Comparison

NetPulse vs ShadowVPN

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

Head to head
About

NetPulse

A powerful network diagnostic suite for professionals. It offers advanced tools like ping, traceroute, DNS queries, and LAN scanning to troubleshoot and analyze network performance. Features include one-tap audits, visual traceroutes, and detailed history logs.

Highlights
  • One-tap network audits (Ping, TCP, DNS, Traceroute)
  • Visual traceroute with IP geolocation
  • LAN and Port scanning
  • Detailed DNS record querying
  • HTTP request inspection
  • Global service latency testing
  • Professional speed tests
Read full description

NetPulse - The High-Performance Network Diagnostic Suite Designed for network engineers, sysadmins, and developers, NetPulse provides a comprehensive "Swiss Army Knife" for troubleshooting and performance analysis. 【Advanced Diagnostics】 • One-Tap Audit: Run Ping, TCP, DNS, and Traceroute simultaneously to locate bottlenecks instantly. • Pro Ping: High-precision latency testing with customizable packet size and intervals. • Visual Traceroute: Trace paths with per-hop latency and IP geolocation. 【Network & Security Tools】 • LAN Scanner: Discover all devices on your subnet; view IP/MAC and vendor info. • Port Scanner: Batch scan TCP/UDP ports to verify service availability. • DNS Deep-Dive: Query A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, and NS records with custom server support. 【Performance & App Testing】 • HTTP Request Tool: Inspect status codes, headers, and response body metrics. • Service Latency: Real-time access testing for global platforms (GitHub, Netflix, YouTube). • Professional Speed Test: Measure bandwidth, jitter, and packet loss with industry accuracy. 【System & Intelligence】 • IP/MAC Lookup: Instant geolocation and manufacturer OUI data. • History & Analytics: Auto-save test records with detailed filtering and 14-day auto-cleanup. Why Choose NetPulse? • No Bloat: Only 7MB. • Pro UI: Dark Mode & optimized for technical workflows. • Privacy First: No tracking, no ads. This app uses the Apple Standard End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

ShadowVPN

Features
Read full description

ShadowVPN is a minimal, fast, point-to-point VPN client built on the ShadowVPN protocol — a UDP, pre-shared-key, layer-3 tunnel using the shadowsocks AEAD encryption scheme. You bring your own server; ShadowVPN connects to it. Nothing is proxied through us, and there is no account to create. Follow the link to build your own server: https://github.com/madeye/shadowvpn FEATURES • Fast UDP tunnel — a lightweight raw-IP data plane with no SOCKS layer or userland TCP stack overhead. • Strong encryption — shadowsocks AEAD ciphers protect every datagram. • Split tunneling — route only what you need and bypass traffic by country using an on-device GeoIP database. • Multiple profiles — store and switch between several servers. • Traffic obfuscation — optional obfuscation to blend in with ordinary traffic. • On-device only — your keys and configuration never leave your device. • Native & efficient — a SwiftUI app driving Apple's Network Extension, with a compact Rust core for the data plane. ShadowVPN is for users who want a simple, transparent, self-hosted VPN.

Screenshots

NetPulse4 screens
ShadowVPN4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: NetPulse at Free against ShadowVPN's $2.99. ShadowVPN's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

NetPulse is free to download; ShadowVPN costs $2.99 up front. NetPulse sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 3 months. ShadowVPN asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
NetPulse versus ShadowVPN: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNetPulseShadowVPN
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating4.4 (13 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings13 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB2 MB
Age rating4+17+
Developer金琛 张Shanghai Tangzixiang Information Technology Co., Ltd

In-app purchases

3 purchases

NetPulse

Subscriptions2
  • NetToolBox Premium (Quarterly)$2.993 Months
  • Yearly Pro$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$29.99
None

ShadowVPN

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NetPulse free?
NetPulse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ShadowVPN free?
ShadowVPN costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do NetPulse or ShadowVPN have ads?
Neither NetPulse nor ShadowVPN shows ads.

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