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Cybersecurity · head to head

Spot AI vs Wireshark

Spot AI logo

Spot AI

Cybersecurity

Cloud video intelligence that runs on your existing cameras through an on-site recorder

From
$99/month
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: Spot AI at roughly $99 per camera per month the all-in rate is high against a perpetual VMS licence: 200 cameras is around $240,000 a year, recurring, where an on-premise system would be largely a one-time cost.; Wireshark free and open source under the GNU GPL; downloadable without paying any license fee, no commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: Spot AI covers Camera agnostic, Wireshark covers Deep packet inspection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Spot AI and Wireshark actually diverge.

Attributes where Spot AI and Wireshark differ
AttributeSpot AIWireshark
Starting price$99/monthFree
Pricing modelPer camera per month, all inclusivefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, 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 Spot AI

  • Camera agnostic
  • Intelligent Video Recorder
  • AI video search
  • Operational analytics
  • Cloud management
  • Alerting and clip sharing
  • All-in per-camera pricing

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.

Spot AI

  • A manufacturer with hundreds of existing cameras that wants cloud search without replacing any of themnot Wireshark
  • A logistics operator investigating dock door delays and trailer dwell time from footagenot Wireshark
  • A retail chain reviewing incidents across dozens of stores without a VPN into each sitenot Wireshark
  • A safety team detecting forklift near-misses and missing personal protective equipment automaticallynot Wireshark

Wireshark

  • Network Securitynot Spot AI
  • Packet Analysisnot Spot AI
  • Open Sourcenot Spot AI

Where each one falls short

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

Spot AI

  • At roughly $99 per camera per month the all-in rate is high against a perpetual VMS licence: 200 cameras is around $240,000 a year, recurring, where an on-premise system would be largely a one-time cost.
  • Reusing existing cameras saves capital but caps quality; AI analytics on a fifteen-year-old analogue camera produces correspondingly poor results and no software fixes the optics.
  • Per-camera monthly billing scales linearly with camera count, so adding coverage is always expensive and there is no volume point where marginal cameras become cheap.
  • The on-site IVR is a single point of failure per location, so an appliance fault takes that site's recording and cloud access with it until it is replaced.
  • It is a subscription with no perpetual option, so an organisation that stops paying loses the platform entirely and is left with cameras and no management system.

Wireshark

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Spot AI

$99/month
  • Spot AI$99/month
    • Reference rate of roughly $99 per camera per month
    • Includes the on-site IVR appliance, cloud software, AI and support
    • Monthly, annual and multi-year terms available

Wireshark

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Spot AI if

  • You need camera agnostic.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want intelligent video recorder.
Spot AI 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 Spot AI or Wireshark better?
Neither clearly leads. Spot AI starts at $99/month and Wireshark at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Spot AI or Wireshark?
Wireshark has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Spot AI and Free for Wireshark.
Does Spot AI or Wireshark run on more platforms?
Spot AI 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. Spot AI starts at $99/month.
What is Spot AI best used for?
Spot AI is most often used for a manufacturer with hundreds of existing cameras that wants cloud search without replacing any of them, a logistics operator investigating dock door delays and trailer dwell time from footage, a retail chain reviewing incidents across dozens of stores without a vpn into each site, a safety team detecting forklift near-misses and missing personal protective equipment automatically. Of those, a manufacturer with hundreds of existing cameras that wants cloud search without replacing any of them and a logistics operator investigating dock door delays and trailer dwell time from footage are not what Wireshark is typically brought in for.
What can Spot AI do that Wireshark cannot?
Spot AI covers Camera agnostic, Intelligent Video Recorder, AI video search, Operational analytics. Wireshark covers Deep packet inspection, Live capture, Offline analysis, 3000+ protocol support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Spot AI: Do I have to buy new cameras?

No. That is the main point of the product: the IVR appliance connects to existing IP and analogue cameras.

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
Spot AI: What does it cost?

The reference rate that recurs across pricing breakdowns and Spot AI materials is roughly $99 per camera per month, bundling the appliance, cloud software, AI and support.

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
Spot AI: Is there a perpetual licence option?

No. It is subscription only, and the platform stops working when the subscription does.

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
Spot AI: Will AI analytics work on my old analogue cameras?

They will run, but detection quality follows image quality. Old low resolution cameras produce poor analytics results.

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