Best Network Traffic Analysis Software in 2026
Updated
In short: ntopng is ranked #1 of 23 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer and Nagios XI. The best-ranked option with a free plan is ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Noction Flow Analyzer at $165.83/mo.
To understand traffic moving through a network, compare the analysis and monitoring capabilities each tool lists. Application visibility, bandwidth monitoring, and conversation analysis describe different angles on traffic; flow protocols and deployment help you assess fit with your environment. Monitored device limits, free-plan availability, and paid-from pricing are additional factors for comparing scope and cost. ntopng, ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer, and Caligare Flow Inspector begin the ranking, with Nagios XI, Akvorado, and ElastiFlow among the entries that follow. Riverbed Aternity and pmacct also appear near the top. Use the listed protocol and device details alongside the visibility features to narrow down options for your monitoring needs.
23 network traffic analysis software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
#1 ntopng Top pick · 7.3 Free plan · Free #2 ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer Runner-up · 7.2 Free plan · $172/mo
#3 Nagios XI Also great · 7.1 Free plan · Free
- Free plan apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan AndroidiOSLinuxWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow, sFlow, IPFIX, J-Flow, NetStream, cflowd, AppFlow
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$172/mofirst paid tier About ManageEngine NetFlow AnalyzerVisit site - Free planFree trial apiLinuxself-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- No
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow, sFlow, jFlow, IPFIX
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free planFree trial Linuxself-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow 1, 5, 6, 7, 9
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free planFree trial apiLinuxself-hosted
- Free plan
- Yes
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow, IPFIX, sFlow
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - AndroidapiiOSLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindowsRecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms
- apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow, IPFIX, sFlow
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial Linuxself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow v5, NetFlow v9, IPFIX, NSEL, sFlow
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Linuxself-hosted
- Free plan
- Yes
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow v1, v5 and v9; IPFIX; sFlow v2, v4 and v5
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial apiWeb
- Free plan
- No
- Paid from
- 2,000 /mo
- Flow protocols
- sFlow, IPFIX, NetFlow v9, NetFlow v5, Juniper J-Flow
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$166.67/mofirst paid tier About Kentik Network Monitoring SystemVisit site - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Flow protocols
- Argus, NetFlow, IPFIX, J-Flow, Q-Flow, K-Flow
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WebWindowsiOSAndroid
- Free plan
- No
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WebLinux
- Free plan
- No
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow v5/v7/v9, jFlow, cflowd, NetStream, sFlow v4/v5, IPFIX
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinuxWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial apiLinuxself-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- No
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow, J-Flow, sFlow, IPFIX, NetStream
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$165.83/mofirst paid tier About Noction Flow AnalyzerVisit site - Web
- Free plan
- No
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow, IPFIX, sFlow, Syslog, SNMP Traps
- Application visibility
- No
- Conversation analysis
- No
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Web
- Free plan
- No
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow v5, NetFlow v9, IPFIX
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Web
- Free plan
- Yes
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow v5; NetFlow v9; IPFIX; sFlow
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms -
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Linux
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow v1, NetFlow v5, NetFlow v7, NetFlow v9, IPFIX, sFlow v4, sFlow v6
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Web
- Free plan
- No
- Flow protocols
- NetFlow v5 and v9, Huawei NetStream, Juniper J-Flow, sFlow, IPFIX
- Application visibility
- Yes
- Conversation analysis
- Yes
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Web
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WebWindows
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which network traffic analysis software is ranked first on Everything Xiaomi?
ntopng is ranked #1 of 23 with a score of 7.3. ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer is second and Nagios XI third.
How many of these have a free plan?
5 of the 23 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Noction Flow Analyzer has the lowest first paid tier we found: $165.83/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes: documentation depth, a free tier and the platforms it runs on. Paid placements never change a rank.