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Head-to-head · Bandwidth Monitoring Software

ntopng vs pmacct

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score ntopng #1 in Bandwidth Monitoring Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit ntopng
pmacct #7 in Bandwidth Monitoring Software 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit pmacct

ntopng leads on 0 checks, pmacct on 0, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorentopng · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth

ntopng scores higher on our rubric for bandwidth monitoring software: 9.4 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #7.

ntopng is the better fit for comprehensive self-hosted network visibility. pmacct is the better fit for technical teams needing flexible flow accounting.

  • ntopng fits best

    Comprehensive self-hosted network visibility

  • pmacct fits best

    Technical teams needing flexible flow accounting

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature ntopng 9.4/10 Visit ↗ pmacct 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.4
Ranking #1 in Bandwidth Monitoring Software #7 in Bandwidth Monitoring Software
Best for Comprehensive self-hosted network visibility Technical teams needing flexible flow accounting
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Self-hosted
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux Linux
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 7 integrations 12 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features ntopng 0/4 · pmacct 0/4
Application monitoring Not checked yet Not checked yet
User monitoring Not checked yet Not checked yet
SNMP monitoring Not checked yet Not checked yet
Bandwidth alerts Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Flow protocol support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Monitored device limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Historical data retention Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Combines packet capture, flow collection, SNMP, application, and topology monitoring
  • Open-source Community plan includes real-time visibility, alerts, and discovery
  • Supports Linux, Windows, macOS, REST API, and extensive integrations
  • Supports NetFlow, IPFIX, sFlow, packet capture, BGP, BMP, and telemetry
  • Combines filtering, sampling, tagging, aggregation, and Layer 7 classification
  • Exports to SQL, NoSQL, flat files, Kafka, AMQP, and multiple flow protocols
Cons
  • Self-hosted deployment requires organizations to manage the monitoring environment
  • Historical data and reports are limited to Enterprise tiers
  • LDAP authentication and network matrix timeseries require the Pro tier
  • Linux-only, self-hosted deployment limits platform flexibility
  • Broad configuration options require network engineering expertise
  • No commercial tiers for teams seeking packaged vendor support
Our verdict

ntopng is a self-hosted, web-based network traffic monitoring application for network administrators, security teams, and service providers. It combines passive packet capture with NetFlow, sFlow, and IPFIX collection, Layer-7 application…

Read the review →

pmacct is an open-source suite of passive network monitoring and traffic-accounting daemons for network operators and engineers. It collects IPv4 and IPv6 traffic through packet captures, NetFlow, IPFIX, sFlow, NFLOG, BGP, BMP, and…

Read the review →
  1. ntopngBandwidth Monitoring Software 9.4Free plan
  2. pmacctBandwidth Monitoring Software 8.4Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • ntopng — where it wins

    • Combines packet capture, flow collection, SNMP, application, and topology monitoring
    • Open-source Community plan includes real-time visibility, alerts, and discovery
    • Supports Linux, Windows, macOS, REST API, and extensive integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires organizations to manage the monitoring environment
    • Historical data and reports are limited to Enterprise tiers
    • LDAP authentication and network matrix timeseries require the Pro tier

  • pmacct — where it wins

    • Supports NetFlow, IPFIX, sFlow, packet capture, BGP, BMP, and telemetry
    • Combines filtering, sampling, tagging, aggregation, and Layer 7 classification
    • Exports to SQL, NoSQL, flat files, Kafka, AMQP, and multiple flow protocols

    Where it doesn't

    • Linux-only, self-hosted deployment limits platform flexibility
    • Broad configuration options require network engineering expertise
    • No commercial tiers for teams seeking packaged vendor support
  • ntopng9.4/10 · Free plan

    A broad self-hosted toolkit for real-time, historical, and infrastructure visibility.

    Visit ntopngFull verdict →
  • pmacct8.4/10 · Free plan

    A flexible, self-hosted toolkit for flow collection, packet accounting, and network-data export.

    Visit pmacctFull verdict →

More comparisons

All bandwidth monitoring software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update