Network Scanner vs Platypush
Side-by-side comparison of two open source alternatives
Network Scanner
Network Scanner is a fast, lightweight, and privacy-focused tool for discovering and analyzing devices on your local network. Key Features: • Fast network scanning to discover all devices on your WiFi network • Detailed device information including IP address, MAC address, and hostname • Port scanning to identify open ports and running services • Device type detection and categorization • Material Design 3 interface with modern, intuitive UI • Refresh for quick rescans • Customizable scan settings Privacy First: • No ads or tracking • No analytics or data collection • No external internet connection — all traffic stays on your local network • All scanning happens locally on your device • Minimal permissions requested • 100% open source (GPL-3.0) Perfect For: • Network administrators monitoring their home/office network • Tech enthusiasts exploring their network setup • Troubleshooting network connectivity issues • Discovering unauthorized devices on your network • Finding IP addresses of network devices (printers, cameras, smart home devices) Permissions Explained: Network Scanner only requests permissions essential for network scanning: • Network access - To communicate with devices on your network • WiFi state - To check if you're connected to WiFi • Location (not used for tracking) - Required by Android for WiFi scanning Network Scanner is completely ad-free, tracker-free, and respects your privacy. All code is open source and auditable.
Platypush
This app provides an easy way to access your Platypush (https://platypush.tech) devices and instances. The app scans for Platypush web services running on your network and offers a way to control integrations (lights, switches, music and media library and playback, cameras etc.) through the responsive web interface provided by the services. Features: * Automatic scan of devices on your network through Zeroconf/Bonjour. * Manual connection to devices not found on your network. Changelog: https://git.platypush.tech/platypush/platypush-app/-/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md
| Feature | Network Scanner | Platypush |
|---|---|---|
| License | GPL-3.0-only | MIT |
| Install sources | F-DroidGitHub | F-Droid |
| Categories | ProductivityDev ToolsBrowser | ProductivityMedia PlayerDev ToolsMessagingVideoBrowser |
| Features | Ad-FreeOpen SourceNo Tracking | Ad-FreeOpen SourceNo Tracking |
| Platforms | Android | Android |
| Website | ||
| Source code |