bwmon
bwmon: A focused, open-source tool for diagnosing bandwidth usage on one Linux machine. Ranked #18 of 33 in Bandwidth Monitoring Software by our editors (7.2/10); pricing: Free plan; best for local Linux bandwidth diagnostics.
At a glance
- Editor score7.2 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forLocal Linux bandwidth diagnostics
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Application monitoringYes
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- One-second live RX/TX monitoring with per-process attribution
- Spike forensics, heatmaps, and six months of history
- Open-source local deployment with CLI and alerting tools
Where it doesn't
- Designed for one Linux host rather than multi-host monitoring
- No user monitoring or SNMP monitoring
- Requires a Linux server stack including nginx, PHP-FPM, cron, and systemd
Our verdict on bwmon
bwmon is a self-hosted bandwidth monitoring tool for system administrators investigating network usage on a single Linux host. It provides live receive and transmit graphs, per-process attribution through nethogs, spike detection using conntrack flows, sustained-bandwidth alerts, and command-line monitoring and history tools. The local design avoids a cloud service and keeps the product focused on host-level diagnosis rather than centralized infrastructure monitoring.
Its strongest area is investigation depth for a single machine. One-second polling supports live observation, while forensic records, heatmaps, bandwidth-rate distributions, and six months of historical samples help connect unusual activity with processes and connection flows. Sustained-rate alerts include history tracking, giving administrators a way to review recurring bandwidth conditions instead of relying only on live graphs. Integrations with nginx, PHP-FPM, systemd, cron, Plotly, and nethogs fit a Linux server environment, and the project includes one-command installation and uninstall scripts.
The trade-off is scope. bwmon is built around one Linux host and does not provide user monitoring or SNMP monitoring, so it is not suited to teams that need multi-device flow analysis, network-device polling, or a broader monitoring stack. Its deployment also assumes familiarity with Linux services and the supporting server components. Administrators who need detailed local bandwidth diagnostics, open-source licensing, and historical analysis should find the focus appropriate; teams seeking centralized visibility across hosts or SNMP-managed infrastructure should choose a broader platform instead.
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bwmon pricing
bwmon fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Application monitoring | Yes |
| User monitoring | No |
| Flow protocol support | Not verified |
| SNMP monitoring | No |
| Monitored device limit | Not verified |
| Historical data retention | Not verified |
| Bandwidth alerts | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Web, Linux |
| Support | Docs, Community |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 6 integrations: nethogs, nginx, PHP-FPM, systemd, cron, Plotly |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | github.com |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
bwmon integrations
bwmon lists 6 integrations on its own site.
- nethogs
- nginx
- PHP-FPM
- systemd
- cron
- Plotly
Alternatives to bwmon
- ntopngA broad self-hosted toolkit for real-time, historical, and infrastructure visibility.9.4
- ManageEngine NetFlow AnalyzerA broad flow-monitoring suite for enterprise networks, with free and scalable paid editions.9.2
- Progress FlowmonA broad hybrid monitoring platform for teams needing flow, topology, performance and security analysis.9.0
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Featured on iTechGuides
bwmon is listed in our Bandwidth Monitoring Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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