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The best network monitoring software helps teams detect performance issues early, prevent outages, and maintain secure, reliable connectivity across all systems. When devices go offline without warning, bandwidth spikes slow operations, or security gaps appear unnoticed, network performance and uptime can quickly suffer.

The right monitoring platform gives IT teams real-time visibility, automated alerts, and clear dashboards to diagnose and resolve issues before they impact users. As a Chief Technology Officer with over 20 years of experience testing and implementing monitoring tools in live network environments, I’ve evaluated the top solutions based on accuracy, scalability, and ease of use. Each review covers features, pros and cons, and ideal use cases to help your team choose the best software for dependable network performance.

Best Network Monitoring Summary

Best Network Monitoring Software Reviews

Here you’ll find my choices for the best network monitoring software and tools:

Best for visual representations of networks

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request
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Rating: 4.7/5

Auvik is a cloud-based network management software designed to provide visibility and control over network infrastructure. It enables organizations to monitor network performance, identify devices that need upgrading or replacement, and manage network configurations

Why I picked Auvik: Auvik earned its spot on this network monitoring software list because it offers automatic inventorying and visual mapping of network infrastructure. This feature helps save time, ensure data integrity, and promote better visibility of networks. Auvik also stands out for its real-time documentation updates and automated backups of network devices, making it a proactive tool for network management. 

Auvik Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include network monitoring and troubleshooting, alerts and notifications for network events, syslog for faster issue resolution, VPN monitoring for remote worker protection, and internet connection check for instant connectivity issue diagnosis. 

Integrations include ArcusTeam, Autotask PSA, BrightGauge, Captain's Chair, Slack, Microsoft Teams, ConnectWise, Continuum, Freshdesk, Global Dash, PagerDuty, and more.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Quick and accurate alerting system
  • Single dashboard monitoring
  • Detailed visual graphical representation of networks

Cons:

  • Could use more integrations
  • Customizing the platform can be time consuming

New Product Updates from Auvik

November 3 2025
Auvik Expands AI Automation and Monitoring Features

Auvik’s latest updates deliver major AI, automation, and monitoring upgrades, including the Aurora alert-creation beta, Command Runner for remote execution, and new on-demand speed testing. The updates also enhance PSA sync, SaaS integrations, and reporting tools. For more information, visit Auvik's official site.

Best for AI-driven network insights

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request
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Rating: 4.4/5

SysAid is an IT service management (ITSM) platform that also delivers strong network monitoring capabilities. It enables IT teams to track performance, detect anomalies, and manage alerts across infrastructure components in real time. With proactive monitoring, custom scripts, and integration with incident management workflows, SysAid helps prevent downtime and improve network visibility.

Why I picked SysAid: I included SysAid in this list because it combines ITSM and network monitoring in one unified platform. You can monitor CPU, memory, disk space, and network traffic, while automated alerts trigger incident tickets directly within the help desk. Its built-in AI agent support and workflow automation reduce manual effort, so you can focus on resolving critical network issues faster.

SysAid Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include real-time monitoring of network components, historical trend analysis, customizable alert thresholds, and SNMP trap support. Its integration with incident management ensures alerts can automatically create and route tickets to the right team. SysAid also offers AI-powered service automation, workflow customization, and full asset visibility through its CMDB.

Integrations include Microsoft Teams, Slack, Salesforce, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Azure Active Directory, Jira, HubSpot, Amazon services, and IBM Db2.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Integrates incident management with alerts
  • Real-time monitoring of IT assets
  • Proactive alerts ensure timely issue detection

Cons:

  • Interface outdated in some areas
  • Limited analytics depth for reporting

New Product Updates from SysAid

SysAid Adds Direct Knowledge Base Linking in Service Records
SysAid adds direct linking between service records to enhance issue tracking.
November 30 2025
SysAid Adds Direct Knowledge Base Linking in Service Records

SysAid now allows linking knowledge base articles directly to service records, enhancing centralized access to information and speeding up issue resolution. For more information, visit SysAid's official site.

Best for multi-vendor network monitoring

  • 30-day free trial
  • Pricing upon request
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Rating: 4.3/5

With advanced features like fault management, performance monitoring, and bandwidth analysis, OpManager helps organizations proactively manage and optimize their network infrastructure. Cameron Rimington, Founder and CEO of IronPDF, shared: “We have found OpManager by ManageEngine to be invaluable for our server monitoring, especially at a time when we are processing thousands of PDF conversions... Instead of learning about problems after our customers did, we were notified within two minutes and proactively scaled when we needed to before any type of performance impact would happen.”

Why I picked ManageEngine OpManager: If you’re looking for a multi-vendor network monitoring solution, then I think ManageEngine OpManager is the perfect choice. It supports popular hardware vendors like HP, D-Link, Juniper, Dell, 3Com, Cisco, Force10, NETGEAR, Fortinet, and NetScreen. You can also choose a vendor of your choice as it provides 245 built-in customizable device templates. These templates save the configuration commands for all vendors, so you don’t have to remember all configurations manually.

ManageEngine OpManager Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include its ability to provide real-time network performance monitoring across multi-vendor environments, offering deep compatibility with over 245 customizable device templates. Its built-in workflow automation simplifies repetitive network management tasks, like backup configuration and interface management. Additionally, the platform’s advanced visualization tools, including dynamic network maps and performance dashboards, give users an intuitive view of their IT infrastructure.

Integrations include ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus, ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. APIs are also available.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Router performance metrics like temperature, voltage, and buffer statistics
  • Mapping and visualization of performance degradation and network outages
  • 2,000+ performance metrics for network monitoring

Cons:

  • Complex setup and configuration process
  • Limited customization options for dashboards and reports

Best for scalable IT monitoring

  • Free trial available
  • Pricing upon request
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Rating: 4.7/5

Checkmk is a powerful network monitoring software that provides everything you need to monitor hybrid environments. That includes on-premises servers, virtual machines, network devices, applications, and cloud services. Thanks to its optimized core, it scales with ease and can fit the needs of anything from small to enterprise-level infrastructure.

Why I picked Checkmk: As a network monitoring software, Checkmk offers real-time insights into network performance, identifying issues before they impact operations. It provides detailed network analytics, customizable dashboards, and an efficient alert system, making it easier for IT teams to manage network health and performance effectively without being overwhelmed by meaningless alerts. 

Checkmk Standout Features & Integrations

Features include automatic discovery and configuration, which quickly identifies network components and sets up monitoring with minimal manual effort. Its highly scalable architecture supports everything from small networks to large, complex IT environments, making it versatile for various use cases. Its integration flexibility with multiple tools and systems also ensures seamless compatibility with existing workflows. 

Integrations include Nagios, Grafana, Prometheus, LDAP/Active Directory, Jira, PagerDuty, DataDog, ntop, and Slack.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Comprehensive monitoring capabilities
  • Numerous automation options
  • High configurability

Cons:

  • Learning curve for new users
  • Potential overhead for smaller networks

Best for network visibility and device discovery

  • Free trial available
  • From $149/technician/month (billed annually)
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Rating: 4.6/5

For network administrators and IT professionals seeking to monitor and manage their networks, Atera offers a comprehensive solution. It is tailored for managed service providers and IT departments aiming to oversee multiple networks with ease. It addresses challenges like device discovery and network visibility, ensuring you can maintain a robust network infrastructure.

Why I Picked Atera

I picked Atera for its exceptional network visibility, which is crucial for any network monitoring tool. Atera's Network Discovery feature stands out, offering an in-depth view of all devices within a network. This feature automatically scans and updates the network inventory, ensuring you always have the latest information on your network assets. Additionally, its continuous monitoring capabilities track key metrics like CPU, RAM, and bandwidth usage, helping you maintain optimal network performance.

Atera Key Features

In addition to its network visibility, Atera offers several other features that enhance its functionality:

  • Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM): This feature allows you to monitor your network's health and performance from a single dashboard.
  • Automated Patch Management: Keep your systems up-to-date with automated patching, reducing vulnerabilities.
  • Helpdesk and Ticketing System: Streamline your support process with an integrated ticketing system.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Gain insights with detailed reports on network performance and issues.

Atera Integrations

Integrations include Microsoft Teams, Slack, Acronis, Splashtop, and an API is available for custom integrations.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Centralized inventory for network assets
  • Real-time CVE vulnerability scanning
  • Auto-discovery of devices

Cons:

  • Some features require separate add-ons
  • Customization options may feel limited

Best for unified MSP management

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $89/user/month (billed annually)
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Rating: 4.6/5

SuperOps offers a network monitoring solution tailored for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), designed to streamline and enhance network oversight. Its unified platform integrates seamlessly with RMM tools, emphasizing ease of use, real-time data visibility, and cost efficiency. Key features include effortless setup, automatic device scanning, proactive alerts, and customizable monitoring options. Upcoming updates promise network discovery, topology visualization, and detailed dashboards, aiming to improve operational efficiency and productivity for MSPs.

Why I Picked SuperOps: Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) is a type of software designed to help IT professionals manage and monitor IT infrastructure and endpoints. Incorporating network monitoring within RMM is crucial because it enables proactive identification and resolution of network issues, ensuring continuous network performance and reliability. This integration provides a holistic view of an organization’s IT environment, enhancing operational efficiency and minimizing downtime, which is essential for maintaining productivity and ensuring the security of networked systems.

SuperOps Standout Features and Integrations

Features include simple DIY setup, automated device scanning, proactive alert policies, and customizable monitoring. Future enhancements include network discovery, topology maps, and granular dashboards.

Integrations include Splashtop, Teamviewer, Connectwise Control, Xero, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Webroot, Pax8, and more.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Offers native integrations with popular third-party software, enhancing functionality
  • Easy to use with a simple setup process, reducing the learning curve for new users
  • Unified platform that integrates network monitoring with RMM, streamlining IT operations

Cons:

  • Limited information on customization options for specific MSP needs
  • As a relatively new player, may lack some advanced features found in established competitors

Best for proactive network issue prevention

  • Free trial available
  • From $2,149/year
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Rating: 4.7/5

PRTG by Paessler is a comprehensive IT infrastructure monitoring tool that offers solutions for small, medium, and large IT environments, as well as hosted monitoring for cloud and hybrid IT. It provides real-time monitoring and alerting for network devices, bandwidth usage, and other critical network metrics.

Why I picked PRTG: I like that PRTG allows users to visualize their entire IT infrastructure through custom maps and dashboards that provide real-time data and insights, enhancing network visibility and management. Additionally, its reporting features enable the generation of detailed, customizable reports tailored to specific needs. Combined with PRTG’s ease of use, comprehensive monitoring capabilities, and flexible alerting system, it provides a robust and user-friendly solution for proactive network issue prevention.

PRTG Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include customizable maps and dashboards, allowing users to create real-time visualizations of their entire IT infrastructure, making monitoring performance at a glance easy. Its sensor-based monitoring system is highly flexible, enabling users to track everything from bandwidth usage to server health and only pay for what they need. PRTG’s intuitive alerting system also ensures that users are notified of potential issues via email, SMS, or push notifications.

Integrations include Comet Backup, BackBox Automation Platform, BrightGauge, GitLab, BulkSMS.com, Google Analytics, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, AlertOps, UVexplorer, AutoMonX, SMSEagle, and ThreatSync.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Scalable for small and large networks
  • Customizable monitoring and alerting
  • User-friendly interface

Cons:

  • More advanced features may come with a learning curve
  • High cost for larger deployments

Best for comprehensive device coverage

  • Free trial + demo available
  • Pricing upon request
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Rating: 4.6/5

Site24x7 is an all-in-one monitoring solution designed for IT operations and DevOps teams, offering services like website, server, cloud, network, and application performance monitoring.

Why I picked Site24x7: I like its ability to monitor a wide range of network devices, including switches, routers, firewalls, and servers. This comprehensive device coverage means you can oversee your entire network infrastructure from a single platform, making it easier to identify and resolve issues across different hardware. Another benefit is Site24x7's network traffic analysis feature, which helps you understand bandwidth usage and identify potential bottlenecks.

Site24x7 Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include its AI-powered anomaly detection, which proactively identifies network performance issues before they escalate, reducing downtime and improving efficiency. Its cloud-based architecture allows remote monitoring without requiring on-premises infrastructure, making it an ideal choice for distributed teams. Site24x7’s integrated log management also provides real-time insights into system and application logs, helping IT teams troubleshoot and optimize performance more effectively.

Integrations include ServiceNow, PagerDuty, Jira, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Nagios, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Docker, Jenkins, and Kubernetes.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Comprehensive monitoring capabilities
  • Real-time alerts and notifications
  • Customizable dashboards and reports

Cons:

  • Complexity in initial setup for large environments
  • Limited customization in alerting mechanisms

Best open-source solution

  • Forever free edition + 60-day free trial
  • From $5,000/year
Visit Website
Rating: 5/5

Icinga is an open-source monitoring software specifically designed for complex IT environments. It provides comprehensive monitoring capabilities that cover infrastructure, servers, networks, and more, ensuring that your systems are always performing optimally.

Why I Picked Icinga: I chose Icinga because it supports plugin‑based monitoring of network services and devices—routers, switches, firewalls—letting you track latency, packet loss, and bandwidth. You can detect and alert on DNS or DHCP failures before users get affected, helping your team stay ahead of issues. Another highlight is its distributed monitoring architecture. The tool uses a clustered core with SSL‑secured zones, so you can scale across multiple data centers without losing visibility. That means your network stays monitored even if one node fails, ensuring consistent coverage.

Icinga Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include automatic certificate monitoring across your SSL devices, which includes alerting you before certificates expire. It also supports multi‑vendor plugin checks through Nagios‑compatible plugins, so you can write your own or use existing ones with ease. Plus, with its REST API and Icinga Director tool, you can automate host and service setups—such as importing from a CMDB—and apply configuration rules across your entire network.

Integrations include Grafana, AWS, Azure, Puppet, Ansible, Chef, Terraform, Jira, PagerDuty, ServiceNow, BigPanda, and Stackstorm.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Highly customizable for various IT infrastructure needs
  • Scalable for both small and large environments
  • Free to use with no setup fees

Cons:

  • Setup and configuration comes with a learning curve
  • Occasional performance issues reported during high-load scenario

Best for network monitoring in complex environments

  • 15-day free trial + free demo available
  • From $7/user/month
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Rating: 4.5/5

Dynatrace provides real-time visibility into your network, allowing you to monitor and analyze traffic patterns, latency, and performance metrics.

Why I picked Dynatrace: The reason I suggest Dynatrace for complex environments is it enables smooth performance for all types of network connections, like virtualized clouds and data centers, by installing agents on each host. This lets you gain insight into which processes need troubleshooting. For each process, it can track network bandwidth and connection issues.

Dynatrace Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include its AI-driven observability, automatically detecting anomalies and pinpointing root causes in real-time, and reducing the need for manual troubleshooting. Its full-stack monitoring extends across hybrid and multi-cloud environments, ensuring visibility into network performance, application dependencies, and infrastructure health. Additionally, Dynatrace’s automatic dependency mapping provides a real-time topology of all network connections, making diagnosing and resolving performance bottlenecks easier.

Integrations include Active Directory, Adobe Analytics, Akka, Amazon DynamoDB, Ansible Tower, Azure Virtual Machines, Google Analytics, Gremlin, LaunchDarkly, and Zenduty.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Alerting and notification for network outages
  • Capacity planning and forecasting for network resources
  • Can analyze network latency and packet loss

Cons:

  • Pricing structure is complex
  • No free plan

Best for cloud-based network monitoring

  • Free trial available
  • From $3/resource/month
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Rating: 4.5/5

LogicMonitor is an observability platform but comes with powerful features to manage the health and performance of your network ecosystem.

Why I picked LogicMonitor: I chose LogicMonitor because of its ability to support monitoring for SD-WAN and cloud-based networks. You can use LogicMonitor to get insights into the workings of switches, wireless devices, load balancers, routers, and firewalls. It also comes with network topology mapping that helps you understand how devices are interconnected and how data flows within the network.

LogicMonitor Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include its cloud-based architecture, which offers scalability and eliminates the need for on-premises infrastructure. Its network topology mapping provides a clear, dynamic visualization of device interconnections and data flow, making diagnosing and addressing issues easier. LogicMonitor’s pre-configured monitoring templates and automated discovery also streamline the setup process, allowing users to start monitoring complex environments quickly.

Integrations include ServiceNow, PagerDuty, VMWare, BigPanda, Fortinet, Redis, ConnectWise, Juniper, and Twilio. APIs are also available.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Auto-discovery abilities are fast
  • Portal functionality and uptime are great
  • Easy setup process

Cons:

  • Fewer customization options for user interfaces
  • No free version

Best for real-time infrastructure monitoring

  • Free trial + demo available
  • From $4.50/node/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.6/5

Netdata is an open-source observability, monitoring, and troubleshooting platform that offers high-resolution metrics, journal logs, and real-time visualizations for infrastructure monitoring.

Why I Picked Netdata: I chose Netdata for network monitoring software because it provides high-resolution metrics, real-time visualizations, and reliable alerts, distinguishing it from other options. Its open-source platform is trusted by over 1.2 million nodes online and is actively supported by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). The tool's commitment to open-source, easy scalability, and high-fidelity data for troubleshooting emerging issues make it a top choice for real-time infrastructure monitoring.

Netdata Standout Features & Integrations

Features include its lightweight, open-source design that offers high-resolution, per-second metrics without consuming excessive system resources. Its real-time visualizations and interactive dashboards provide instant insights into infrastructure health, enabling faster troubleshooting. Additionally, Netdata’s seamless integrations with popular tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and Kubernetes make it a suitable choice for teams looking to enhance their existing monitoring ecosystems.

Integrations include Kubernetes Containers, Virtual Machines, Apache, Consul, Elasticsearch, OpenSearch, MySQL, Redis, Squid log files, Windows, and macOS.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Automated alerts
  • Unlimited metric monitoring
  • Interactive graphs for data visualization

Cons:

  • May come with a learning curve to maximize its features
  • Insights could be more comprehensive

Best for comprehensive network monitoring

  • 30-day free trial + Free edition (unavailable in the US, Canada, Japan, Taiwan)
  • Pricing upon request
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Rating: 4.4/5

WhatsUp Gold is a comprehensive IT monitoring and management solution that provides real-time insights and alerts to ensure optimal performance and availability of IT systems.

Why I picked WhatsUp Gold: WhatsUp Gold has common capabilities like infrastructure network monitoring, automatic network discovery, and notifications about network issues. What stands out to me is you can gain insights into network traffic patterns, helping to optimize bandwidth utilization. You can also monitor device performance metrics, such as CPU usage, memory utilization, and disk space.

WhatsUp Gold Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include its intuitive interface and customizable dashboards, making it easy to visualize and manage network performance in real-time. Its network traffic analysis feature provides detailed insights into bandwidth usage, helping organizations identify and address bottlenecks. Additionally, WhatsUp Gold integrates with cloud environments like AWS and Azure, enabling comprehensive monitoring across on-premises and cloud-based networks.

Integrations include Active Directory, ServiceNow, VMware, Microsoft Azure, and Cisco. REST APIs are also available for custom integrations.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Extensive support for different protocols and vendors
  • Customizable dashboards and reports
  • User-friendly interface

Cons:

  • Complex deployment and configuration process
  • Occasional bugs or stability issues

Best for advanced and power users

  • Free plan + demo available
  • Pricing upon request
Visit Website
Rating: 4.3/5

New Relic’s network optimization software provides proactive alerting, deep diagnostics, and customizable dashboards for efficient network troubleshooting and optimization.

Why I picked New Relic: I liked New Relic during my evaluation because its ability to monitor your whole IT infrastructure network is quite extensive.

It has application monitoring (APM) capabilities and synthetic monitoring, where you can simulate user interactions and test the responsiveness and availability of your applications from different locations. With distributed tracing, you can visualize and trace requests as they travel across other services and components, helping you identify bottlenecks.

New Relic Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include a unified telemetry platform, enabling users to ingest, analyze, and visualize data from logs, metrics, and traces in one centralized location. Its AI-driven anomaly detection proactively identifies performance issues using machine learning, helping teams address problems before they escalate. Also, its real-time user monitoring provides deep session insights, allowing businesses to optimize the end-user experience with unparalleled granularity.

Integrations include Ruby, Elixir, Cassandra, CentOS, Couchbase, Debian, Nagios, and OpenAI Observability. APIs are also available.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Customizable dashboards where you can visualize and analyze your data
  • Can centralize and manage your application logs
  • Generates visual service maps that show how different services in your application architecture are related

Cons:

  • High license costs
  • May take time for users to become proficient in navigating and utilizing all the features

Best for small businesses

  • 14-day free trial available
  • From $15/user/month
Visit Website
Rating: 4.3/5

With Datadog, you can manage on-prem, cloud, and hybrid networks. You can also track the performances of application layers and even the health of bare-metal appliances.

Why I picked DataDog: The reason I suggest DataDog for small businesses is because of its affordability and provision of all standard network monitoring offerings. These include visual maps of connected networks, traffic metrics by host, processes, and containers, and DNS performance.

DataDog Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that I want to highlight are its ability to track metrics like TCP retransmits, connection churn, and latency. It can also check on the performance of traffic between layers like app, port, IP address, or process ID (PID). You can track DNS server health with response time, error code, and request-volume metrics.

Integrations are natively available for 600+ options, including Active Directory, Airflow, Bitbucket, Bugsnag, Cassandra, Crowdstrike, GitHub, and GitLab.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Offers scalable monitoring capabilities
  • Provides historical data for trend analysis
  • Supports multi-cloud and hybrid environments

Cons:

  • Data retention periods may be shorter than desired
  • Monitoring for Microsoft Azure tools can be complex

Best range of features

  • Free trial available
  • Pricing upon request
Visit Website
Rating: 4.2/5

Zabbix’s open-source tool provides detailed monitoring and analysis capabilities, allowing you to identify and resolve network issues promptly.

Why I picked Zabbix: I selected Zabbix because, although it’s an open-source platform, it has a wide range of network monitoring features. You can track total bandwidth usage, packet loss, error rates, number of TCP connections, link status, and other SNMP metrics. You can even monitor network device performances like device availability, power supply status, fan status, and temperature.

Zabbix Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that Zabbix provides are standard, like alerts for unexpected spikes, ping loss, and anomalous behaviors. A feature that stands out for me is its ability to create an escalation logic based on the severity of network problems. You can escalate alerts across departments and users and define each user’s or channel’s working hours.

Integrations are available natively for various platforms, including Zoho, xMatters, VMware, Twilio, Tomcat, SysAid, Tableau, Splunk, Sophos, and ServiceNow. You can also request a custom integration from the Zabbix support team.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • 300+ templates for most popular hardware network vendors
  • Active community because of being open-source
  • Can define notification methods (SMS, on-screen, or email) when thresholds exceed

Cons:

  • Need more templates for rich monitoring
  • Needs more documentation resources

Best free network monitoring tool

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request
Visit Website
Rating: 4.4/5

Prometheus is an open-source monitoring and alerting system. SoundCloud developed it, and it’s now a part of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation.

Why I picked Prometheus: Prometheus is a free, general-purpose monitoring and alerting system that can monitor various aspects of your networks, systems, and applications. It specializes in time-series data collection and provides querying capabilities for analyzing and visualizing metrics. I selected Prometheus because it provides a flexible platform for collecting, storing, and analyzing time-series data related to network metrics.

Prometheus Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that I liked, especially for network monitoring, are that you can track network bandwidth usage, packet loss, latency, and other network performance indicators. Prometheus supports a federation feature, which allows you to aggregate data from multiple Prometheus instances into a single federated view. This is useful for monitoring large-scale distributed networks or multi-cluster environments.

Integrations are available natively for Asana, Better Uptime, DingTalk, Discord, GitLab, JIRAlert, ServiceNow, xMatters, Grafana, and Squadcast.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Can store historical network metrics
  • Supports various service discovery mechanisms
  • Can set up alerts based on defined rules and thresholds

Cons:

  • Lack of native support for certain data formats and protocols
  • May experience performance issues with large-scale deployments and high ingestion rates

Best for Windows security scans

  • Free trial available
  • Custom pricing available

The OPSWAT Security Score tool is a free computer security scan that helps users identify and fix vulnerabilities in their computer security system, particularly effective for Windows security scans. It provides a comprehensive assessment of a system's security posture, offering specific security recommendations and the option to enable automatic updates for applications and the operating system.

Why I picked OPSWAT Security Score: I chose OPSWAT Security Score because it provides a focused approach to determining the security status of Windows devices. It offers a comprehensive security assessment, which is crucial for identifying potential vulnerabilities within a network. What makes OPSWAT Security Score different is its ease of use, with options for a click-to-run version that requires no installation, and the capability to manage endpoint compliance and secure network connections.

OPSWAT Security Score Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include a free computer security scan for Windows PCs, laptops, and tablets, helping users to identify and address vulnerabilities in their systems. It assesses cyber risk based on factors such as OS updates, vulnerable applications, firewall, and malware protection, and offers specific security recommendations to improve the device's security status.

Integrations include Ivanti, Horizon, and PING Identity, allowing for comprehensive cybersecurity solutions for critical IT and OT environments.

Best for enterprises

  • 30-day free trial + Free plan available up to 7 nodes
  • From $1,995
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Rating: 4.6/5

Nagios XI simplifies the process of monitoring, managing, and analyzing your network infrastructure, enabling you to maintain optimal performance and ensure the availability of your critical systems.

Why I picked Nagios XI: I like Nagios XI for enterprises because it provides a centralized dashboard that allows you to monitor the health and performance of your systems, networks, and infrastructure from a single location. You can monitor key metrics like CPU usage, memory utilization, and network traffic. It supports a plugin architecture, which allows you to extend its functionality by adding custom plugins.

Nagios XI Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that I feel enterprise teams will find helpful are its robust alerting and notification system that alerts you in real-time via email, SMS, or other methods when issues are detected. Nagios XI also supports distributed monitoring architectures, allowing you to deploy multiple monitoring servers across different locations and networks.

Integrations are native and include Fedora, FreeBSD, MongoDB, Selenium, ServiceNow, VMWare, and openSUSE. APIs are available.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Can automate tasks like configuring checks, generating reports, and performing system maintenance
  • Monitor and analyze log entries to identify errors and anomalies
  • Can customize your dashboards and reports with widgets and charts

Cons:

  • Mobile app has limited features
  • Steep learning curve

Best for hybrid IT infrastructure monitoring

  • 14-day free trial + free demo available
  • Pricing upon request

Zenoss unifies the monitoring of physical and virtual network elements in a centralized platform.

Why I picked Zenoss: What appealed to me about Zenoss is that IT teams can manage and track all their on-prem and cloud environments from one platform. Its star feature is its ability to monitor communications platforms like Cisco UC Manager and Avaya Voice Portal, where it can identify Voice over IP (VoIP) and video quality problems, check for call path issues, and visualize all unified communications (UC) problems in real-time.

Zenoss Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that stood out to me are its ability to correlate, consolidate, and deduplicate network events in relation to other component events and devices in your IT network infrastructure. It also lets you access the IP address inventory for any monitored devices with its network topology map.

Integrations are available natively for ServiceNow, PagerDuty, Slack, Nutanix, Splunk, LayerX, Sumo Logic, BMC, CA Technologies, and Juniper.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Can automate routine tasks and enables the orchestration of complex workflows
  • Log analysis
  • Can create a visual representation of the relationships between different components to understand dependencies

Cons:

  • Can be complex to set up and configure, especially for users with limited technical knowledge
  • No free plan available

Other Network Monitoring Software Options

Here are some extra options you can pick from. Even though they did not make it to the best 12 list, they are still worth considering:

  1. Munin Monitoring

    Free option

  2. Google Cloud

    For real-time network performance metrics

  3. Wireshark

    For packet analysis

  4. NinjaOne

    For endpoint management and patch compliance

  5. Syncro

    For unlimited endpoint monitoring

  6. ManageEngine Applications Manager

    For application monitoring

  7. Dotcom Monitor

    For multi-step API & web testing

  8. NetCrunch

    For hybrid IT infrastructure monitoring

  9. Cacti

    For network data graphs

  10. Spiceworks

    For non-technical users

Network Monitoring Software Selection Criteria

When selecting the best network monitoring software to include in this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points like network visibility and real-time alerting. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:

Core Functionality (25% of total score)
To be considered for inclusion in this list, each solution had to fulfill these common use cases:

  • Monitor network performance
  • Detect network outages
  • Provide real-time alerts
  • Analyze bandwidth usage
  • Track device status

Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for unique features, such as:

  • AI-driven insights
  • Customizable dashboards
  • Automated network mapping
  • Predictive analytics
  • Integration with cloud services

Usability (10% of total score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:

  • Intuitive interface design
  • Easy navigation
  • Minimal learning curve
  • Customization options
  • Responsive design

Onboarding (10% of total score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:

  • Availability of training videos
  • Interactive product tours
  • Access to templates
  • Webinars for new users
  • Supportive chatbots

Customer Support (10% of total score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:

  • 24/7 support availability
  • Multiple support channels
  • Access to a knowledge base
  • Response time to queries
  • Availability of live chat

Value For Money (10% of total score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:

  • Competitive pricing
  • Features included in base price
  • Scalability of pricing plans
  • Discounts for annual billing
  • Free trial availability

Customer Reviews (10% of total score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:

  • Overall satisfaction ratings
  • Feedback on reliability
  • User experiences with support
  • Comments on ease of use
  • Opinions on feature effectiveness

How to Choose Network Monitoring Software

It’s easy to get bogged down in long feature lists and complex pricing structures. To help you stay focused as you work through your unique software selection process, here’s a checklist of factors to keep in mind:

FactorWhat to Consider
ScalabilityCan the software grow with your business? Consider future needs and whether the tool can handle increased data and devices without performance issues.
IntegrationsCheck compatibility with existing tools. Ensure seamless data flow between systems. Prioritize software that connects with your key platforms like CRM or ERP.
CustomizabilityLook for flexibility in dashboards and reports. Can you tailor the software to match your workflow? Avoid tools with rigid structures that don’t adapt to your needs.
Ease of useConsider the learning curve for your team. Is the interface intuitive? Tools that require extensive training may slow down adoption and productivity.
Implementation and onboardingEvaluate the setup process and resources needed. How long until you’re fully operational? Consider the availability of training materials and support during onboarding.
CostCompare pricing models. Are there hidden fees or extra costs for essential features? Ensure the plan fits your budget now and as you scale.
Security safeguardsAssess data protection measures. Does the software comply with industry standards? Look for encryption, access controls, and regular security updates to protect sensitive information.

What Is Network Monitoring Software?

Network monitoring software is used by IT professionals and system administrators to track and manage the performance and availability of network components, often collaborating alongside WAN optimization vendors to ensure that systems run smoothly and efficiently.

Real-time alerts, bandwidth analysis, and device tracking features help with identifying issues, optimizing performance, and maintaining network health. Network mapping tools complement these monitoring capabilities by providing visual representations of network topology and device relationships. Overall, these tools provide essential insights that enhance network reliability and security.

Features


When selecting network monitoring software, keep an eye out for the following key features:

  • Real-time network monitoring: This feature lets you see live data about network performance and device health. You can spot sudden outages or slowdowns and act fast, rather than being caught off guard.
  • Customizable alerts: Create tailored notifications based on performance thresholds or specific incidents. These alerts help you respond to issues before they spiral into bigger problems.
  • Comprehensive reporting: Get detailed reports summarizing network activity, performance trends, and device status. Use these insights to pinpoint trouble areas and show improvements to your team (or boss!).
  • Device discovery and mapping: The software automatically scans and identifies devices connected to your network. This map makes it easy for you to keep track of new or unexpected devices and strengthens your network security.
  • Bandwidth usage analysis: Monitor which devices or applications are using the most bandwidth. This helps you resolve congestion issues and enforce fair usage policies so everyone stays happy.
  • Historical data retention: Review previous network performance metrics to spot recurring problems or long-term trends. With this data, you’re better equipped to plan upgrades and prevent repeat outages.
  • Multi-vendor compatibility: Support for hardware and software from multiple vendors means you can monitor everything in your network, even if your devices come from different manufacturers.
  • Remote monitoring capabilities: Access your network monitoring dashboard securely from anywhere. This way, you stay in control whether you're at your desk or working remotely.
  • Automated troubleshooting tools: Leverage built-in diagnostics that recommend or even perform basic fixes. This saves you time and helps you resolve common issues without a manual deep dive.

Common Network Monitoring Software AI Features

Beyond the standard network monitoring software features listed above, many of these solutions are incorporating AI with features like:

Smart capacity planning: Based on usage trends and projected growth, AI suggests when and how to scale your network resources, so you avoid bottlenecks and downtime.

Anomaly detection: AI continuously learns what “normal” network behavior looks like and flags odd patterns, so you catch issues even before they become obvious.

Predictive analytics: By analyzing trends in your network’s history and behavior, AI helps forecast potential outages or performance dips. This allows you to prevent issues before they affect users.

Automated root cause analysis: AI combs through vast amounts of data to pinpoint the reason behind network problems, saving you hours of manual investigation.

Intelligent alert prioritization: Instead of bombarding you with every minor notification, AI identifies which alerts matter most, helping you focus on urgent tasks.

Benefits

Implementing network monitoring software provides several benefits for your team and your business. Here are a few you can look forward to:

  • Scalability: Automated network mapping and flexible features support growing businesses by adapting to increased demands. Significantly to an organization's strategic goals.
  • Improved network reliability: Real-time alerts and predictive analytics help prevent downtime by addressing issues before they escalate.
  • Enhanced security: Anomaly detection and device tracking identify potential threats and vulnerabilities, keeping your network secure.
  • Optimized performance: Bandwidth analysis ensures efficient use of resources, leading to smoother network operations.
  • Informed decision-making: Customizable dashboards provide insights tailored to your needs, aiding in strategic planning and management.
  • Reduced operational costs: Proactive monitoring minimizes the need for emergency fixes and reduces the risk of costly outages.
  • Better user experience: Synthetic monitoring ensures services are available and performing well, leading to satisfied users.

Costs & Pricing

Selecting network monitoring software requires an understanding of the various pricing models and plans available. Costs vary based on features, team size, add-ons, and more. The table below summarizes common plans, their average prices, and typical features included in network monitoring software solutions:

Plan Comparison Table for Network Monitoring Software

Plan TypeAverage PriceCommon Features
Free Plan$0Basic monitoring capabilities, limited alerts, and community support.
Personal Plan$5-$25/user/monthReal-time alerts, customizable dashboards, and basic reporting.
Business Plan$30-$75/user/monthAdvanced analytics, enhanced security features, and integration options.
Enterprise Plan$100-$250/user/monthComprehensive monitoring, priority support, predictive analytics, and extensive customization options.

Network Monitoring Software FAQs

You can find answers to common questions about network monitoring and network monitoring tools.

What’s Next:

If you're in the process of researching network monitoring software, connect with a SoftwareSelect advisor for free recommendations.

You fill out a form and have a quick chat where they get into the specifics of your needs. Then you'll get a shortlist of software to review. They'll even support you through the entire buying process, including price negotiations.

Paulo Gardini Miguel
By Paulo Gardini Miguel

Paulo is the Director of Technology at the rapidly growing media tech company BWZ. Prior to that, he worked as a Software Engineering Manager and then Head Of Technology at Navegg, Latin America’s largest data marketplace, and as Full Stack Engineer at MapLink, which provides geolocation APIs as a service. Paulo draws insight from years of experience serving as an infrastructure architect, team leader, and product developer in rapidly scaling web environments. He’s driven to share his expertise with other technology leaders to help them build great teams, improve performance, optimize resources, and create foundations for scalability.