A Checkmk alternative for agentless network monitoring.

Looking for a Checkmk alternative? Checkmk is a mature self-hosted platform with more than 2,000 integrations and its own agents, offered as a free Community edition and paid Pro, Ultimate and Cloud editions. TarleyNode is an agentless network monitor that includes flow analysis, LLDP and CDP maps and configuration backups in every licence, where Checkmk sells flow analysis as an add-on.

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TarleyNode and Checkmk side by side

Features of TarleyNode 0.3.6 and Checkmk
FeatureTarleyNodeCheckmk
Where it runsYour own Linux serverLinux server, Docker, or appliance (paid editions) [5]
LicenceCommercial, priced by sensorsCommunity GPLv2, or paid editions [4]
AgentlessYes: SNMP, WinRM, SSH and APIsOwn agents, plus SNMP and APIs [3]
SNMP v3Yes, with SHA-256 and AESYes [6]
NetFlow, sFlow, IPFIXIncludedPartly: paid ntopng add-on [7]
Syslog and SNMP trapsIncludedYes, in the Event Console [8]
Windows serversWinRM: health, services, countersWindows agent [9]
VMware and Hyper-VYesYes [10]
Azure and AWSYesYes; more in Ultimate [11]
Remote sitesConnected sites, includedDistributed monitoring [12]
LLDP and CDP mapYesPartly: parent and child topology [13]
High availabilityOption, USD 480 a year for 3 servers, with an alert when no server is activeTwo-appliance failover cluster [14]
Single sign-onOpenID Connect or MicrosoftLDAP; SAML in paid editions [15]
Nagios pluginsCompatibleCompatible [16]

Numbers in brackets link to the Checkmk page each answer comes from.

Prices

Checkmk list prices
EditionListed priceNotes
CommunityFreeCheckmk says it scales easily to about 100 hosts
ProFrom €190 a month, billed annuallyAbout €1.90 per host per month
UltimateFrom €275 a month, billed annuallyAbout €2.75 per host per month

After a 30-day trial, a Pro or Ultimate installation carries on in a free mode limited to 750 services and one site. Checkmk counts hosts and services, while TarleyNode counts sensors, so compare quotes for your own estate.

TarleyNode is free for up to 100 sensors after a 30-day trial, then from USD 600 a year for 500 sensors.

Where Checkmk is stronger

  • More than 2,000 built-in integrations.
  • A free, open-source Community edition under GPLv2.
  • Agents for Windows and Linux give deep server detail, alongside SNMP for network devices.
  • Checkmk says it scales to hundreds of thousands of hosts.
  • A hosted Cloud edition as well as self-hosted editions.
  • Compatible with Nagios plugins, with a long history in that ecosystem.

Where TarleyNode differs

  • NetFlow, IPFIX and sFlow are included in every licence. Checkmk’s ntopng integration is an add-on for its commercial editions and needs ntopng Professional or Enterprise.
  • Agentless by design: SNMP, WinRM, SSH and APIs, with nothing to roll out to monitored devices.
  • An LLDP and CDP network map, a switch port mapper and configuration backups over SSH with change history.
  • Single sign-on with OpenID Connect or Microsoft is built in. Checkmk documents SAML for its commercial editions.
  • Public status pages, a NOC wall display and monthly service-level reports that cannot be changed afterwards.
  • Unlimited users on every licence, priced per installation by sensor count.

Which team should pick which

Pick Checkmk if you monitor many servers and applications as well as the network, are happy to deploy agents, and want a free open-source edition or the widest choice of integrations.

Pick TarleyNode if your focus is the network, you want to avoid agents, and you want flow analysis, maps and configuration backups without add-ons.

Switching from Checkmk

  1. Install TarleyNode on a separate server or virtual machine.
  2. Run a discovery scan of the networks Checkmk monitors, using the same SNMP and Windows credentials.
  3. Apply device templates, then compare alerts and reports from both over a few weeks.
  4. Switch when you are satisfied, and keep Checkmk running until you no longer need it.

Questions

Does Checkmk include NetFlow?

Not natively. Checkmk documents NetFlow through an ntopng integration, an add-on for its commercial editions that also needs ntopng Professional or Enterprise, and lists native flow monitoring as in progress for Checkmk 3.0 on its roadmap. TarleyNode includes NetFlow, IPFIX and sFlow in every licence.

Does TarleyNode use agents like Checkmk?

No. TarleyNode monitors over SNMP, WinRM, SSH and APIs, so nothing is installed on monitored devices.

Is TarleyNode free like Checkmk Community?

TarleyNode is free for up to 100 sensors after a 30-day trial, then from USD 600 a year for 500 sensors. Checkmk Community is free and open source.

Can I use Nagios plugins with TarleyNode?

Yes. TarleyNode is compatible with Nagios plugins, and also supports custom sensors for REST APIs and scripts over SSH or PowerShell.

Can TarleyNode monitor remote sites?

Yes. Connect a site adds a location with one command on Linux or Windows. Devices there are monitored locally, and results are kept on disk if the link is interrupted.

See TarleyNode on your own network

Ask for an invitation through Request a demo; every request is read by a person. An evaluation includes every feature with unlimited sensors for 30 days, and TarleyNode then stays free for up to 100 sensors. It does not change device configuration, so it can run next to Checkmk while you compare.

Request a demoView licensing

Guides

Other comparisons

All network monitoring alternatives

Sources

  1. Checkmk pricing
  2. Checkmk editions
  3. Checkmk home page
  4. Checkmk open-source monitoring
  5. Checkmk docs: setting up Checkmk
  6. Checkmk docs: SNMP
  7. Checkmk docs: ntopng integration
  8. Checkmk docs: Event Console
  9. Checkmk docs: Windows agent
  10. Checkmk guide: virtual server monitoring
  11. Checkmk docs: cloud monitoring
  12. Checkmk docs: distributed monitoring
  13. Checkmk docs: host structure and topology
  14. Checkmk docs: appliance cluster
  15. Checkmk docs: SAML
  16. Checkmk docs: active checks
  17. Checkmk roadmap

Checkmk details were checked on the vendor’s own website in October 2026. TarleyNode details describe release 0.3.6. If anything here is out of date, tell us at sales@tarleynode.com. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners. TarleyNode is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.