MoonGen

At a glance

• Editor score
  6.4 / 10
• Pricing
  Free plan
• Best for
  Scriptable Linux packet-generation experiments
• Free plan
  Yes
• Paid from
  Free
• Deployment
  Self_hosted
• Facts checked
  20 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Lua scripting supports custom packets and protocol headers.
  • DPDK-based I/O supports high-speed, multi-core packet generation.
  • Timestamping, rate control, loss checks, and latency histograms aid benchmarking.

• Where it doesn't

  • Linux-only platform scope limits cross-platform use.
  • Self-hosted deployment requires teams to manage the testing environment.
  • No recurring-test scheduler or remote test-management API is provided.

Our verdict on MoonGen

MoonGen is an open-source, self-hosted packet generator for researchers, network engineers, and teams benchmarking firewalls, routers, and other middleboxes. It runs on Linux and combines Lua scripting with DPDK-based high-speed packet I/O. Users can craft traffic, receive packets for loss and system-under-test checks, measure latency, and distribute packet-generation tasks across CPU cores. Its supported protocol coverage includes Ethernet, IPv4, IPv6, UDP, TCP, ARP, ICMP, and PTP.

The strongest case for MoonGen is its depth as a scriptable packet-generation tool. Lua scripts can define custom packet types and protocol headers, while software and hardware rate control support controlled traffic experiments. Hardware timestamping for transmitted and received packets, together with latency measurement and histogram output, gives network teams several ways to examine timing and performance. These capabilities suit repeatable lab benchmarks and focused experiments where traffic shape, packet handling, and latency matter more than a broad test-management interface.

MoonGen's narrow operating model is also its main constraint. It is Linux-only and self-hosted, so teams need a suitable environment and DPDK-compatible hardware for the intended high-speed workflows. The product is not presented as a hosted service and does not provide a recurring-test scheduler or remote test-management API. Choose MoonGen when you want free, open-source control over packet generation and are comfortable working through Lua scripts and local infrastructure. Choose an alternative when cross-platform operation, managed execution, scheduled testing, or centralized remote control is a primary requirement.

Your product? Our editors can test MoonGen in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

MoonGen pricing

MoonGen fact sheet

Alternatives to MoonGen

• Cisco ThousandEyesBroad enterprise coverage for testing networks, applications, traffic, routes, DNS, and topology.9.4
• NetBeezA wide-ranging platform for continuous, scheduled, and Wi-Fi network monitoring.9.2
• Forward EnterpriseA strong choice for modeling network behavior, testing changes, and tracing dependencies.9.0

See all MoonGen alternatives →

Featured on iTechGuides

MoonGen is listed in our Network Testing 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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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update