Side by side
Bandwidth Monitor vs NetCrunch
Both stand on bandwidth monitoring software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APIiPhoneLinux+4
Pick Bandwidth Monitor if you want a free, self-hosted Linux dashboard with traffic views, network diagnostics, and an API. Look elsewhere if you need a daemon that runs on macOS, Windows, or iOS, or cannot grant the required network permissions for some functions.
Visit Bandwidth Monitor
Free trial APISelf-hostedWeb+1
NetCrunch combines broad infrastructure monitoring with discovery, alerting, integrations, and programmatic access. Review its Windows trial requirements, node-based licensing, and FIPS limitation before choosing it.
Visit NetCrunchThe facts
| Bandwidth Monitor | NetCrunch | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | A free trial |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | API, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Not published | NetCrunch Platform subscription: $1,900 a year |
| Plans published | None | 3 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | netcrunch.com |
| On bandwidth monitoring software | #6 of 31 | #24 of 31 |
Bandwidth Monitor: what it does well
- Free and open source under GNU AGPL v3.0.
- Shows interface rates, top talkers, host details, and traffic history.
- Includes network diagnostics such as traceroute and DNS checks.
- Optional integrations cover DNS and WiFi services.
- Provides JSON endpoints and a live Server-Sent Events stream.
What to know first
- The dashboard daemon runs on Linux only.
- Some statistics require CAP_NET_ADMIN or root.
- Some capture and diagnostic functions require CAP_NET_RAW or root.
- The iOS client requires a reachable running instance.
NetCrunch: what it does well
- Supports more than 680 monitoring targets.
- Automatically discovers infrastructure and maps topology and VLANs.
- Includes more than 35 alert actions.
- Offers a 30-day trial without a credit card.
- Licensing includes unlimited metrics per monitored node.
What to know first
- No free plan.
- Trial download requires Windows 10 x64 or later, or Windows Server 2016 or later.
- NetCrunch as a whole is not FIPS-validated.
Alternatives to Bandwidth Monitor Alternatives to NetCrunch The whole list