffic as HAR files
- API scanning and statistics
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ApiCatcher is a user-friendly mobile HTTP/HTTPS/WS/WSS packet capture and debugging tool. ApiCatcher also offers macOS and Windows versions (ApiCatcher Desktop), and the ApiCatcher can sync captured traffic to ApiCatcher Desktop in real time. [Key Features] • Traffic Capture: Capture HTTP, HTTPS, WS, and WSS traffic (WS: WebSocket; WSS: WebSocket over TLS). • Data Manipulation: Copy, export, encrypt, and decrypt Query Params, Headers, and Bodies. • Host Filtering: Configure blacklists and whitelists to filter captured hosts. • Request Replay: Modify and resend requests. • Combo Replay: Schedule and execute multiple requests sequentially based on dependencies, with support for dynamic parameter injection. • Scheduled Replay: Automate and trigger request replays at set intervals. • Auto-Generated API Docs: Automatically generate API documentation and export directly to Postman or Apifox. • Rewrite Rules: Mock responses, redirect requests, modify requests/responses, or drop requests/responses. • Scripting Engine: Extend capabilities with script plugins to flexibly modify requests and responses on the fly. • History Export: Batch export captured traffic as HAR files. • API Scanner: Run rule-based vulnerability/error detection and statistics on captured traffic, with support for custom scanning rules. • Media Export: Batch export images and videos, with automatic merging for segmented download requests. • Real-Time Sync: Stream captured HTTP/HTTPS traffic instantly to ApiCatcher Desktop for advanced analysis and debugging. It also supports syncing to Burp Suite, which requires installing the plugin provided by ApiCatcher on Burp Suite. • DNS mapping/spoofing: Bypass DNS resolution by sending requests for specified domain names to a designated IP address, achieving an effect similar to editing the hosts file on a computer. • Support decoding request/response bodies encoded with the Protobuf protocol, such as gRPC requests. If a .desc descriptor file is provided, field names can also be decoded. [Personalization Settings] • Configurable code highlighting styles with multiple built-in themes, supporting JSON/XML/HTML/JS. • AI assistant mode available: directly capture and analyze packets through AI dialogue. [How It Works] ApiCatcher establishes a local VPN connection on your device to route all network traffic through a local Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) service. As long as the VPN is active, ApiCatcher can capture any HTTP/HTTPS/WS/WSS traffic passing through Wi-Fi or cellular data. [Data Privacy & Security] ApiCatcher's root certificate is a self-signed certificate generated entirely on your own device. All captured HTTP/HTTPS/WS/WSS data is stored locally on your device and is never uploaded to any remote servers. [Description of automatic subscription service] 1.Subscription service: a) Pro Monthly (1 month) b) Pro Yearly (12 months) c) Ultimate Monthly (1 month) d) Ultimate Yearly (12 months) 2.Payment: After the user confirms the purchase and makes payment, it will be credited to the iTunes account 3.Automatic renewal: Apple iTunes account will be charged within 24 hours before the expiration date, and the subscription period will be extended by one subscription period after the successful deduction 4.Close the service: You can close the service by going to "Settings" on your iPhone, entering "iTunes Store and App Store", clicking on "Apple ID", selecting "View Apple ID", entering the "Account Settings" page, clicking on "Subscriptions", and managing automatic subscription services. If you need to cancel, you can close it 24 hours before the end of each billing cycle, and no further charges will be deducted within 24 hours before the expiration date 5.Service Agreement: https://apicatcher.net/en/terms-of-service 6.Privacy Agreement: https://apicatcher.net/en/privacy-policy
Tracer
Monitor all network requests your iPhone makes in real-time, locally on your device. Identify third-party services, inspect request details, and understand where your data is going without it ever leaving your phone.
- Real-time network request monitoring
- Inspect headers, bodies, and timing
- Identify third-party services
- Visualize server locations on a globe
- Local data processing for privacy
- No account required
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Ever wonder what your apps are actually doing? Tracer lets you watch every network request your iPhone makes in real time. See where your data goes, who’s receiving it, and exactly what’s being sent - all without your traffic ever leaving your device. WATCH TRAFFIC LIVE * Every request flies across a live 3D globe * Inspect headers, bodies, timing, status codes, and more * See exactly where each server lives SEE WHO’S REALLY BEHIND AN APP * Instantly identify analytics, ads, payments, crash reporting, AI, and other third-party services * See who’s hosting them: AWS, Google Cloud, Cloudflare, and more PRIVATE BY DESIGN * Everything runs locally on your iPhone * Traffic is never uploaded * Your certificates are generated on-device and never leaves it * No account required BUILT FOR * App-curious who want to learn what apps are built with * Developers debugging APIs * QA teams testing apps on real devices * Privacy nerds who want receipts Setup takes just a few minutes. Install Tracer’s certificate, start a capture, and open any app. Your phone. Your traffic. Your business. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tracer is free to use. Certain features require a paid subscription. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ApiCatcher at 4.8 against Tracer's 4.0. ApiCatcher also leads on ratings volume (8 vs 2) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). Tracer's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 4 days). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. ApiCatcher sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Tracer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
ApiCatcher holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 2 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 94% of ApiCatcher's written reviews are positive against 100% of Tracer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
ApiCatcher ships an update every 4 days, Tracer daily. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ApiCatcher | Tracer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (8 ratings) — better | 4.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 93.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 66 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nanning Signalling Network Technology Co., Ltd | Ryan Kotzebue |
Customer experience
ApiCatcher
Tracer
In-app purchases
ApiCatcher
- Pro Monthly Renewal$4.991 Month
- Ultimate$9.991 Month
- Pro Yearly Renewal$19.991 Year
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- Ultimate$39.991 Year
- Lifetime Pro$39.99
- Lifetime Ultimate$69.99
Tracer
- Pro access$4.997 Days
- Pro access7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Pro access$199.00









