BWMonitor vs Paessler PRTG Network Monitor

Struggling to choose between BWMonitor and Paessler PRTG Network Monitor? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

BWMonitor is a Network & Admin solution with tags like networking, bandwidth, monitoring, analysis, traffic, open-source.

It boasts features such as Real-time network traffic monitoring, Graphical and command-line interfaces, Customizable interface with drag-and-drop widgets, Bandwidth usage tracking per process, Traffic breakdown by protocol, Configurable alerts and notifications, Data export to CSV files and pros including Free and open source, Lightweight and low resource usage, Supports multiple network interfaces, Easy to install and configure, Cross-platform (Linux, macOS, BSD), Customizable interface and widgets, CLI access for automation.

On the other hand, Paessler PRTG Network Monitor is a Network & Admin product tagged with network, monitoring, infrastructure, devices, servers, switches, routers, websites, applications, alerting.

Its standout features include Auto-discovery of network devices and servers, Monitoring of network bandwidth usage, traffic, availability and uptime, Monitoring of server resources and performance metrics, Monitoring of website and web application availability, Advanced alerting and notification features, Customizable dashboards and reporting, Sensor-based monitoring architecture, Support for SNMP, WMI, NetFlow and other protocols, Agentless and agent-based monitoring options, and it shines with pros like Comprehensive monitoring capabilities, Easy to set up and configure, Intuitive web interface, Powerful alerting and notification features, Customizable dashboards and reports, Scales to monitor large environments, Wide range of supported protocols and sensors.

Feature	BWMonitor	Paessler PRTG Network Monitor
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Network & Admin	Network & Admin

Product Overview

BWMonitor

Description: BWMonitor is an open-source bandwidth monitor and traffic analysis tool for Linux. It allows users to track network usage and monitor bandwidth to help identify bandwidth hogs or troubleshoot network issues.

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor

Description: Paessler PRTG Network Monitor is a powerful and comprehensive network monitoring solution for monitoring IT infrastructure and network devices. It can monitor servers, switches, routers, websites, applications and more with advanced alerting features.

Key Features Comparison

BWMonitor Features

• Real-time network traffic monitoring
• Graphical and command-line interfaces
• Customizable interface with drag-and-drop widgets
• Bandwidth usage tracking per process
• Traffic breakdown by protocol
• Configurable alerts and notifications
• Data export to CSV files

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor Features

• Auto-discovery of network devices and servers
• Monitoring of network bandwidth usage, traffic, availability and uptime
• Monitoring of server resources and performance metrics
• Monitoring of website and web application availability
• Advanced alerting and notification features
• Customizable dashboards and reporting
• Sensor-based monitoring architecture
• Support for SNMP, WMI, NetFlow and other protocols
• Agentless and agent-based monitoring options

Pros & Cons Analysis

BWMonitor

Pros

• Free and open source
• Lightweight and low resource usage
• Supports multiple network interfaces
• Easy to install and configure
• Cross-platform (Linux, macOS, BSD)
• Customizable interface and widgets
• CLI access for automation

Cons

• Limited historic data retention
• No web interface
• Steep learning curve for advanced features
• Development seems stalled recently
• No official Windows port
• No application-level bandwidth tracking

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor

Pros

• Comprehensive monitoring capabilities
• Easy to set up and configure
• Intuitive web interface
• Powerful alerting and notification features
• Customizable dashboards and reports
• Scales to monitor large environments
• Wide range of supported protocols and sensors

Cons

• Can be complex for beginners
• Requires resources to run monitoring server
• Limited support for monitoring cloud infrastructure

Pricing Comparison

BWMonitor

• Open Source

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor

• Free version for up to 100 sensors
• Commercial version with tiered subscription pricing