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Cloud · head to head

Cilium vs Domotz

Cilium logo

Cilium

Cloud

eBPF-based networking, observability and security for Kubernetes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Domotz logo

Domotz

Networking

Network monitoring for MSPs and IT teams priced per managed device or per collector, with published rates

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cilium has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cilium requires a recent Linux kernel, which rules out older distributions and some managed environments; Domotz the Managed Device Plan bills in bundles of ten, so a network with, for example, eleven devices to manage pays for twenty rather than a precise count
  • They diverge on capability: Cilium covers eBPF datapath, Domotz covers Device discovery and monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cilium and Domotz actually diverge.

Attributes where Cilium and Domotz differ
AttributeCiliumDomotz
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer collector or per managed device per month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsKubernetes, LinuxWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryCloudNetworking

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cilium

  • eBPF datapath
  • Identity-based policy
  • Hubble observability
  • Sidecar-free mesh

Only in Domotz

  • Device discovery and monitoring
  • Remote access without VPN
  • Two published pricing models
  • Automated alerting
  • MSP client segregation

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cilium

  • Kubernetes networking at a scale where iptables-based CNI performance degradesnot Domotz
  • Network policy expressed on workload identity rather than fragile IP rulesnot Domotz
  • Seeing which services actually talk to each other, and what policy is droppingnot Domotz

Domotz

  • An MSP with high device density per client site wanting predictable flat pricing per collector rather than counting individual devicesnot Cilium
  • An IT integrator managing many small sites with few devices each, better served by per-device pricing than a flat collector feenot Cilium
  • A field services or retail IT team needing remote access to branch equipment without configuring VPN tunnels to each sitenot Cilium
  • A team wanting a directly comparable public price against Auvik before starting a sales conversation with either vendornot Cilium

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cilium

  • Requires a recent Linux kernel, which rules out older distributions and some managed environments
  • eBPF is genuinely hard to debug when it misbehaves, and the skill is rare on most teams
  • Broad scope — CNI, policy, mesh, observability — means the learning curve covers several domains at once

Domotz

  • The Managed Device Plan bills in bundles of ten, so a network with, for example, eleven devices to manage pays for twenty rather than a precise count
  • The Collector Plan gives full access per collector regardless of device count monitored by that collector, which can be inefficient for a site with very few devices relative to the flat $35 fee
  • As a SaaS platform, ongoing monitoring depends on the local Collector maintaining connectivity to Domotz's cloud, so a site-level outage that also cuts collector connectivity limits remote visibility exactly when it is needed
  • Feature depth for large enterprise NOC-style operations is narrower than platforms built for that scale, since Domotz's roadmap centres on MSP and integrator use cases
  • Remote access without VPN configuration is convenient but depends on Domotz's own relay infrastructure remaining available and trusted, which is a different security posture than a customer-controlled VPN
  • Volume and annual discounts exist but the specific discount schedule is not fully published, so very large deployments still benefit from negotiating directly rather than relying on the list price

Pricing, plan by plan

Cilium

Free
  • CiliumFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Domotz

On request
  • Collector Plan$35/month
    • Full platform access on every device that collector monitors
  • Managed Device Plan$1.5/month
    • Billed in bundles of 10 devices
    • All non-managed devices on the network discovered at no extra cost

Which should you pick?

Choose Cilium if

  • You need ebpf datapath.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Linux.
  • You also want identity-based policy.
Cilium review

Choose Domotz if

  • You need device discovery and monitoring.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want remote access without vpn.
Domotz review

Questions people ask

Is Cilium or Domotz better?
Neither clearly leads. Cilium starts at Free and Domotz at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cilium or Domotz?
Cilium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cilium and On request for Domotz.
Does Cilium or Domotz run on more platforms?
Cilium runs on Kubernetes, Linux. Domotz runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Cilium for free?
Yes. Cilium has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Domotz starts at On request.
What is Cilium best used for?
Cilium is most often used for kubernetes networking at a scale where iptables-based cni performance degrades, network policy expressed on workload identity rather than fragile ip rules, seeing which services actually talk to each other, and what policy is dropping. Of those, kubernetes networking at a scale where iptables-based cni performance degrades and network policy expressed on workload identity rather than fragile ip rules are not what Domotz is typically brought in for.
What can Cilium do that Domotz cannot?
Cilium covers eBPF datapath, Identity-based policy, Hubble observability, Sidecar-free mesh. Domotz covers Device discovery and monitoring, Remote access without VPN, Two published pricing models, Automated alerting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cilium: Is Cilium free?

Yes, open source and CNCF-graduated. Isovalent sells an enterprise distribution and support.

Domotz: Is pricing based on networks, sites or devices?

Devices. Domotz states explicitly there are no per-site, per-network or per-user charges.

Cilium: What does eBPF change?

It lets Cilium run packet-processing programs inside the kernel instead of relying on iptables rule chains, which behave poorly as the number of services grows.

Domotz: What is the difference between the two plans?

The Collector Plan is a flat $35/month per collector with full access to everything that collector monitors; the Managed Device Plan is $1.50/month per device, billed in bundles of ten.

Cilium: Does Cilium replace a service mesh?

It can cover much of what a mesh does without sidecars, though full mesh feature sets still favour Istio or Linkerd.

Domotz: Is there a free trial?

Yes, a 14-day free trial is offered.

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