Little Snitch monitors every app's network connections on macOS and lets you allow or block them in real time. See pricing, features, and pros and cons.
Researched and fact-checked by Bartu Cavusoglu · Updated August 7, 2026
One-time purchase (Single, Multi, or Family license tiers) with a 30-day free trial; Single License listed at €59 on obdev.at, no subscription.
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Last updated
August 7, 2026
Founded
2004
PaidOne-Time PurchaseDesktop AppFree TrialMac
Little Snitch, made by Objective Development, is a network monitor and application firewall for macOS. Rather than only blocking incoming traffic like a traditional firewall, it watches outgoing connections too: whenever an app tries to reach the internet, Little Snitch can alert you and let you decide whether to allow or deny it. Silent Mode lets connections through automatically while logging them for later review, and a 12-month traffic history with an interactive, map-based view shows which apps are talking to which servers around the world.
Rules can be scoped by server, domain, port, or protocol, grouped into local or remotely-subscribed rule groups, and applied to whole application groups (including macOS system processes) rather than one app at a time. Little Snitch can also switch between rule profiles automatically based on which Wi-Fi network you're connected to, encrypt DNS lookups (DoH/DoT/DoQ) via Quad9, and apply curated, daily-updated blocklists to cut off trackers and known-bad domains. A command-line utility is included for scripting and advanced control.
The product has been sold by Objective Development, an Austrian software company founded in 2004, for more than 20 years and is aimed at privacy-conscious Mac users and IT/security professionals who want visibility into and control over their machine's outbound network activity.
Key Features
Connection Alerts — Get notified whenever an app on your Mac tries to establish a network connection, and choose in the moment whether to allow or deny it.
Silent Mode — Automatically allow connections while still logging them, so you can review network activity later without being interrupted by alerts.
Rule-Based Firewall — Create bidirectional rules scoped by server, domain, port, or protocol, grouped into local or remotely-subscribed rule groups and applied to application groups.
Real-Time Network Map & Traffic History — Visualize live and up to 12 months of historical network traffic on an interactive map, with hierarchical views by application, domain, or country.
Automatic Wi-Fi Profiles — Little Snitch automatically switches between rule profiles depending on which Wi-Fi network your Mac is connected to.
Encrypted DNS & Blocklists — Encrypt DNS lookups (DoH, DoT, DoQ) via Quad9 and apply curated, daily-updated blocklists to cut off trackers and known-bad domains.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Granular control over both outgoing and incoming network connections, down to server, domain, port, or protocol
Visual, map-based view of real-time and historical (up to 12 months) network traffic
One-time purchase license — no recurring subscription required
Automatic rule profile switching based on which Wi-Fi network you're connected to
Built-in DNS encryption and curated, daily-updated blocklists to block trackers
Cons
macOS only — there is no version for Windows or Linux desktops
Connection alerts can be frequent right after installation until rules are established, which may overwhelm less technical users
Per-computer/household licensing (Single, Multi, or Family license) means larger teams need to plan licensing carefully rather than using a simple per-seat subscription