Top Competitors to PRTG: Features & Price Comparison

updated on Oct 22, 2025

PRTG handles network monitoring for thousands of companies, but it’s not the only option. Depending on your infrastructure size, budget, or specific needs, you might need something different.

We’ll cover some leading alternatives to PRTG, focusing on their key functionalities and pricing structures.

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor Alternatives

Table notes (Vendors listed alphabetically):

“N/A” means we couldn’t find that information.
“Configuration Management” tracks and controls network device settings.
“AI-Driven Analytics” uses machine learning to predict network issues before they happen.
“Node count” and “Device/Endpoint count” pricing means you pay based on how many devices you monitor.
“Multi-OS support” means it runs on Windows, Linux, and other operating systems.
“SaaS-based” and “Cloud-based” mean the vendor hosts the software you access it through your browser.
Free PRTG alternatives exist, but expect to spend significant time on setup and customization. As your network grows, free tools often can’t keep up, leaving gaps in your monitoring.

Paessler PRTG Network Monitoring Software overview

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor monitors networks, servers, websites, applications, devices, and traffic across LANs and WANs. It tracks cloud services, databases, hardware, and network performance.

The free version monitors up to 100 sensors at no cost. Commercial editions scale up from there, with pricing based on sensor count. Each sensor typically monitors one metric a server’s CPU load, a switch port’s traffic, or a database query response time.

PRTG comes in three versions:

PRTG Network Monitor: For small to mid-sized setups monitoring up to 1,000 devices. Runs on Windows servers on-premises. Annual subscription pricing.
PRTG Enterprise Monitor: For large, distributed infrastructures with unlimited servers. Windows-based, on-premises. Flexible annual subscription based on sensor count.
PRTG Hosted Monitor: Cloud-hosted version monitoring up to 1,000 devices without needing your own hardware. Monthly or annual subscriptions available.

Note: Sensor requirements typically range from 5-10 sensors per device, depending on monitoring depth.

Key features of PRTG network monitoring tool:

Preconfigured PRTG sensors and device templates: Preconfigured sensors are designed for plug-and-play use, enabling instant data collection and streamlining the monitoring setup for different network entities. Device templates provide a set of sensors and configurations specifically designed for certain devices, such as routers or servers, optimizing the network performance monitoring process for those particular models.
Customizable maps and dashboards: It features an integrated map editor that enables the crafting of personalized IT infrastructure visuals using easy drag-and-drop elements. Each customized dashboard generated is accessible through a distinct URL. PRTG lacks the functionality for generating layer two maps, which are essential for visualizing physical network connections. To bridge this limitation, it’s suggested to use third-party tools like UVexplorer, capable of integrating with PRTG.

Source: Building custom network maps with PRTG¹

Customizable alerts and notifications: PRTG comes equipped with sensors that are already configured with default warning and error thresholds, but it also allows organizations to customize these thresholds according to their specific monitoring requirements.
Bandwidth monitoring: The monitoring platform allows users to assess the bandwidth consumption of their devices and applications using various methods such as SNMP, Flow, or packet sniffing. Through SNMP, users can collect detailed data on bandwidth usage. Additionally, PRTG Maps enables the creation of visual representations and dashboards tailored to different user groups.

1. Tufin

Tufin manages security policies across network and cloud infrastructure. Its Network Topology Mapper shows how devices connect and tracks changes that could affect security.

The platform monitors firewall, router, and load balancer configurations. When something changes, you get notified. Built-in diagnostic tools help troubleshoot network issues faster.

2. Nagios

Nagios started as an open-source monitoring tool for Linux. Nagios Core remains free and open-source. The company also sells commercial versions:

Nagios XI: Enterprise monitoring with a web interface, visualization tools, and customizable dashboards.
Nagios Fusion: Consolidates monitoring data from multiple Nagios instances into one view.
Nagios Network Analyzer: Shows which applications and users consume the most bandwidth.
Nagios Log Server: Collects, analyzes, and archives logs from across your infrastructure.

3. SolarWinds

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM) maps and monitors network paths using ICMP, SNMP, and WMI protocols. It automatically discovers devices, creates visual topology maps, and sends alerts when thresholds are breached.

NPM runs on-premises on Windows servers. Pricing scales with the number of network elements you monitor.

4. ManageEngine

OpManager monitors physical and virtual servers running Windows, Linux, Solaris, Unix, and VMware. Real-time dashboards show performance metrics, and alerts notify you of issues.

Licensing is based on device count. You can monitor unlimited interfaces or metrics per device without increasing your license cost. OpManager analyzes packet headers and content to identify and manage specific traffic types.

5. LogicMonitor

LogicMonitor runs entirely in the cloud, so there’s no software to install. It monitors databases, storage systems, and servers, with pricing based on device count.

The platform handles SD-WAN and cloud networks, visualizes network topology, performs root cause analysis, and sends alerts when problems occur.

6. Auvik

Auvik automates network monitoring from the cloud. Deploy it as a virtual appliance, physical appliance, or lightweight Windows service.

The platform automatically discovers network devices and builds a live topology map. It includes 50+ predefined alerts you can customize. Auvik tracks configuration changes, automatically backs up configs, and maintains version history.

All syslog data consolidates into one dashboard, helping you troubleshoot faster and reduce mean time to repair (MTTR).

7. NinjaOne

NinjaOne’s RMM platform includes network monitoring with 50+ OID templates for devices like Dell iDRAC, HP iLO, Synology NAS, and APC UPS units.

Customize alerts by type, severity, and priority. Notifications arrive via email or SMS. The platform supports NetFlow, jFlow, sFlow, and IPFIX protocols.

Auto-discovery scans IP ranges to find new devices. Pricing is based on endpoint count and features you need.