Side by side
Batfish vs NAPALM
Both stand on network automation software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxMac+2
Choose Batfish if you need configuration-based checks for policy, security, change impact, or network resilience. Teams working with Aruba, Dell Force10, or Foundry should account for the project's limited support for those platforms.
Visit Batfish Free plan APILinuxMac+1
NAPALM brings device configuration, data retrieval, and validation into a Python library with core and community drivers. Check platform-specific support and caveats before relying on a particular operation.
Visit NAPALMThe facts
| Batfish | NAPALM | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Not published | Free or on request |
| Plans published | None | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | batfish.org | github.com |
| On network automation software | #2 of 29 | #6 of 29 |
Batfish: what it does well
- Analyzes configurations without direct access to network devices.
- Validates planned changes before deployment.
- Checks security policy and expected traffic paths.
- Assesses reachability after a single-link or device failure.
- Includes a Python SDK and example Jupyter notebooks.
What to know first
- Core analysis requires network device configurations.
- Support is limited for Aruba, Dell Force10, and Foundry.
NAPALM: what it does well
- Unified API for multiple device vendors.
- Supports configuration changes and retrieval.
- Can produce YAML-based compliance reports.
- Integrates with Ansible, SaltStack, and StackStorm.
- Free and licensed under Apache-2.0.
What to know first
- Operation and getter support varies by platform and driver.
- Requires Python 3.9 or later for version 5.1.0 and later.
- Platform-specific caveats require review.
- No free trial is listed.
Alternatives to Batfish Alternatives to NAPALM The whole list