There are so many apps with such similar names. What’s the most private and secure app to use?
What platform are you asking for? (Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, etc)
On desktop operating systems I’d generally recommend Wireshark, but I don’t really have a recommendation for mobile operating systems.
Android and iOS.
I’m using this WifiAnalyzer to check signal strength in different places which it does alright and recently saw this for scanning for devices on the network but haven’t evaluated if it’s good or tested it yet.
For android PCAPdroid might also be worth a look, if something more designed for viewing traffic is desired. Though I cannot say I have much experience with PACPdroid personally.
I’d pick one that can show channel congestion, signal strength, and nearby networks without collecting more data than necessary. For basic troubleshooting, that’s usually enough to spot crowded channels and coverage issues. I’d also avoid apps that ask for permissions unrelated to Wi-Fi scanning.
For “who is on my network” on a phone, the things that matter more than the app name are these.
Does it work without an account? Several of the popular ones want a login before they show you your own LAN, and then your device list sits on their server. A scanner has no reason to phone home at all; everything it needs is on the local network.
Which permissions does it ask for? Local network access is the one it needs. Location is often requested only to read the Wi-Fi name (both platforms hide the SSID behind that permission). Contacts, ads, analytics: no.
Know the platform limits before you judge the app. On iOS, apps have not been able to read MAC addresses of other devices since iOS 11, so any iOS scanner is inferring vendor and type from names and open services, not from the hardware address. Android still allows ARP, so results there are more complete. That is not a flaw of one app, it applies to all of them.
For disclosure: I work on a scanner app myself, so weigh that when reading this. I am not naming it here; the criteria above are what I would use to pick one, mine included.
On iOS, third-party apps cannot scan nearby Wi-Fi channels due to API restrictions; they typically only see the network you are currently connected to. Android allows full scanning, so you will get much better data there for congestion and signal mapping. While privacy depends on avoiding cloud accounts, iOS will limit your visibility regardless of the app’s policy.
Wifiman