See every app on your Mac that reaches the internet, block the ones that should not, and track how much data each of them uses - with all analysis happening on your own machine.
It shows every app on your Mac that opens a network connection, and lets you allow or block each one. Alongside the per-app list you get a live monitor of connections as they happen, a map of where traffic is going, and a breakdown of how much data each app has sent and received.
The macOS firewall mainly controls incoming connections - what can reach your Mac from outside. App Firewall focuses on outgoing traffic: which of your own apps are reaching out, where they are going, and how much they are sending. Those are complementary, and most surprises live on the outgoing side.
macOS requires you to approve a network filter before any app can inspect or block traffic. On first launch you will be asked to allow App Firewall to filter network content, and the approval is confirmed in System Settings. Until you approve it, the app can show you nothing, because the system does not route traffic through it.
Find the app in the per-app list and switch it to blocked. The rule takes effect immediately for new connections and persists across restarts and app updates, so a blocked app stays blocked until you change your mind.
It depends on the app. Something whose whole purpose is online will stop working as expected, while an app that only phones home for analytics usually carries on fine. Blocking is reversible, so the practical approach is to block, use the app normally, and unblock if something you rely on stops working.
It plots the destinations your traffic reaches on a world map, based on the IP addresses your apps connect to. It is the fastest way to spot something unexpected - an app you assumed was local talking to a server on the other side of the world stands out immediately.
No. App Firewall works with connection metadata - which app, which destination, which port, how much data - not the contents of your encrypted traffic. It does not install a certificate, does not decrypt anything, and does not act as a man-in-the-middle.
No. All monitoring and rule evaluation happen locally. The app does not require an account, does not upload logs, and does not send telemetry. What it observes about your network stays on your machine.
The filter is designed to sit in the connection path with minimal overhead, so normal browsing and streaming feel unchanged. Very high-throughput transfers are the workload most likely to show any measurable difference.
Yes, in most setups. Rules still apply to the app making the connection. Note that when a VPN is active, destinations can appear as the VPN exit rather than the true endpoint, so the connection map reflects where traffic leaves the tunnel.
App Firewall totals the bytes each app sends and receives over time, so you can see which apps are actually consuming bandwidth. It is particularly useful on tethering or a metered plan, where a background sync can quietly use an allowance.
Yes. Turn on connection alerts and you will be notified when an app reaches the network for the first time, so you can decide about it right then rather than discovering it months later in a log.
The menu bar view shows current network activity at a glance and lets you cut off an app without opening the main window - handy when you notice something uploading in the middle of a call.
App Firewall requires macOS 14.0 or later and runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Per-app network monitor and outgoing connection blocker for macOS, with live traffic, a connection map, and data usage.
Block a single app without uninstalling it or editing any configuration files.
Block one app at a time. If you block a batch at once and something stops working, you have no quick way to tell which rule caused it.
Try this in App Firewall: Network Monitor →Turn "the internet feels slow" into the name of an app.
Large background uploads are often backup or photo-sync tools catching up. Those are usually worth pausing rather than blocking permanently.
Try this in App Firewall: Network Monitor →Our support team usually replies within one business day.
Download App Firewall: Network Monitor Contact support