Side by side

MRTG vs WhatsUp Gold

Both stand on network monitoring. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

MRTG

Free plan LinuxSelf-hostedWeb+1

Choose MRTG if you need a free, self-hosted way to graph network traffic or other SNMP data, with long-range views and configurable webpages. Windows users also need a current copy of Perl.

Visit MRTG

WhatsUp Gold brings infrastructure monitoring, topology mapping, automation, and integrations into one product. Its deployment and licensing limits are worth checking against the size and platform requirements of an environment.

Visit WhatsUp Gold

The facts

	MRTG	WhatsUp Gold
Free plan	Yes	A free trial
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Linux, Self-hosted, Web, Windows	API, Self-hosted, Web, Windows
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Network Detection & Response Lite: $866 a year
Plans published	1	6
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	oss.oetiker.ch	whatsupgold.com
On network monitoring	#13 of 57	#46 of 57

MRTG: what it does well

Creates traffic graphs for four time ranges, from daily to twelve-month views.
Retains relevant traffic data for two years without log growth.
Can monitor 200 or more links, according to its documentation.
Includes automatic configuration and setup tools.
Supports SNMPv2c 64-bit counters and RRDtool hooks.

What to know first

Windows installation requires a current copy of Perl.
Deployment is self-hosted.
No free trial is offered.

WhatsUp Gold: what it does well

Monitors networks, servers, applications, storage, and cloud resources.
Topology maps show relationships, dependencies, and device status.
Can automate common fixes with scripts and policies.
Integrates with AWS CloudWatch and Azure Monitor.

What to know first

Server software requires Windows Server 2019, 2022, or 2025.
Business costs $1,229 a year for 50 devices.
A single server can poll at most 100,000 metrics.

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