Nagios alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data
Common reasons people leave Nagios: text-file configuration is laborious, and dated web interface. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Nagios, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Icinga currently ranks first.
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The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.
Best Nagios alternative for most people
IcingaStarted as a Nagios fork and keeps plugin compatibility with a modern UI and API.
Best Nagios alternative for a free option
ZabbixAll-in-one web UI, templates and metrics storage without text-file config.
Best Nagios alternative for a free plan you can upgrade
CheckmkUses Nagios-style checks but adds auto-discovery and a web configuration UI.
Best Nagios alternative for open source
PrometheusMetrics-first approach better suited to cloud-native systems.
Best Nagios alternative for self-hosting
NetdataInstant dashboards and alerts with almost no configuration.
Best Nagios alternative for Mac
PrometheusMetrics-first approach better suited to cloud-native systems.
Best Nagios alternative for Windows
PrometheusMetrics-first approach better suited to cloud-native systems.
Best Nagios alternative for Linux
IcingaStarted as a Nagios fork and keeps plugin compatibility with a modern UI and API.
Best Nagios alternative for working in the browser
IcingaStarted as a Nagios fork and keeps plugin compatibility with a modern UI and API.
Nagios alternatives: common questions
What is the best alternative to Nagios?
Icinga ranks first right now. Started as a Nagios fork and keeps plugin compatibility with a modern UI and API. Checkmk and Zabbix follow it in our ranking.
Is there a free alternative to Nagios?
Yes. Icinga (open source), Checkmk (free plan + paid), Zabbix (open source) and Prometheus (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.
Is there an open-source alternative to Nagios?
Yes: Icinga, Checkmk, Zabbix and Prometheus, plus 1 more in the list above. Icinga, Checkmk and Zabbix can also be self-hosted.
Which Nagios alternatives work on Linux?
Icinga, Checkmk, Zabbix, Prometheus and Netdata run on Linux.
Why do people switch from Nagios?
The complaints we hear most: text-file configuration is laborious; dated web interface; no built-in metrics storage or modern dashboards.
How is this list ranked?
Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Nagios, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.