FireWally Is the Best Firewall App for Mac I’ve Ever Used, and It’s Free

Most people haven’t actively managed a firewall in at least a decade, assuming they ever have. But sometimes knowing which apps are using the Internet and how much data they’re using is useful, as is blocking apps from accessing the Internet entirely.

When traveling, for example, Internet access may be limited. So it’s a good idea to cut off apps that are constantly processing data. But even at home, it’s a good security practice to check which apps connect to the Internet. And even though macOS comes with a firewall, it’s not really a useful tool for this.

This is why I love FireWally. This completely free application, offered by Nektony, an independent developer for Mac based in Ukraine, is not a tool intended for experienced users: it is simplified and user-friendly. Click the menu bar icon and you will see a list of applications using the Internet. You can see a summary of all traffic today, the past hour, or monitor incoming traffic in real time.

Next to each app is its data usage. You can see a breakdown of incoming and outgoing traffic for any application by hovering over it. You can prevent any application from accessing the Internet by toggling the switch.

Credit: Justin Pot

What to do if you don’t recognize an app? Traditionally, I ended up copying the app name and pasting it into a search engine. FireWally tries to save you time by providing AI-generated summaries of each app using Apple Intelligence (assuming your Mac supports this feature). It’s a useful way to quickly remember what a particular app is or identify one you don’t recognize.

It’s a very simplified app, but perfect for anyone who wants to understand a little more about how much data their different Mac apps use. Give it a try if you are looking for a simple firewall app.