Softwr

Government · head to head

iCompass vs Wireshark

iCompass logo

iCompass

Government

Meeting and Agenda Management

From
$400/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Wireshark logo

Wireshark

Cybersecurity

The world's foremost network protocol analyzer

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Wireshark has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: iCompass iCompass (a Diligent Corporation product for local government agenda management) publishes no pricing on its own site; every call to action is Contact Us or Request a Demo, with no figures anywhere on the page.; Wireshark free and open source under the GNU GPL; downloadable without paying any license fee, no commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: iCompass covers Agenda Creation, Wireshark covers Deep packet inspection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which iCompass and Wireshark actually diverge.

Attributes where iCompass and Wireshark differ
AttributeiCompassWireshark
Starting price$400/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidDesktop, Cli
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded20011998

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in iCompass

  • Agenda Creation
  • Meeting Minutes
  • Document Management
  • Public Meeting Portal
  • Voting Management
  • Microsoft Office
  • Video Streaming
  • Document Storage

Only in Wireshark

  • Deep packet inspection
  • Live capture
  • Offline analysis
  • 3000+ protocol support
  • Rich display filters
  • VoIP analysis
  • Decryption support
  • Scripting with Lua

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

iCompass

  • Citizen Servicesnot Wireshark
  • Records Managementnot Wireshark
  • Public Safetynot Wireshark
  • Civic Engagementnot Wireshark

Wireshark

  • Network Securitynot iCompass
  • Packet Analysisnot iCompass
  • Open Sourcenot iCompass

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

iCompass

  • iCompass (a Diligent Corporation product for local government agenda management) publishes no pricing on its own site; every call to action is Contact Us or Request a Demo, with no figures anywhere on the page.

Wireshark

  • Free and open source under the GNU GPL; downloadable without paying any license fee, no commercial tier

Pricing, plan by plan

iCompass

$400/month
  • Government$400/month
    • Agenda Management
    • Meeting Minutes
    • Public Portal

Wireshark

Free
  • Free & Open SourceFree
    • Full functionality
    • Deep inspection
    • Live capture

Which should you pick?

Choose iCompass if

  • You need agenda creation.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want meeting minutes.
iCompass review

Choose Wireshark if

  • You need deep packet inspection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Desktop, Cli.
  • You also want live capture.
Wireshark review

Questions people ask

Is iCompass or Wireshark better?
Neither clearly leads. iCompass starts at $400/month and Wireshark at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, iCompass or Wireshark?
Wireshark has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $400/month for iCompass and Free for Wireshark.
Does iCompass or Wireshark run on more platforms?
iCompass runs on Web, Ios, Android. Wireshark runs on Desktop, Cli.
Can I use Wireshark for free?
Yes. Wireshark has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. iCompass starts at $400/month.
What is iCompass best used for?
iCompass is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what Wireshark is typically brought in for.
What can iCompass do that Wireshark cannot?
iCompass covers Agenda Creation, Meeting Minutes, Document Management, Public Meeting Portal. Wireshark covers Deep packet inspection, Live capture, Offline analysis, 3000+ protocol support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Wireshark: Is there a cost to download and use Wireshark?

No, Wireshark is completely free. It's distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2, making it "free software" with no demo limitations. The full version is available at no cost.

Source
Wireshark: What support options are available for Wireshark users?

Wireshark offers multiple support channels including mailing lists, an active Discord community, the Ask Wireshark Q&A platform, comprehensive documentation, a user guide, and developer resources for those needing technical assistance.

Source
Wireshark: Are there different pricing tiers or subscription levels?

Wireshark does not offer pricing tiers or subscriptions. There is one free version available to all users regardless of use case, personal, professional, or organizational.

Source
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