Netlink

Netlink is a native Mac menu bar app that watches your exit IP and checks whether your VPN or proxy really covers everything.

What it catches:

• Exit IP changes, with a notification the moment they happen
• IPv6 traffic that may bypass your VPN tunnel
• Split routing: sites that see a different exit than your main one
• VPN, data-center and Tor flags, matched against lists built into the app
• A system time zone that doesn't match your exit

One-click diagnostics check the path from your Mac to the open internet in eight stages, drawn as an exit path map (this Mac → DNS → exit → reputation → sites), then explain every deduction with a fix and its estimated gain. Five grades, from Excellent to At Risk, with a 7-run trend.

Always in view: a live, color-coded score in the menu bar, desktop widgets and a floating widget. In the background, Netlink checks your exit every 1 to 30 minutes and records each change on a timeline.

Privacy: location, operator and VPN flags come from databases bundled with the app. First launch lists every service Netlink contacts; decline, and it still works with local information. No location access. Runs in the macOS App Sandbox.

Free to use. Pro is a one-time in-app purchase, no subscription. Requires macOS 14 or later. Netlink is not a VPN and does not route your traffic.