Little Snitch vs Untangle NG Firewall
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Little Snitch is a network monitoring and application firewall for macOS made by Objective Development. It intercepts unwanted outgoing connections attempted by apps, installers, and background processes, and lets you decide - on a per-app, per-domain, or per-port basis - whether to allow or deny them. Beyond blocking, Little Snitch visualizes network traffic with interactive charts covering up to 12 months of history, organizes activity by app, domain, or country, and offers built-in DNS encryption (DoH/DoT/DoQ) plus daily-updated blocklists. Rules can be grouped, shared, and automatically switched based on the current Wi-Fi network.
Untangle NG Firewall is a modular next-generation firewall platform that consolidates network security functions like content filtering, intrusion prevention, ransomware protection, and VPN into a single console instead of requiring multiple separate vendor products. Following its acquisition, the product now operates under Arista Networks as part of the Edge Threat Management (ETM) platform, with NG Firewall remaining the core product and a cloud-based ETM Dashboard, including a mobile app, for centralized management. The platform is aimed at organizations that need enterprise-style network security without a large in-house security team, and it is used across education (K-12 and higher ed), government, healthcare, financial services, nonprofits, and hospitality. Special pricing is available for qualifying public institutions, nonprofits, and government organizations, and a free trial and online purchase configurator are offered directly on the site.
- Gives granular, per-app control over outgoing network connections
- Detailed traffic visualization makes it easy to spot unexpected connections
- One-time purchase rather than a recurring subscription
- Built-in DNS encryption and blocklists add extra privacy protection
- Modular design lets organizations pay only for needed security functions
- Discounted pricing available for education, nonprofit, and government buyers
- Cloud dashboard with mobile app simplifies remote management
- Backed by Arista's networking infrastructure following acquisition
- Mac-only, so it does not help users on Windows or Linux
- Constant connection alerts can be overwhelming for less technical users
- Full pricing isn't published up front and requires visiting the order page
- Public list pricing is not shown; requires going through a configurator or sales
- Brand transition (Untangle to Arista Edge Threat Management) can cause naming confusion
- Best suited to organizations comfortable managing their own modular security stack
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataUntangle NG Firewall is a modular, self‑hosted network security suite for SMBs and public‑sector orgs, while Little Snitch is a Mac‑only desktop app that gives granular per‑app outbound traffic control for privacy‑focused individuals.
Key differences
- •Deployment: Untangle is self‑hosted network appliance; Little Snitch runs as a desktop app on macOS only.
- •Target audience: Untangle serves SMBs, schools, government; Little Snitch targets privacy‑conscious Mac users/IT‑savvy individuals.
- •Scope of protection: Untangle bundles firewall, content filtering, IPS, VPN, ransomware protection; Little Snitch only monitors and blocks outbound connections.
- •Pricing model: Untangle requires contact‑based pricing and may involve recurring costs; Little Snitch is a one‑time purchase.
- •Management: Untangle offers a cloud dashboard and mobile app for remote admin; Little Snitch has no central management console.
Pricing & value
Little Snitch is a one‑time paid product; Untangle’s pricing is not disclosed and likely involves sales‑based quotes.
Ease of use / learning curve
Little Snitch installs on a Mac with a UI; Untangle requires self‑hosting, modular configuration, and a configurator.
Features & depth
Untangle provides firewall, content filtering, IPS, VPN, ransomware protection, and centralized cloud dashboard.
Integrations & ecosystem
Untangle integrates with Arista’s Cognitive Unified Edge platform and offers API‑free modular apps; Little Snitch has no integrations.
Scalability
Untangle is designed for SMBs, schools, and government networks; Little Snitch is limited to a single Mac device.
Support
Untangle is backed by Arista’s enterprise support; Little Snitch provides no specified support details.
Security & privacy
Both focus on security: Untangle on network‑level threats, Little Snitch on outbound privacy; each excels in its domain.
Choose Little Snitch if…
Privacy‑focused Mac users or IT‑savvy individuals who want per‑app outbound control without a network‑wide solution.
Choose Untangle NG Firewall if…
SMBs, schools, or government orgs needing comprehensive network security and willing to manage a self‑hosted appliance.
Common questions
What is the cost structure for each product?
Untangle NG Firewall requires contacting sales for pricing; Little Snitch is sold as a one‑time paid license.
Can Little Snitch protect an entire network?
No; Little Snitch runs only on individual macOS devices and controls outbound connections per app.
Does Untangle offer cloud‑based management?
Yes; it provides a cloud dashboard and mobile app for centralized remote management of the firewall.