Last Updated: May 2026
Open-source network protocol analyzer for deep packet inspection and forensics. Wireshark currently offers a Free/OSS pricing model. Below is a complete breakdown of all available plans, costs, and what each tier includes.
Free (GNU GPL v2)
Includes
Best for: Network engineers, security analysts, students — everyone
From $299 (third-party)
Includes
Best for: Teams needing formal training and certification
Wireshark is one of the easiest ROI decisions in cybersecurity — it is fully free, has no premium tier, and is the definitive network protocol analyzer used by every professional security practitioner. Network engineers, security analysts, incident responders, and CTF players all rely on it daily. There is no upgrade path because there is no paid version; commercial spending is limited to third-party Wireshark University training and the WCNA certification (around $299). Compared to commercial protocol analyzers like SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor at $1,800+/year, Wireshark delivers superior protocol decoding for 3,000+ protocols at zero cost. The investment is in your time learning the display-filter language — a few hours of practice pays back in every troubleshooting session afterward.
Wireshark itself is free under the GNU GPL v2 license — no discounts apply because there are no costs. Wireshark University training is offered by third parties (Sharkfest, Wireshark University, etc.) with occasional educational discounts on the WCNA certification track. There is no trial because the full product is permanently free. Download from the official Wireshark.org site, where you also get free official documentation, sample captures, and the WCNA study guide.
Yes, Wireshark is completely free and open-source under the GNU GPL v2 license. There are no premium tiers, feature restrictions, or usage caps — the full protocol analyzer is free for everyone.
Wireshark is free for everyone with no plans or tiers. Optional commercial training (Wireshark University) and the WCNA certification cost around $299 from third-party providers.
Wireshark does not offer a trial because the full product is permanently free. Download it from wireshark.org and use it without any time limit or feature restriction.
If you are looking for a no-cost option in the Network Security & Monitoring space, these free or open-source tools are worth evaluating:
Industry-standard network scanner for port scanning, service and OS detection.
Open-source network intrusion detection and prevention system (IDS/IPS) with real-time traffic analysis, packet logging, and rule-based threat detection.
Open-source network analysis framework with powerful scripting for custom detection.