ntopng
Network access control software
Network security software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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€99.95 one-time license
Free TrialFree version
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What is ntopng
ntopng is a network traffic monitoring and analysis tool that provides visibility into network flows, hosts, applications, and protocols. It is used by network and security teams to troubleshoot performance issues, investigate suspicious traffic, and produce usage and security reports. The product focuses on flow-based analytics (e.g., NetFlow/IPFIX/sFlow) and packet-based inspection depending on deployment, and it is commonly deployed on-premises as a sensor with a web UI.
Deep traffic visibility
ntopng provides detailed views of network conversations, top talkers, applications, and protocol usage using flow data and optional packet inspection. It supports common telemetry sources such as NetFlow, IPFIX, and sFlow, which helps consolidate monitoring across heterogeneous network devices. This makes it well-suited for network forensics and bandwidth/usage analysis where understanding “who talked to whom, when, and how” is required.
Flexible deployment options
ntopng can run on commodity hardware or virtual machines and can be positioned at network choke points or fed by exported flows from routers/switches. It supports multiple interfaces and can monitor multiple networks/segments from a single instance depending on sizing. This flexibility is useful for organizations that want monitoring without replacing existing network infrastructure.
Web-based reporting and alerts
The product includes a browser-based interface for dashboards, historical views, and reporting on hosts, interfaces, and applications. It can generate alerts based on traffic patterns and observed behaviors, supporting operational triage workflows. These capabilities help teams move from raw telemetry to actionable investigations without requiring a separate UI layer.
Not a NAC enforcement tool
Despite being used in security contexts, ntopng primarily provides visibility and analytics rather than network access control enforcement. It does not natively deliver the full NAC feature set such as device onboarding, posture assessment, quarantine/VLAN assignment, or 802.1X policy enforcement. Organizations needing access control typically require additional infrastructure and tooling beyond ntopng.
Tuning and expertise required
Effective use often requires network expertise to interpret flow data, tune alerts, and define what constitutes suspicious behavior in a given environment. High-traffic networks can require careful sizing, retention planning, and configuration to avoid performance bottlenecks. Teams without dedicated network/security operations may find initial setup and ongoing tuning time-consuming.
Limited endpoint/user context
ntopng’s insights are strongest at the network-traffic layer; mapping traffic to user identity, device posture, and endpoint telemetry is more limited than platforms built around identity and endpoint integration. Environments that rely heavily on identity-based policies may need additional integrations to correlate traffic with users and devices. This can reduce its usefulness for access decisions compared with products designed for access control and zero-trust policy enforcement.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Community | Free | Open-source (GPLv3). Basic realtime visibility, top talkers, Layer-7 application detection, historical timeseries for hosts; intended for home/small networks. (No license required). |
| Pro Embedded (Raspberry) | €99.95 (one-time license) | ntopng Pro for embedded/ARM devices (Raspberry). Includes one year maintenance and updates; immediate download after purchase. |
| Pro (Linux/Win/FreeBSD) | €299.95 (one-time license) | Pro features: interfaces aggregation, LDAP auth, extended alerts/behavioral checks, designed for offices/small enterprises. Includes one year maintenance and updates. |
| Enterprise M | €499.95 (one-time license) | Enterprise features: historical data/reports, extended SNMP, NetFlow/sFlow stats, identity management, infrastructure monitoring. Includes one year maintenance and updates. |
| Enterprise L | €699.95 (one-time license) | Larger-capacity Enterprise tier. Includes one year maintenance and updates. |
| Enterprise XL | €1,499.95 (one-time license) | Highest listed Enterprise tier in shop. Includes one year maintenance and updates. |
Notes: Licenses purchasable from the official ntop shop are valid for official binary packages (not for custom-built packages) and include 5 days installation support and one year of maintenance/free updates; software is immediately available for download after purchase. Educational users can obtain commercial products at no cost per the vendor site.
Seller details
ntop
Lugano, Switzerland
1998
Private
https://www.ntop.org/
https://x.com/ntop
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ntop/
