Custom alerts and data visualization let you quickly identify and prevent all kinds of network issues.
Choosing the right monitoring solution depends heavily on your infrastructure requirements, monitoring goals and required functionality. When you compare Paessler PRTG and Prometheus it quickly becomes clear that although both are monitoring tools, they serve distinct purposes in modern IT environments. Let’s take a look at how they compare across key monitoring capabilities.
Prometheus has established itself as the go-to solution for cloud-native monitoring, particularly excelling in Kubernetes environments and microservices architectures. Its specialized focus on time-series metrics and extensive use of exporters makes it powerful for DevOps teams working with containerized applications.
PRTG, on the other hand, takes a comprehensive approach that goes beyond basic monitoring. Instead of focusing solely on cloud-native metrics, PRTG provides unified monitoring that keeps your data secure through TLS encryption. This means you can:
While Prometheus excels at cloud-native and Kubernetes monitoring, most organizations need a solution that covers their entire IT infrastructure. PRTG provides complete infrastructure monitoring with the scalability your business demands.
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.
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
FEATURE | PRTG PRTG | Prometheus Prometheus |
|---|---|---|
One tool for your entire network | PRTG All monitoring features included | Prometheus Requires multiple components and separate tools for Windows and Linux monitoring |
Easy setup, intuitive monitoring | PRTG User-friendly interfaces for web, desktop, and mobile | Prometheus Requires Python and YAML knowledge as well as extensive API configuration |
Automatic network discover | PRTG Included | Prometheus Limited auto-discovery for Kubernetes environments |
Real-time alerts & notifications | PRTG Advanced, highly customizable alerting via different notification methods | Prometheus Requires separate Alertmanager component for notifications |
Custom maps & dashboards | PRTG Custom dashboard creation via drag & drop | Prometheus Requires Grafana or similar tools for dashboards and visualization |
Agentless monitoring | PRTG No need to install agents on the monitored systems | Prometheus Requires exporters for most monitoring tasks |
On-premises or cloud-based | PRTG Flexible deployment options available | Prometheus Primarily self-hosted, needs additional setup for clouds like AWS and Azure |
Enterprise version | PRTG Available | Prometheus Open-source only, no enterprise-specific version available |
Freeware version | PRTG Available for up to 100 sensors, free for life | Prometheus Open-source and free to use |
Distributed network monitoring | PRTG Monitoring an unlimited number of remote locations included | Prometheus Possible but requires complex setup |
Server & application monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Prometheus Strong application monitoring through extensive exporter ecosystem |
Network performance monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Prometheus Limited network monitoring capabilities, focuses on application metrics |
Bandwidth monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Prometheus Requires additional exporters for SNMP and network data |
Network traffic analyzer | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra costs | Prometheus Limited traffic analysis for web server like Nginx |
Cloud services monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Prometheus Excellent cloud-native monitoring capabilities |
Virtual infrastructure monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Prometheus Strong support for containerized environments like VMware |
Storage resource monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Prometheus Available through specific exporters |
Database monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Prometheus Comprehensive database monitoring with authentication options |
Web performance monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Prometheus Requires Blackbox exporter for uptime and performance |
Supports leading technologies | PRTG SNMP, flow protocols, packet sniffing, WMI, HTTP, ping, SQL, and much more | Prometheus Extensive support through exporter ecosystem |
Create your own scripts | PRTG Own PRTG API included for custom sensors and scripts | Prometheus Highly extensible through Python and custom exporters |
Includes technical support | PRTG Expert support included, no extra costs | Prometheus Community support through GitHub only, no official technical support |
“All-around winning
network monitor”
“The real beauty of PRTG is the endless possibilities it offers”
“PRTG Network Monitor
is very hard to beat”
Set up your monitoring in minutes, not days. PRTG can automatically scan your network, display the devices found in a practical device tree and also provide recommendations for matching sensors and their configuration. Unlike Prometheus, which needs complex manual configuration and multiple components, PRTG lets you focus on what matters - keeping your infrastructure running smoothly.
Get all monitoring capabilities you need in a single software. From bandwidth monitoring through SNMP to advanced network metrics, PRTG covers every aspect of your infrastructure out of the box. While Prometheus requires different exporters for each monitoring task, PRTG includes everything in one package.
Say goodbye to complex setups and get dashboards, graphs, and reporting without additional tools like Grafana. PRTG includes all visualization capabilities: from customizable dashboards to detailed performance graphs and automated reports. Monitor your infrastructure through a single pane of glass without managing multiple visualization tools.
While Prometheus relies on community resources, PRTG provides professional support when you need it most. From API integration questions to complex monitoring scenarios, our expert team is available to help. Our complete documentation and knowledge base covers everything from basic setup to advanced configurations, backed by direct technical support.
You are interested to know if PRTG could be an addition to your Prometheus implementation?
Custom alerts and data visualization let you quickly identify and prevent all kinds of network issues.
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:
PRTG and ManageEngine might seem similar at first. However, with ManageEngine, you have to choose between individual functions and purchase several modules to access the full range of features.
SolarWinds might be interesting for extremely complex network environments. But it also means you need to invest in higher costs for a platform made up of different modules and add-ons (that cost extra).
LogicMonitor might be your choice if your organization is cloud-first and relies heavily on cloud services. However, LogicMonitor’s out-of-the-box monitoring functionality is much more limited.
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.
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.
IT that works constitutes a business-critical basis for a company's success. Availability and security must be defined for the respective purpose and closely monitored – by OT and IT alike.
Combining their tools to a powerful solution for advanced analysis and automation, KnowledgeRiver and Paessler enable IT teams to ensure best performance for their infrastructure and networks.
Integrating monitoring results from PRTG into NetBrain maps makes the foundation for network automation.
Network Monitoring Software – Version 24.4.102.1351 (November 12th, 2024)
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 Prometheus depends on several factors, such as your specific network monitoring needs, budget, and technical resources available in your organization.
PRTG is ideal:
Prometheus might be your choice:
Prometheus specializes in container and microservices monitoring, with a focus on cloud-native metrics collection. Each additional monitoring requirement, from Windows servers to network devices, needs specific exporters and configuration. PRTG covers all monitoring scenarios out of the box - from VMware environments to Cisco devices, bandwidth analysis to cloud services - without requiring additional components.
Yes, many organizations use both tools effectively. PRTG handles the complete infrastructure monitoring, while Prometheus collects specialized metrics in containerized environments. This combination lets teams use the out-of-the-box monitoring capabilities PRTG provides while maintaining Prometheus for specific Kubernetes and container metrics.
PRTG offers automated setup with auto-discovery and preconfigured sensors for immediate monitoring. Prometheus requires manual steps: configuring exporters for each monitoring target, setting up TLS encryption, and adding separate tools for uptime monitoring and bandwidth analysis. What PRTG does in minutes can take days to configure in Prometheus.
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 Prometheus implementation?
