Cybersecurity · head to head
Splunk Enterprise Security vs Wireshark
Splunk Enterprise Security
Cybersecurity
The platform for operational intelligence
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Wireshark
Cybersecurity
The world's foremost network protocol analyzer
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Wireshark has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Splunk Enterprise Security splunk Enterprise Security is licensed separately from the Splunk platform, so a SIEM deployment needs both; Wireshark free and open source under the GNU GPL; downloadable without paying any license fee, no commercial tier
- They diverge on capability: Splunk Enterprise Security covers Security monitoring, Wireshark covers Deep packet inspection.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Splunk Enterprise Security and Wireshark actually diverge.
| Attribute | Splunk Enterprise Security | Wireshark |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Desktop, Cli |
| Founded | 2003 | 1998 |
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 Splunk Enterprise Security
- Security monitoring
- Incident review
- Risk-based alerting
- Threat intelligence
- Investigation workbench
- MITRE ATT&CK mapping
- Automated response
- Compliance reporting
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.
Splunk Enterprise Security
- Running a security operations centre on Splunk indexed log datanot Wireshark
- Correlation searches, risk based alerting and incident investigationnot Wireshark
- Compliance reporting from pooled security telemetrynot Wireshark
Wireshark
- Network Securitynot Splunk Enterprise Security
- Packet Analysisnot Splunk Enterprise Security
- Open Sourcenot Splunk Enterprise Security
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Splunk Enterprise Security
- Splunk Enterprise Security is licensed separately from the Splunk platform, so a SIEM deployment needs both
- Splunk publishes no rate for Enterprise Security and directs buyers to contact a pricing expert
- UEBA, SOAR and automated threat analysis require the Premier edition rather than Essentials
- The platform underneath can be billed by ingest volume, workload or activity, so the total cost depends on a pricing model chosen at contract time rather than a list price
Wireshark
- Free and open source under the GNU GPL; downloadable without paying any license fee, no commercial tier
Pricing, plan by plan
Splunk Enterprise Security
On request- Workload PricingFree
- Pay per compute
- Flexible scaling
- All features
- Ingest PricingFree
- Pay per GB ingested
- Predictable costs
- All features
- Entity PricingFree
- Pay per monitored entity
- Security focused
- All features
Wireshark
Free- Free & Open SourceFree
- Full functionality
- Deep inspection
- Live capture
Which should you pick?
Choose Splunk Enterprise Security if
- You need security monitoring.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want incident 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.
Questions people ask
- Is Splunk Enterprise Security or Wireshark better?
- Neither clearly leads. Splunk Enterprise Security 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, Splunk Enterprise Security or Wireshark?
- Wireshark has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Splunk Enterprise Security and Free for Wireshark.
- Does Splunk Enterprise Security or Wireshark run on more platforms?
- Splunk Enterprise Security runs on Web, Api. Wireshark runs on Desktop, Cli.
- Can I use Wireshark for free?
- Yes. Wireshark has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Splunk Enterprise Security starts at On request.
- What is Splunk Enterprise Security best used for?
- Splunk Enterprise Security is most often used for running a security operations centre on splunk indexed log data, correlation searches, risk based alerting and incident investigation, compliance reporting from pooled security telemetry. Of those, running a security operations centre on splunk indexed log data and correlation searches, risk based alerting and incident investigation are not what Wireshark is typically brought in for.
- What can Splunk Enterprise Security do that Wireshark cannot?
- Splunk Enterprise Security covers Security monitoring, Incident review, Risk-based alerting, Threat intelligence. Wireshark covers Deep packet inspection, Live capture, Offline analysis, 3000+ protocol support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Splunk Enterprise Security: How much does Splunk Enterprise Security cost?
Splunk Enterprise Security pricing is not published. The product is available in Essentials Edition with threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities, and Premier Edition with UEBA, SOAR, and Automated Threat Analysis. Customers must contact Splunk sales for pricing quotes on either edition.
SourceWireshark: 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.
SourceSplunk Enterprise Security: What editions of Splunk Enterprise Security are available?
Splunk Enterprise Security offers Essentials Edition with threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities, and Premier Edition which adds UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics), SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response), and Automated Threat Analysis.
SourceWireshark: 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.
SourceWireshark: 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on Splunk Enterprise Security
Other head to heads
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Norton 360
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs 1Password
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs LastPass
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs LogRhythm SIEM
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Darktrace
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs IBM QRadar
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Trend Micro Vision One
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Cybereason Defense Platform
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Microsoft Sentinel
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Rapid7 InsightVM
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs TrustArc
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Varonis Data Security Platform
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs VMware Carbon Black
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs WorkOS
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Zscaler Internet Access
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Bitwarden
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs OWASP ZAP
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Syft
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Metasploit
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Cosign
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs HashiCorp Vault
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Infisical
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Semgrep
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Fenergo
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Google Authenticator
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Hanwha Vision
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Idira
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs IVPN
- Splunk Enterprise Security vs Grype
- Wireshark vs Norton 360
- Wireshark vs 1Password
- Wireshark vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Wireshark vs LastPass
- Wireshark vs LogRhythm SIEM
- Wireshark vs Darktrace
- Wireshark vs IBM QRadar
- Wireshark vs Trend Micro Vision One
- Wireshark vs Cybereason Defense Platform
- Wireshark vs Microsoft Sentinel
- Wireshark vs Rapid7 InsightVM
- Wireshark vs TrustArc
- Wireshark vs Varonis Data Security Platform
- Wireshark vs VMware Carbon Black
- Wireshark vs WorkOS
- Wireshark vs Zscaler Internet Access
- Wireshark vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- Wireshark vs Bitwarden
- Wireshark vs OWASP ZAP
- Wireshark vs Syft
- Wireshark vs Metasploit
- Wireshark vs Cosign
- Wireshark vs HashiCorp Vault
- Wireshark vs Infisical
- Wireshark vs Semgrep
- Wireshark vs Fenergo
- Wireshark vs Google Authenticator
- Wireshark vs Hanwha Vision
- Wireshark vs Idira
- Wireshark vs IVPN
- Wireshark vs Grype