NetMute is a macOS menu bar app that gives you full control over your Mac's internet connections. It combines a per-app firewall, traffic monitoring, tracker detection, and privacy scoring in an elegant interface.

What are the system requirements?

NetMute requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later. It runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

Does NetMute collect my data?

No. All data processing occurs locally on your Mac. NetMute never connects to external servers, collects telemetry, or tracks your usage.

Does NetMute work with VPNs?

Yes. NetMute works alongside VPNs and is compatible with all common VPN services. It monitors traffic at the app level, regardless of your VPN connection.

Does it affect battery life?

NetMute is designed to be extremely efficient. It uses minimal CPU and memory resources, so you won't notice any impact on battery life.

Is it a subscription?

No. NetMute is a one-time purchase. You pay once and get lifetime access to all current and future features, including updates.

Tracker Shield for Mac — block 600+ trackers with one tap

Why you need Tracker Shield

Every day, your Mac apps send data to tracking companies without your knowledge. Ad SDKs, analytics services, fingerprinting scripts, and social media pixels — they all run silently in the background. Even paid apps often contain tracking code. Tracker Shield puts an end to this. With one switch, it blocks all known trackers at the network level using a curated list of over 624 domains. No DNS tricks, no browser extensions — real blocking at the network level that works for every app on your Mac.

How Tracker Shield works

Tracker Shield uses a curated database of known tracker domains, categorized by type: advertising, analytics, fingerprinting, and social. When you activate the shield, NetMute’s network extension blocks all connections to these domains system-wide. Subdomain walking ensures that tracking.facebook.com is blocked if facebook.com is in the database. Smart breakage detection identifies critical trackers that apps need to function (like graph.facebook.com for Facebook app) and allows them automatically with a visible warning. Per-app allowlists let you permit specific trackers for certain apps without opening them everywhere.

Use cases for Tracker Shield

Browse the web without being tracked by ad networks on every page. Use social media apps without them tracking your activity across apps. Work with productivity tools knowing they do not report your usage patterns. Let your children use the Mac without worries about data collection. Tracker Shield works transparently — you turn it on once and forget it. The menu bar shows you exactly how many companies are blocked, so you always know your protection status.

Beyond browser ad blockers

Browser ad blockers only work within your browser. They cannot see or block tracker connections from native Mac apps — and that’s where most tracking happens. Your email client, cloud storage, note app, and dozens of system processes all connect to trackers independently of your browser. Tracker Shield operates at the network level and blocks tracker connections from ALL apps, not just your browser. Combined with per-app allowlists and breakage detection, it offers comprehensive tracker protection without damaging the apps you rely on.

Benefits

Blocks 624+ known tracker domains with one switch
Four categories: advertising, analytics, fingerprinting, social
Smart breakage detection keeps apps running
Per-app allowlists for granular control
Enterprise blocking with subdomain walking

Frequently Asked Questions about Tracker Shield

Does Tracker Shield break my apps?

Tracker Shield contains a curated list of critical trackers that apps need to function. These are automatically allowed with a visible warning. For example, graph.facebook.com is allowed for the Facebook app but blocked everywhere else. You can also create custom per-app allowlists.

How is this different from a browser ad blocker?

Browser ad blockers only work within your browser. Tracker Shield blocks tracker connections from ALL apps on your Mac at the network level — including native apps, system processes, and background services that browser extensions cannot reach.

How often is the tracker database updated?

The tracker database is curated and updated with each NetMute release. You can also voluntarily report unknown trackers to improve the database for everyone.