Comparison

NetProbe vs LANtern

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

Head to head
About

NetProbe

Features
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NetProbe turns your iPhone or iPad into a serious network diagnostics toolkit — the kind of thing IT pros keep on their laptop, now in your pocket. DISCOVER YOUR NETWORK Scan your Wi-Fi to find every device connected to it — routers, laptops, phones, smart TVs, printers, and smart home gear. NetProbe identifies device vendors, MAC addresses, and open ports using standard, sandbox-safe techniques (ARP, mDNS/Bonjour, SSDP). SEE IT MAPPED OUT An interactive network topology map shows how every device connects, with search, filtering, and live status — so you can actually see your network instead of guessing at it. KNOW WHAT'S EXPOSED A plain-English health score flags risky open ports, weak TLS certificates, and other signals before someone else finds them — turning a scan into an actual security checkup. A COMPLETE TOOLKIT • Ping — check connectivity to any host • Traceroute — trace the route to a host, hop by hop • Port Scan — scan common or custom TCP ports • DNS Lookup — A, MX, TXT, CNAME, SRV records • WHOIS Lookup — domain and IP registration info • ASN Lookup — find who announces an IP address • Subnet Calculator — CIDR ranges at a glance • TLS Certificate Inspector — check expiry, chain, and strength • HTTP Header Inspector — see exactly what a server returns • Website Security Check — headers, HSTS, CSP, and TLS in one pass • Wake-on-LAN — wake a sleeping device remotely • LAN Info — your IP, subnet, router, and Wi-Fi details SAVE AND COMPARE Every scan is saved to history automatically, so you can compare two scans and see exactly what changed on your network — a new device, a port that opened, a device that disappeared. WIDGET & SHORTCUTS Add the NetProbe widget to your Home Screen for an at-a-glance network summary, and use Siri Shortcuts to kick off a ping or quick scan hands-free. PRIVATE BY DESIGN NetProbe does not run its own servers and includes no ads, tracking, or analytics. Scan results and history are stored on your device. When iCloud Sync is enabled, history and saved devices sync through your private iCloud account using Apple CloudKit; the NetProbe developer cannot access that private data. You can manage iCloud Sync in Settings. Network discovery scans your connected local network; diagnostic tools contact the host or service you choose. Reports leave the app only when you export or share them. NetProbe is for home users who want to understand their network, and for professionals who want real diagnostics without opening a laptop.

About

LANtern

Features
Read full description

Ever wondered what's actually on your Wi-Fi? LANtern lights it up. Tap Scan and LANtern finds the devices on your network: phones, Macs, TVs, speakers, cameras, smart plugs, and that Raspberry Pi in the closet. For each one it tells you what it is, its address and name, and how it knows. THREE WAYS TO LOOK • Lantern in the Dark: a lantern sweeps a candlelit room and each device flickers to life • Living Mesh: everything branches out from your router • List: search, sort and browse by kind, with a map of every address KNOW WHAT'S WHAT • Names devices by kind, model and maker, using Bonjour, your router's names, open ports, web pages and SSH banners • "How LANtern Knows" shows the evidence behind every guess • Open web dashboards, Pi-hole and Plex in one tap, or copy an SSH command • Remembers each network, keeps the names you give devices, and points out newcomers NO ACCOUNT NEEDED LANtern only looks at your local network. Open it, tap Scan, done. GREAT ON IPAD Keep the scene, the list and a device's details side by side. SCAN FREE, UNLOCK ONCE Scanning and the scenes are free. A one-time purchase reveals every address, hostname and service, and adds accent themes and alternate app icons. No subscription. Good to know: iOS doesn't let apps read other devices' hardware (MAC) addresses, so LANtern shows one only when a device or your router announces it.

Screenshots

NetProbe4 screens
LANtern4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NetProbe at none against LANtern's 1. NetProbe also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support 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. LANtern sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NetProbe asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
NetProbe versus LANtern: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNetProbeLANtern
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicholas BoultsFernando Bunn

In-app purchases

None

NetProbe

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

LANtern

One-time1
  • Unlock LANtern$5.99

Questions

Is NetProbe free?
NetProbe is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LANtern free?
LANtern is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do NetProbe or LANtern have ads?
Neither NetProbe nor LANtern shows ads.

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