Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Oversight VS Little Snitch

Compare Oversight VS Little Snitch and see what are their differences

Oversight logo Oversight

Get notified when an app accesses your Mac's camera or mic

Little Snitch logo Little Snitch

Little Snitch is a firewall application that monitors and controls outbound internet traffic.
  • Oversight Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-12-16
  • Little Snitch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-27

Oversight features and specs

  • Real-Time Monitoring
    Oversight provides real-time monitoring of your Mac's webcam and microphone, alerting you whenever they are activated. This can help protect your privacy by ensuring that you are aware of any potential unauthorized access.
  • User Notifications
    The application notifies users with a pop-up alert whenever the webcam or microphone is activated. This allows users to immediately know when these features are in use, providing peace of mind and control over their devices.
  • Lightweight Application
    Oversight is designed to be lightweight, meaning it won't significantly impact your system's performance or battery life while running in the background.
  • Free to Use
    The application is freely available for download and use, making it accessible to a wide range of users who are concerned about their privacy.

Possible disadvantages of Oversight

  • Limited to Mac OS
    Oversight is only available for Mac users, which limits its audience to those who use Apple computers and excludes Windows or Linux users.
  • Basic Functionality
    While Oversight provides key privacy features, it lacks comprehensive options and advanced customization that might be found in more robust security solutions.
  • Reliance on User Reaction
    Oversight relies on users to respond to the notifications actively. If a user ignores or misses the alert, the application does not take any automatic action to stop unauthorized access.
  • Potential Compatibility Issues
    Updates to macOS may temporarily affect Oversight’s performance or compatibility, requiring quick updates from the developers to address any issues.

Little Snitch features and specs

  • Comprehensive Control
    Little Snitch provides detailed control over outbound traffic, allowing users to decide which applications can connect to the internet and which should be blocked.
  • Real-time Monitoring
    The software offers real-time monitoring of network connections, allowing users to immediately see which applications are trying to connect to the internet and where they are connecting to.
  • Privacy Protection
    It enhances privacy by enabling users to block unwanted and potentially invasive outgoing connections, thus preventing data leakage.
  • Custom Rules
    Users can create custom rules for specific applications or processes, providing tailored control over their network traffic.
  • Network Map
    The Network Monitor feature includes a visual map of active connections, displaying geographic locations and traffic details.
  • Notification System
    The system alerts users with detailed notifications whenever an application attempts to make a network connection, making it easier to make informed decisions.

Possible disadvantages of Little Snitch

  • Complexity
    The extensive range of features and detailed notifications can be overwhelming for less tech-savvy users, requiring a learning curve to use effectively.
  • Resource Use
    Real-time monitoring and processing of network connections can consume significant system resources, potentially impacting system performance.
  • Cost
    Little Snitch is a paid application, which may be a deterrent for users looking for free alternatives.
  • False Positives
    There might be instances of false positives, where legitimate software is flagged or blocked, necessitating user intervention to resolve.
  • Frequent Alerts
    The frequency of pop-up alerts can be disruptive, especially when setting up new software or running applications that frequently access the internet.
  • Initial Setup
    The initial setup and configuration can be time-consuming, as users must create rules for each application they use.

Oversight videos

Asemblance: Oversight Review

More videos:

  • Review - Asemblance 2: Oversight - Quick Game Review | The Ruby Tuesday
  • Review - 20161208 - Oversight Review of the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program (ID: 105447)

Little Snitch videos

Little Snitch 3 The Best macOS Firewall!

More videos:

  • Review - Little Snitch Review and Giveaway

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Oversight and Little Snitch)
Monitoring Tools
18 18%
82% 82
Security & Privacy
26 26%
74% 74
Firewall
0 0%
100% 100
Proxy
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Oversight and Little Snitch. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Oversight should be more popular than Little Snitch. It has been mentiond 21 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Oversight mentions (21)

  • Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS
    See also: Patrick Wardle's excellent (and free) Lulu firewall: https://objective-see.org/products/lulu.html. He has a bunch of other excellent macOS security tools: Rei Key - identify keyloggers: https://objective-see.org/products/reikey.html Block Block - get an alert before an auto-start program gets registered: https://objective-see.org/products/blockblock.html Oversight - identify when the mic or camera is... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Picked up this beauty for college.
    Yup good advice! Instead of covering it physically you can use a trustworthy software solution OverSight https://objective-see.org/products/oversight.html. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • My wife said she could never tell if I was on a call in our home office.
    Something like https://objective-see.org/products/oversight.html proves you can detect applications that open a microphone session on macOS. Could set something up that listens to that, filters by process and toggles it on/off based on active microphone sessions. Source: about 2 years ago
  • What is this SUS orange dot????
    You can use Oversight to do that, but I'm a little confused by the location of the dot. Which OS version are you running? Source: over 2 years ago
  • Why is my camera coming on every ~30 minutes? MBP-16" 2021
    I am using OverSight ( https://objective-see.org/products/oversight.html ). Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Little Snitch mentions (6)

  • Ask HN: What macOS apps/programs do you use daily and recommend?
    * Homebrew - Package manager (kinda like apt/rpm on Linux). * Secretive - Stores SSH keys in the secure enclave [https://github.com/maxgoedjen/secretive] * Hazel - File automations [https://www.noodlesoft.com/] * Arq - Excellent backup software for local and/or remote backups [https://arqbackup.com/] * ChronoSync - File synchronization on steoroids [https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/overview.html] *... - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Looking for Blocking App that can do a bunch of things
    The first two can be handled by firewall. Little Snitch for example: https://obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Probably a dumb question but how does the Ethernet connection in the dorms work
    If you want more control over outgoing traffic, there’s commercial stuff like Little Snitch or the similar free tool LuLu from Objective-See. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • [iOS Universal] [Utilities] [PastePal Pro IAP $13.99 -> $2.99] PastePal - Clipboard Manager
    Objective Development's Little Snitch. It's been the first piece of software I've installed on every Mac I've owned in the last 20 years. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Network traffic tracker?
    Little Snitch? https://obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html. Source: almost 4 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Oversight and Little Snitch, you can also consider the following products

Micro Snitch - Micro Snitch is an ultra-light menu bar application that operates inconspicuously. It helps figuring out if someone’s spying on you.

GlassWire - Visualize network activity in detail, get notified when new apps access the network, look out for...

Radio Silence - Radio Silence is a network monitor and firewall for the macOS. The software stops apps from making network connections. The firewall runs in the background and does not require an open window.

TinyWall - Lightweight and non-intrusive firewall

AppZen - Artificial Intelligence for Real-Time T&E Fraud Detection

Windows 10 Firewall Control - Windows 10 Firewall Control: simple and exhaustive solution for applications network activity controlling and monitoring.