Custom alerts and data visualization let you quickly identify and prevent all kinds of network issues.
What do you need to monitor?
If you just need to keep an eye on hardware metrics on a single device, like CPU temperature, fan speed, or GPU performance, Open Hardware Monitor is hard to beat.
But when you're in charge of an enterprise network, it's a different story.
Hardware metrics are only one piece of the puzzle. You'll also want to track software, availability, bandwidth, latency, jitter, and every other variable that might slow your infrastructure (and your organization down). And, more importantly, you'll want a tool that makes it easy for the IT team.
And that's why PRTG is the obvious choice.
What could be easier than a single tool that can monitor everything from one place, out of the box or in accordance with your preferred parameters?
We rest our case.
Server monitoring. CPUs. Firewalls. Routers. Bandwidth. Availability. Temperature. Humidity.
PRTG monitors all the metrics you need to keep an eye on to make sure your enterprise network performs optimally… and the metrics you don't even know you need to monitor yet.
Quick installation with automatic network discovery and smart setup for instant monitoring
Custom dashboard creation via drag & drop with easy-to-read visualized overviews
Different user interfaces for web, desktop, and mobile apps for monitoring on the go
Network of qualified implementation partners to support you with a smooth migration to PRTG
Diagnose network issues by continuously tracking the health, availability, and performance of your entire IT infrastructure. Show hardware parameters, application performance, network traffic, bandwidth usage, and other key metrics in real time. Visualize data in clear graphs and dashboards to identify problems more easily. Gain the overview you need to troubleshoot all kinds of issues in your network.
Live traffic data graph in PRTG
Device tree view of the complete monitoring setup
Custom PRTG dashboard for keeping an eye on the entire IT infrastructure
Live traffic data graph in PRTG
Device tree view of the complete monitoring setup
FEATURE | PRTG PRTG | Open Hardware Monitor Open Hardware Monitor |
|---|---|---|
One tool for your entire network | PRTG All monitoring features included | Open Hardware Monitor Only monitors hardware |
Easy setup, intuitive monitoring | PRTG User-friendly interfaces for web, desktop, and mobile | Open Hardware Monitor No installation required, but must be run locally, on the device you want to monitor |
Automatic network discover | PRTG Included | Open Hardware Monitor Not available |
Real-time alerts & notifications | PRTG Advanced, highly customizable alerting via different notification methods | Open Hardware Monitor Supported |
Custom maps & dashboards | PRTG Custom dashboard creation via drag & drop | Open Hardware Monitor Not available |
Agentless monitoring | PRTG No need to install agents on the monitored systems | Open Hardware Monitor No need to install agents on the monitored systems |
On-premises or cloud-based | PRTG Flexible deployment options available | Open Hardware Monitor Local deployment only |
Enterprise version | PRTG Available | Open Hardware Monitor Not available |
Freeware version | PRTG Available for up to 100 sensors, free for life | Open Hardware Monitor Free and open source |
Distributed network monitoring | PRTG Monitoring an unlimited number of remote locations included | Open Hardware Monitor Not available |
Server & application monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Open Hardware Monitor Supported |
Network performance monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Open Hardware Monitor Not available |
Bandwidth monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Open Hardware Monitor Not available |
Network traffic analyzer | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra costs | Open Hardware Monitor Not available |
Cloud services monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Open Hardware Monitor Not available |
Virtual infrastructure monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Open Hardware Monitor Supported |
Storage resource monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Open Hardware Monitor Supported |
Database monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Open Hardware Monitor Not available |
Web performance monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Open Hardware Monitor Not available |
Supports leading technologies | PRTG SNMP, flow protocols, packet sniffing, WMI, HTTP, ping, SQL, and much more | Open Hardware Monitor Supported |
Create your own scripts | PRTG Own PRTG API included for custom sensors and scripts | Open Hardware Monitor Supported |
Includes technical support | PRTG Expert support included, no extra costs | Open Hardware Monitor Documentation only |
“All-around winning
network monitor”
“The real beauty of PRTG is the endless possibilities it offers”
“PRTG Network Monitor
is very hard to beat”
With the ability to monitor unlimited local, remote, and virtual network devices and support for all major monitoring protocols, PRTG can handle whatever you throw at it… including requirements you don't even know about yet.
Whether you use PRTG Network Monitor or our cloud-hosted solution, our network monitoring software is simple and intuitive by design. Set it up in minutes, with just a few clicks, and get on with other tasks while it keeps an eye on your network.
PRTG works right out of the box, but you can configure it just the way you like it so it’s bespoke to your needs. Configuration features include customizable dashboards and alerts, as well as the ability to pick your preferred performance thresholds and even create custom sensors.
The first 100 sensors are free forever, and include our full suite of features. Which means you can start monitoring with PRTG at no cost. And if you’re a large enterprise with complex needs, you can try our network monitoring solution free for 30 days before you commit.
It doesn’t matter how simple or complex your IT infrastructure is (or will become over time). PRTG adapts with ease. Deploy our network monitoring software on premises, in the cloud, or set up a hybrid environment, and upgrade or downgrade as your needs change.
You are interested to know if PRTG could be an alternative to your Open Hardware Monitor implementation?
PRTG is set up in a matter of minutes and can be used on a wide variety of mobile devices.
We also compared PRTG with other monitoring tools:
The basic version of the open-source tool Nagios is free of charge. But most users spent many hours to set up and customize the tool. In case of problems, browsing through forums is often the only solution.
Checkmk is a comprehensive network monitoring tool, but it uses open-source add-ons for some functions. This means additional work in setting up, operating, and maintaining the monitoring systems.
Icinga is an open-source monitoring tool offering flexibility but requiring advanced technical knowledge. Its setup and maintenance can be complex, especially for teams lacking dedicated Linux expertise.
Zabbix is open-source software with a strong community support. But it requires lots of manual configuration work to install and set it up. You also need to install agents on the monitored systems.
Real-time notifications mean faster troubleshooting so that you can act before more serious issues occur.
Partnering with innovative IT vendors, Paessler unleashes synergies to create
new and additional benefits for joined customers.
UVexplorer integrates tightly with PRTG to bring fast and accurate network discovery, detailed device inventory, and automatic network mapping to the PRTG platform.
Paessler PRTG integrates Wago systems into the higher-level monitoring of IT, security and production systems, thus creating a central overview.
PATLITE, as a manufacturer of visual and audible signaling devices, uses Paessler PRTG to ensure smooth plant operations.
Network Monitoring Software – Version 25.1.104.1946 (March 18th, 2025)
Download for Windows and cloud-based version PRTG Hosted Monitor available
English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese
Network devices, bandwidth, servers, applications, virtual environments, remote systems, IoT, and more
Choose the PRTG Network Monitor subscription that's best for you
Choosing between Paessler PRTG and Open Hardware Monitor depends on several factors, such as your specific network monitoring needs, budget, and technical resources available in your organization.
PRTG is ideal:
Open Hardware Monitor might be your choice:
The short answer is: every single one of them, and then some. PRTG is an all-in-one monitoring solution, which means it can track hardware, software, virtualized, and environmental metrics, making it ideal for large, complex IT infrastructure and distributed networks.
Available on-premises or as a cloud-hosted solution, PRTG comes with 250+ preconfigured sensors, plus the ability to create your own, and can monitor unlimited devices using the following monitoring protocols: SNMP, WMI, Windows performance counters, Flow technologies, including NetFlow, sFlow, IPFIX, and jFlow, SSH, HTTP and HTTPS, FTP, and DNS.
Don't let PRTG's breadth of functionality and customizability intimidate you. Setting it up is as easy as it gets. Download PRTG onto a Windows server (or use our cloud-hosted solution) and key in an IP address range. That's it. PRTG will automatically detect every hardware and software network component in the provided IP range and assign the appropriate sensors. You can then leave it as is, or tweak your monitoring environment, performance thresholds, and other parameters to suit.
Need help? We'll provide you with all the documentation you need and an extensive online knowledgebase. Plus, our experienced and friendly support team are always on hand to answer your questions and offer additional help.
PRTG uses sensor-based pricing, which means you only pay for the metrics you want to monitor. The first 100 sensors are free, for life. There's also no minimum monthly commitment on our paid plans. You can upgrade or downgrade your subscription at any time, no questions asked.
In PRTG, “sensors” are the basic monitoring elements. One sensor usually monitors one measured value in your network, for example the traffic of a switch port, the CPU load of a server, or the free space on a disk drive. On average, you need about 5-10 sensors per device or one sensor per switch port.
Paessler conducted trials in over 600 IT departments worldwide to tune its network monitoring software closer to the needs of sysadmins. The result of the survey: over 95% of the participants would recommend PRTG – or already have.
You are interested to know if PRTG could be an alternative to your Open Hardware Monitor implementation?