NetPulse vs ShadowVPN
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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/
ShadowVPN
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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
Verdict
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
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.
| Parameter | NetPulse | ShadowVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.4 (13 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 13 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | 金琛 张 | Shanghai Tangzixiang Information Technology Co., Ltd |
In-app purchases
NetPulse
- NetToolBox Premium (Quarterly)$2.993 Months
- Yearly Pro$9.991 Year
- Lifetime Pro$29.99
ShadowVPN
No in-app purchases





