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Cybersecurity · head to head

Salient CompleteView vs Wireshark

Salient CompleteView logo

Salient CompleteView

Cybersecurity

Per-camera licensed video management software with unlimited client workstations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wireshark logo

Wireshark

Cybersecurity

The world's foremost network protocol analyzer

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Wireshark has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Salient CompleteView the third-party integration ecosystem is much smaller than Milestone's, so a specialist analytics, LPR or access control requirement is more likely to need custom integration work.; Wireshark free and open source under the GNU GPL; downloadable without paying any license fee, no commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: Salient CompleteView covers One licence per camera, Wireshark covers Deep packet inspection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Salient CompleteView and Wireshark actually diverge.

Attributes where Salient CompleteView and Wireshark differ
AttributeSalient CompleteViewWireshark
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidDesktop, Cli
FoundedUnknown1998

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

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 Salient CompleteView

  • One licence per camera
  • Open camera support
  • Perpetual or subscription
  • Recording server architecture
  • Video wall
  • Cloud Services
  • Forensic search
  • First responder access

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.

Salient CompleteView

  • A school district where dozens of administrators and resource officers need viewing access without per-seat licencesnot Wireshark
  • A hospital campus consolidating legacy recorders under one recording architecturenot Wireshark
  • A city department needing first responder access to specific cameras during an incidentnot Wireshark
  • An integrator deploying a mid-sized site where an enterprise VMS would be over-engineerednot Wireshark

Wireshark

  • Network Securitynot Salient CompleteView
  • Packet Analysisnot Salient CompleteView
  • Open Sourcenot Salient CompleteView

Where each one falls short

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

Salient CompleteView

  • The third-party integration ecosystem is much smaller than Milestone's, so a specialist analytics, LPR or access control requirement is more likely to need custom integration work.
  • It is Windows server based with a conventional recording architecture, so it carries the server, storage and maintenance burden that cloud-native competitors remove entirely.
  • International presence is limited and the channel is concentrated in North America, so buyers elsewhere face thin support and few experienced integrators.
  • No current pricing is published; distribution list prices circulate but the actual number depends on the integrator, which makes competitive comparison slow.
  • Brand recognition is lower than the market leaders, which matters in public procurement where specifications are sometimes written around a named competitor and a substitution has to be argued.

Wireshark

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Salient CompleteView

On request
  • CompleteView$undefined/one-time
    • One licence per IP camera, sold through distribution
    • No charge or licence for client workstations, unlimited clients
    • Perpetual and subscription licensing both available

Wireshark

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Salient CompleteView if

  • You need one licence per camera.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want open camera support.
Salient CompleteView 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 Salient CompleteView or Wireshark better?
Neither clearly leads. Salient CompleteView starts at On request and Wireshark at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Salient CompleteView or Wireshark?
Wireshark has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Salient CompleteView and Free for Wireshark.
Does Salient CompleteView or Wireshark run on more platforms?
Salient CompleteView runs on Windows, 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. Salient CompleteView starts at On request.
What is Salient CompleteView best used for?
Salient CompleteView is most often used for a school district where dozens of administrators and resource officers need viewing access without per-seat licences, a hospital campus consolidating legacy recorders under one recording architecture, a city department needing first responder access to specific cameras during an incident, an integrator deploying a mid-sized site where an enterprise vms would be over-engineered. Of those, a school district where dozens of administrators and resource officers need viewing access without per-seat licences and a hospital campus consolidating legacy recorders under one recording architecture are not what Wireshark is typically brought in for.
What can Salient CompleteView do that Wireshark cannot?
Salient CompleteView covers One licence per camera, Open camera support, Perpetual or subscription, Recording server architecture. Wireshark covers Deep packet inspection, Live capture, Offline analysis, 3000+ protocol support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Salient CompleteView: Do I pay for client workstations?

No. CompleteView licenses one licence per IP camera with no additional charge or licence for clients and no limit on the number of client workstations.

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
Salient CompleteView: Is licensing perpetual or subscription?

Both are offered. Perpetual suits capital budgets; subscription suits organisations that prefer operating expenditure.

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
Salient CompleteView: Does it have a cloud option?

Yes, Salient Cloud Services, with free registration for an asset dashboard and paid upgrades for remote access, monitoring and first responder connectivity.

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
Salient CompleteView: What version is current?

CompleteView 8.0 is the current release line.

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