Softwr

Networking · head to head

Netdata vs PRTG Network Monitor

Netdata logo

Netdata

Networking

Per-second metrics collection with automatic dashboards and on-node anomaly detection

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PRTG Network Monitor logo

PRTG Network Monitor

Networking

Infrastructure monitoring licensed by sensor count, not by device, which changes what a licence actually covers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Netdata has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Netdata the dashboard interface is under a restrictive Netdata licence rather than GPL and is served from Netdata infrastructure by default, so the deployment is not fully self-contained without extra configuration.; PRTG Network Monitor licensing by sensor rather than device means the real cost per device is unpredictable until sensor density is measured; a small network of complex devices can need a much larger tier than device count alone suggests
  • They diverge on capability: Netdata covers Per-second collection, PRTG Network Monitor covers Sensor-based monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Netdata and PRTG Network Monitor actually diverge.

Attributes where Netdata and PRTG Network Monitor differ
AttributeNetdataPRTG Network Monitor
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer sensor tier, billed monthly on an annual contract
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, FreeBSD, Docker, Kubernetes, WindowsWindows, Web, iOS, Android

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

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 Netdata

  • Per-second collection
  • Zero-configuration discovery
  • Edge machine learning
  • Tiered database engine
  • Streaming and replication
  • Health alarms

Only in PRTG Network Monitor

  • Sensor-based monitoring
  • Auto-discovery
  • Multiple monitoring technologies
  • Maps and dashboards
  • Cloud and hybrid deployment

What people use each for

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

Netdata

  • Diagnosing a short-lived performance incident where one-minute averages hide the spike entirelynot PRTG Network Monitor
  • Kubernetes clusters where per-series billing from a hosted vendor has become the largest observability costnot PRTG Network Monitor
  • Adding dense host visibility to an estate that already has Prometheus for application metricsnot PRTG Network Monitor
  • Small teams with no monitoring engineer who need working dashboards on the day of installationnot PRTG Network Monitor

PRTG Network Monitor

  • An IT team wanting network, server and application monitoring in one product rather than assembling separate open source toolsnot Netdata
  • An organisation that wants a Windows-installable on-premises monitoring server with a polished UI out of the boxnot Netdata
  • A team sizing a monitoring purchase that needs to calculate sensor density per device carefully before committing to a tiernot Netdata
  • A company wanting hybrid on-premises and cloud monitoring from the same licence and dashboardnot Netdata

Where each one falls short

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

Netdata

  • The dashboard interface is under a restrictive Netdata licence rather than GPL and is served from Netdata infrastructure by default, so the deployment is not fully self-contained without extra configuration.
  • Retention is limited by disk on each node unless you build and maintain a parent tier, which makes it a poor archive for year-over-year capacity planning.
  • Per-second collection consumes noticeable CPU and memory on small or heavily loaded nodes, and on constrained edge hardware the monitoring becomes part of the problem.
  • Default alerting is generous and fires on conditions many teams consider normal, so the first weeks involve pruning alarms rather than responding to them.
  • Fleet-level features that make it usable across hundreds of nodes sit in Netdata Cloud, so the free agent alone leaves you visiting individual node dashboards.

PRTG Network Monitor

  • Licensing by sensor rather than device means the real cost per device is unpredictable until sensor density is measured; a small network of complex devices can need a much larger tier than device count alone suggests
  • Different PRTG licence sizes cannot be combined on one server, so outgrowing a tier means a step change to the next tier rather than a smooth incremental add
  • It requires a Windows server for on-premises deployment, which is an added infrastructure and patching burden compared with a Linux-native open source alternative
  • Pricing is materially higher than open source options like Icinga or LibreNMS for comparable core monitoring capability, and the premium is for polish and support rather than unique functionality
  • The free tier (100 sensors) is limited enough that most real deployments quickly need a paid tier, so it functions more as a trial than a genuinely usable free offering
  • Custom sensor scripting and advanced configuration still require real monitoring expertise; the polished UI does not remove the underlying complexity of correctly instrumenting a large network

Pricing, plan by plan

Netdata

Free
  • Netdata AgentFree
    • GPLv3 agent with unlimited nodes
    • Per-second metrics and edge anomaly detection
    • Local dashboards and alerting
  • Netdata Cloud paid tiers$undefined/month
    • Per-node subscription for fleet management features
    • Role based access control and longer alert history
    • Business and enterprise support options

PRTG Network Monitor

On request
  • PRTG 500$200/month
    • Up to 500 sensors
  • PRTG 1000$358/month
    • Up to 1,000 sensors
  • PRTG 2500$742/month
    • Up to 2,500 sensors
  • PRTG 5000$1300/month
    • Up to 5,000 sensors

Which should you pick?

Choose Netdata if

  • You need per-second collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, Docker, Kubernetes, Windows.
  • You also want zero-configuration discovery.
Netdata review

Choose PRTG Network Monitor if

  • You need sensor-based monitoring.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want auto-discovery.
PRTG Network Monitor review

Questions people ask

Is Netdata or PRTG Network Monitor better?
Neither clearly leads. Netdata starts at Free and PRTG Network Monitor at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Netdata or PRTG Network Monitor?
Netdata has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Netdata and On request for PRTG Network Monitor.
Does Netdata or PRTG Network Monitor run on more platforms?
Netdata runs on Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, Docker, Kubernetes, Windows. PRTG Network Monitor runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Netdata for free?
Yes. Netdata has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PRTG Network Monitor starts at On request.
What is Netdata best used for?
Netdata is most often used for diagnosing a short-lived performance incident where one-minute averages hide the spike entirely, kubernetes clusters where per-series billing from a hosted vendor has become the largest observability cost, adding dense host visibility to an estate that already has prometheus for application metrics, small teams with no monitoring engineer who need working dashboards on the day of installation. Of those, diagnosing a short-lived performance incident where one-minute averages hide the spike entirely and kubernetes clusters where per-series billing from a hosted vendor has become the largest observability cost are not what PRTG Network Monitor is typically brought in for.
What can Netdata do that PRTG Network Monitor cannot?
Netdata covers Per-second collection, Zero-configuration discovery, Edge machine learning, Tiered database engine. PRTG Network Monitor covers Sensor-based monitoring, Auto-discovery, Multiple monitoring technologies, Maps and dashboards.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Netdata: Is Netdata fully open source?

The agent is GPLv3. The current dashboard interface is under a separate restrictive licence, so the complete product is open core rather than open source.

PRTG Network Monitor: Is PRTG licensed per device or per sensor?

Per sensor. Each individually monitored metric counts as one sensor, so a single device is typically several sensors.

Netdata: Can it run without any connection to Netdata Cloud?

Yes, agents work standalone and dashboards can be served locally, but you lose fleet-wide views and need to configure local interface serving deliberately.

PRTG Network Monitor: Can I combine two PRTG licence tiers on one server?

No, Paessler states different license sizes cannot be combined on one PRTG installation.

Netdata: Does it replace Prometheus?

For host and container infrastructure metrics it often does. For custom application metrics with an existing exporter ecosystem and long retention, most teams keep both.

PRTG Network Monitor: Is there a free tier?

Yes, PRTG offers a free tier limited to 100 sensors, which most production networks will exceed quickly.

Share

Related pages

More on Netdata

More on PRTG Network Monitor

Keep looking

Other head to heads