Side by side
Paessler PRTG Network Monitor vs SmokePing
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.
Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+5
PRTG combines on-premises infrastructure monitoring with alerts, reports, dashboards, and an API. Check sensor needs and the single-license-per-server limit when choosing a plan.
Visit Paessler PRTG Network Monitor Free plan LinuxSelf-hostedWeb
SmokePing provides detailed latency and packet-loss monitoring, with graph navigation, configurable alarms, and distributed measurement options. It requires a self-hosted Unix setup and several software prerequisites.
Visit SmokePingThe facts
| Paessler PRTG Network Monitor | SmokePing | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | PRTG 500: $200 a year | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 6 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | paessler.com | oss.oetiker.ch |
| On network monitoring | #20 of 57 | #26 of 57 |
Paessler PRTG Network Monitor: what it does well
- More than 250 preconfigured sensors
- Customizable alerts and scheduled reports
- API for monitoring data and custom features
- Free iOS and Android monitoring apps
What to know first
- Mobile apps do not support cluster setups
- License sizes cannot be combined on one server
- Paid plans start at $200/mo billed annually
SmokePing: what it does well
- Stores long-term data and generates graphs with RRDtool.
- Includes probes for DNS, LDAP, SSH, HTTP, HTTPS, and TCP ping.
- Alarms can trigger on configurable latency patterns.
- Master/slave setup measures from multiple sources.
- Supports plug-in probes, alarms, and charting.
What to know first
- Installation requires Unix, Perl, RRDtool, and FPing.
- Web interface requires a CGI-capable web server.
- Exposing ARGV to the web server can create a security vulnerability.
Alternatives to Paessler PRTG Network Monitor Alternatives to SmokePing The whole list