Head-to-head · Network Monitoring
Zabbix vs SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor
Zabbix leads on 1 check, SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreZabbix · 9.4/10
- Free planonly Zabbix
- Free trialonly SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor
- Most featuresSolarWinds Network Performance Monitor · 3 of 3
Zabbix scores higher on our rubric for network monitoring: 9.4 against 8.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #5.
Zabbix offers free plan; SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor doesn't.
Zabbix is the better fit for broad, extensible infrastructure monitoring. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor is the better fit for established self-hosted enterprise monitoring.
- Zabbix fits best
Broad, extensible infrastructure monitoring
- SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor fits best
Established self-hosted enterprise monitoring
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Side by side
| Feature | Zabbix 9.4/10 Visit ↗ | SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor 8.9/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.4 | 8.9 |
| Ranking | #1 in Network Monitoring | #5 in Network Monitoring |
| Best for | Broad, extensible infrastructure monitoring | Established self-hosted enterprise monitoring |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Starting price | €245/mo | Pricing on request · 30-day trial |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | — | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web, Linux, Windows, macOS | Web |
| Support | Email, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs · 24/7 | Tickets, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Zabbix 0/3 · SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor 3/3 | ||
| Synthetic checks | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Traffic monitoring | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Topology maps | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Specs | ||
| Device limit | Not checked yet | 100 devices |
| Alert channels | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Deployment | Not checked yet | Self_hosted |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Zabbix is an open-source monitoring and observability platform for IT teams, enterprises, and service providers. It covers servers, networks, applications, databases, virtual machines, containers, cloud services, and system services. Teams… Read the review → |
SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor is paid network monitoring software for IT teams managing multi-vendor environments. It discovers routers, switches, firewalls, wireless controllers, access points, and other network devices, then… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Zabbix — where it wins
- Free open-source self-hosted edition with no license fee
- Monitors infrastructure, networks, services, VMs, logs, and cloud platforms
- Supports discovery, automation, root-cause analysis, and distributed monitoring
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployment requires infrastructure managed by your team
- Zabbix Cloud Nano is limited to 50 new values per second
- Silver support is billed annually at €245 per month
SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor — where it wins
- Tracks availability, packet loss, bandwidth, and hardware health
- Combines topology maps, NetPath, and PerfStack correlation
- Adds wireless, syslog, SNMP traps, forecasting, and capacity reporting
Where it doesn't
- Starts at $2,829
- Has no free plan
- Self-hosted deployment limits platform coverage
- Zabbix9.4/10 · Free plan
Broad infrastructure monitoring with a free self-hosted edition and paid cloud options.
Visit ZabbixFull verdict → - SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor8.9/10 · Pricing on request · 30-day trial
A mature self-hosted monitor with deep network visibility, but a high entry price.
Visit SolarWindsFull verdict →
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- ManageEngine OpManager vs SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor
- Paessler PRTG Network Monitor vs SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor
- SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor vs Broadcom DX NetOps
All network monitoring comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update