NETworkManager vs SoftPerfect Network Scanner

NETworkManager8.7Visit SoftPerfect Network Scanner8.6Visit

Higher score NETworkManager #5 in Network Diagnostic Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit NETworkManager

vs

SoftPerfect Network Scanner #6 in Network Diagnostic Software 8.6/10 Paid ✓ 3 of 4 features Visit SoftPerfect

• NETworkManager fits best

  Free Windows network troubleshooting

• SoftPerfect Network Scanner fits best

  Cross-platform network inventory

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Side by side

Feature	NETworkManager 8.7/10 Visit ↗	SoftPerfect Network Scanner 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.7	8.6
Ranking	#5 in Network Diagnostic Software	#6 in Network Diagnostic Software
Best for	Free Windows network troubleshooting	Cross-platform network inventory
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free plan	—
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Integrations	5 integrations	1 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features NETworkManager 4/4 · SoftPerfect Network Scanner 3/4
Path visualization	✓	✓
DNS diagnostics	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Packet-loss analysis	✓	✓
Command-line interface	✓	✓
Specs
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Target limit	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Supported platforms	Windows 10 / Windows Server, x64 or ARM64, version 22H2 or later	Windows, macOS, Linux
Our review
Pros	Combines traceroute, DNS, ping monitoring, scanning, Wi-Fi, SNMP, and discovery tools Supports multi-host monitoring with latency charts and reachability-change notifications Offers encrypted profiles, CLI options, and MSI, portable, and archive deployments	Supports discovery and scanning across Windows, macOS and Linux Combines monitoring, inventory collection, exports and CLI automation Adds Nmap integration plus remote management functions
Cons	Windows-only coverage limits use across mixed-platform environments Desktop deployment may not suit teams seeking a browser-based diagnostic console Its broad toolkit may require networking expertise to use effectively	No permanent unrestricted free plan Paid licences may be less suitable than free alternatives Desktop deployment may not fit teams seeking a hosted service
Our verdict	NETworkManager is a free, open-source Windows desktop application for network administration and troubleshooting. It brings IP and port scanning, traceroute, DNS queries, multi-host ping monitoring, Wi-Fi analysis, SNMP tools, and… Read the review →	SoftPerfect Network Scanner is a desktop network administration tool for Windows, macOS and Linux. It is designed for system administrators, businesses, home users and network support work that requires device discovery, inventory… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• NETworkManager — where it wins

  • Combines traceroute, DNS, ping monitoring, scanning, Wi-Fi, SNMP, and discovery tools
  • Supports multi-host monitoring with latency charts and reachability-change notifications
  • Offers encrypted profiles, CLI options, and MSI, portable, and archive deployments

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows-only coverage limits use across mixed-platform environments
  • Desktop deployment may not suit teams seeking a browser-based diagnostic console
  • Its broad toolkit may require networking expertise to use effectively

• SoftPerfect Network Scanner — where it wins

  • Supports discovery and scanning across Windows, macOS and Linux
  • Combines monitoring, inventory collection, exports and CLI automation
  • Adds Nmap integration plus remote management functions

  Where it doesn't

  • No permanent unrestricted free plan
  • Paid licences may be less suitable than free alternatives
  • Desktop deployment may not fit teams seeking a hosted service

• NETworkManager8.7/10 · Free plan

  A free Windows desktop toolkit covering scanning, monitoring, DNS, Wi-Fi, and discovery.

  Visit NETworkManagerFull verdict →
• SoftPerfect Network Scanner8.6/10 · Paid

  A broad network inventory toolkit for administrators who need scanning, monitoring and automation.

  Visit SoftPerfectFull verdict →