Softwr

Machine Learning · head to head

Orange vs Wireshark

Orange logo

Orange

Machine Learning

Data mining and visualization toolkit

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wireshark logo

Wireshark

Cybersecurity

The world's foremost network protocol analyzer

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Orange orange is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3, so distributing modified or derived software requires releasing the source under the GPL; Wireshark free and open source under the GNU GPL; downloadable without paying any license fee, no commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: Orange covers Visual programming, Wireshark covers Deep packet inspection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Orange and Wireshark actually diverge.

Attributes where Orange and Wireshark differ
AttributeOrangeWireshark
Pricing modelopen-sourcefree
PlatformsLinux, Mac, WindowsDesktop, Cli
CategoryMachine LearningCybersecurity
Founded19961998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Orange

  • Visual programming
  • Data visualization
  • Machine learning
  • Text mining
  • Bioinformatics
  • Python
  • scikit-learn
  • PyQt

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.

Orange

  • Visual programming for data mining and machine learning workflowsnot Wireshark
  • Teaching data science without writing codenot Wireshark
  • Exploratory data visualisation and clustering on tabular datanot Wireshark

Wireshark

  • Network Securitynot Orange
  • Packet Analysisnot Orange
  • Open Sourcenot Orange

Where each one falls short

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

Orange

  • Orange is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3, so distributing modified or derived software requires releasing the source under the GPL
  • The widgets and canvas are built on Qt, which is itself distributed under GPL 3.0
  • Orange add-ons may carry additional licensing requirements set in their own licence files
  • Documentation and website content are under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike, which imposes an attribution and share-alike obligation on reuse
  • The software is distributed without any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose

Wireshark

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Orange

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Visual programming
    • Machine learning
    • Data visualization

Wireshark

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Orange if

  • You need visual programming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want data visualization.
Orange 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 Orange or Wireshark better?
Neither clearly leads. Orange starts at Free and Wireshark at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Orange or Wireshark?
Orange starts at Free and Wireshark at Free.
Does Orange or Wireshark run on more platforms?
Orange runs on Linux, Mac, Windows. Wireshark runs on Desktop, Cli.
Can I use Orange for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Orange best used for?
Orange is most often used for visual programming for data mining and machine learning workflows, teaching data science without writing code, exploratory data visualisation and clustering on tabular data. Of those, visual programming for data mining and machine learning workflows and teaching data science without writing code are not what Wireshark is typically brought in for.
What can Orange do that Wireshark cannot?
Orange covers Visual programming, Data visualization, Machine learning, Text mining. Wireshark covers Deep packet inspection, Live capture, Offline analysis, 3000+ protocol support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Orange: What is the cost of Orange Data Mining?

Orange Data Mining is free open-source software available for Windows, Mac, and other platforms. There are no subscription fees, licensing costs, or paid tiers.

Source
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
Orange: How is Orange Data Mining funded?

Orange Data Mining is supported through optional voluntary donations. The project encourages donations from users who value the software to support bug fixes, new features, educational content, and infrastructure maintenance.

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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