Currently you can find the following versions of NetSpot available on our website: free NetSpot can be downloaded directly from our website and subsequently upgraded to Home, PRO or Enterprise (macOS and Windows).
There is also Free NetSpot: WiFi Analyzer that can be downloaded exclusively through the Mac App Store and then upgraded to NetSpot PRO or Home through in-app purchases.
NetSpot Home that is available on the Mac App Store has the same functionality as NetSpot Home you can find on our website. Both are limited to personal use, with limitations on the size and scope of the scanning project. Three visualizations (SNR, Signal and SIR) only, limited to 2 zones, 2 snapshots, 50 data points, 6 AP visualized, etc. (please see the chart below for a more visual comparison).
NetSpot PRO on the Mac App Store is similar to NetSpot PRO (available for the upgrade on our website). Both can be used for commercial projects and have greatly expanded capabilities.
Why are the names different in some cases?
In the past there were some significant differences between the versions of NetSpot available on the Mac App Store and on our website. There is only one minor difference now, even though some of the app names have stayed the same. This one difference is that the NetSpot PRO (the Mac App Store version) can measure the speeds only of the WiFi network you’re currently connected to during an active scan session; NetSpot PRO that you can get from the website does it for all networks around you — WiFi networks your device detects that you can potentially connect to. Please see the chart below for easier visual comparison. Click the feature name in the left column to learn more about it.
| Mac App Store | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| NetSpot Free | NetSpot Home | NetSpot PRO | |
| Price | $0 | $49.00 | $179.00 |
| OS | macOS only | macOS only | macOS only |
| Version | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| License Use | Non-commercial | Non-commercial | Commercial |
| Inspector Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Planning Mode | No | No | Yes |
| Survey Mode | No | Yes | Yes |
| Zones Per Project | No | 2 zones | 50 zones |
| Snapshots Per Zone | No | 2 snapshots | 50 snapshots |
| Data Points Per Zone | No | 50 data points | 500 data points |
| Number of Visualizations | No | Only 3 (SNR, Signal, SIR) | 20+ visualizations |
| Maximum Number of APs Visualized | No | Only 6 | Unlimited |
| AP Grouping | No | APs can be grouped by SSID only | 6 grouping options plus custom groups |
| Reports Export | No | No | Advanced customizable reports |
| Active Scanning | No | No | Yes |
| Hidden SSIDs Supported | No | No | Yes |
| Adjust Area Type | No | No | Yes |
| APs management with custom aliases | No | No | Yes |
| Cross-Project Imports | No | No | Yes |
| Website | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NetSpot Free | NetSpot Home | NetSpot PRO | NetSpot Enterprise | |||
| OS | macOS and Windows | macOS and Windows | macOS and Windows | macOS and Windows | ||
| Version | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 | ||
| License Use | Non-commercial | Non-commercial | Commercial | Commercial | ||
| Inspector Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Planning Mode | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Survey Mode | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Zones Per Project | No | 2 zones | 50 zones | unlimited | ||
| Snapshots Per Zone | No | 2 snapshots | 50 snapshots | unlimited | ||
| Data Points Per Zone | No | 50 data points | 500 data points | unlimited | ||
| Number of Visualizations | No | Only 3 (Signal, SNR, SIR) | 20+ visualizations | 20+ visualizations | ||
| Maximum Number of APs Visualized | No | Only 6 | Unlimited | Unlimited | ||
| AP Grouping | No | By SSID Only | 6 grouping options plus custom groups | 6 grouping options plus custom groups | ||
| Reports Export | None | None | Advanced customizable reports | Advanced customizable reports | ||
| Active Scanning | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Hidden SSIDs Supported | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Adjust Area Type | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| APs management with custom aliases | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Cross-Project Imports | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
Is there a benefit to doing surveys on a Mac versus a PC?
NetSpot for macOS and Windows are absolutely the same in terms of their features and performance. There are just a couple of differences that may influence your choice of platform:
- NetSpot cannot measure the noise levels at the moment, however there are some macOS computers that will allow our software to collect this information. Windows API currently doesn’t allow noise measurement at all.
- NetSpot for Windows can work with external dongles and WiFi adapters, while this option is not available on macOS.
Did you know that NetSpot is also available for mobile devices?
NetSpot for Android features Inspector, Survey and Planning modes. With just your mobile device at hand, you can survey the wireless coverage of your office, apartment, or a huge warehouse, virtually plan a new wireless network or adjust your current setup in Planning mode to see how the changes may affect your wireless network. Save the project data with useful notes and create thorough and informative heatmaps in your desktop NetSpot when ready.
Three types of heatmaps can be generated directly on your Android device in Survey mode (available in the paid NetSpot Plus for Android), and two in Planning mode (Signal Level and Signal-to-Interference Ratio), helping you visualize both actual performance and predicted signal behavior in your space.
NetSpot for iOS and iPadOS is quite different from other versions, and with a very basic feature set. It is not a substitute for the desktop versions in its current release. This version offers Survey mode (Wi-Fi heatmaps), Device discovery, Internet speed and Ping test. With just your device at hand, you can collect a broad range of information about the devices currently connected to your wireless network, run ping tests, measure the download and upload speeds, and create WiFi heatmaps based on the gathered data.
Questions? Submit a request.