A LibreNMS alternative with fewer parts to join up.

Looking for a LibreNMS alternative? LibreNMS is free, open-source, SNMP-based monitoring with strong auto-discovery and automatic network maps, but flow analysis, configuration backups and high availability rely on other tools that you install and connect yourself. TarleyNode includes those in one self-hosted product, with a free edition for up to 100 sensors.

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TarleyNode and LibreNMS side by side

Features of TarleyNode 0.3.6 and LibreNMS
FeatureTarleyNodeLibreNMS
Where it runsYour own Linux serverYour own Linux server or Docker [3]
LicenceCommercial, priced by sensorsOpen source, GPLv3 [1]
AgentlessYes: SNMP, WinRM, SSH and APIsSNMP, with an optional agent [6]
SNMP v3Yes, with SHA-256 and AESYes [5]
NetFlow, sFlow, IPFIXIncludedPartly: through a separate NfSen install [7]
Syslog and SNMP trapsIncludedYes, through rsyslog or syslog-ng [8]
VMware and Hyper-VYesVMware vCenter and ESXi [4]
Remote sitesConnected sites, includedPartly: pollers not meant for remote sites [9]
LLDP and CDP mapYesYes, from CDP, LLDP and FDP [10]
Configuration backupsIncluded, with change historyPartly: shows backups from Oxidized [11]
High availabilityOption, USD 480 a year for 3 servers, with an alert when no server is activePartly: built by hand [12]
Single sign-onOpenID Connect or MicrosoftLDAP, AD, RADIUS, SAML, OAuth [13]
Nagios pluginsCompatibleYes, for services [14]
Phone appsNo, browser consoleiPhone and Android apps [2]

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

Where LibreNMS is stronger

  • Free and open source under GPLv3.
  • Automatic discovery using CDP, FDP, LLDP, OSPF, BGP, SNMP and ARP.
  • Automatic network maps from CDP, LLDP and FDP.
  • Traffic billing with quotas and 95th percentile.
  • iPhone and Android apps.
  • A full API and a wide choice of sign-in methods, including RADIUS and SAML.

Where TarleyNode differs

  • NetFlow, IPFIX and sFlow are received by TarleyNode itself, with no separate NfSen install.
  • Configuration backups over SSH with change history are taken by TarleyNode itself, with no separate Oxidized install.
  • A high availability option with standby servers, a witness, automatic failover and rolling updates, rather than a cluster you build from Galera and Redis Sentinel.
  • Connected sites for remote locations, added with one command, with results kept on disk if the link drops. LibreNMS says its distributed polling is not intended for remote polling.
  • Windows health and services over WinRM, plus Hyper-V, Azure, AWS and Microsoft 365 service health.
  • Escalation policies, public status pages, scheduled reports and monthly service-level reports.

Which team should pick which

Pick LibreNMS if your estate is mostly SNMP network devices, you want free open-source software, and your team is comfortable installing and looking after tools such as NfSen and Oxidized.

Pick TarleyNode if you want flow analysis, configuration backups, failover and remote sites working from one installer, with servers, cloud services and applications in the same console.

Switching from LibreNMS

  1. Install TarleyNode on a separate server or virtual machine.
  2. Run a discovery scan of the networks LibreNMS 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 LibreNMS running until you no longer need it.

Questions

Is LibreNMS free?

Yes. LibreNMS is open source under GPLv3, and paid support is available through its partners. TarleyNode is free for up to 100 sensors after a 30-day trial, then from USD 600 a year for 500 sensors.

Does LibreNMS do NetFlow?

LibreNMS can show flow data, such as NetFlow, through NfSen, which you install separately. TarleyNode receives NetFlow, IPFIX and sFlow itself.

Can LibreNMS back up switch configurations?

LibreNMS shows current configurations, history and differences from Oxidized, which you install first. TarleyNode takes configuration backups over SSH with change history itself.

Does TarleyNode draw network maps like LibreNMS?

Yes. TarleyNode builds a network map from LLDP and CDP and includes a switch port mapper.

Can I run TarleyNode alongside LibreNMS?

Yes. Both read from your devices over SNMP, so you can point TarleyNode at the same devices with the same SNMP credentials while you compare.

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 LibreNMS while you compare.

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Guides

Other comparisons

All network monitoring alternatives

Sources

  1. LibreNMS on GitHub
  2. LibreNMS home page
  3. LibreNMS docs: installing LibreNMS
  4. LibreNMS docs: features
  5. LibreNMS docs: SNMP configuration examples
  6. LibreNMS docs: agent setup
  7. LibreNMS docs: NfSen
  8. LibreNMS docs: syslog
  9. LibreNMS docs: distributed poller
  10. LibreNMS docs: network map
  11. LibreNMS docs: Oxidized
  12. LibreNMS docs: high availability
  13. LibreNMS docs: authentication
  14. LibreNMS docs: services
  15. LibreNMS docs: billing module
  16. LibreNMS docs: API

LibreNMS 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.