Azure Network Watcher vs PRTG Enterprise Monitor comparison

Microsoft and Paessler GmbH are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Microsoft is ranked #42 with an average rating of 8.5, while Paessler GmbH is ranked #31 with an average rating of 7.9. Microsoft holds a 0.5% mindshare in NMS, compared to Paessler GmbH’s 0.6% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Paessler GmbH users who would recommend it.

Azure Network Watcher

Read 13 Azure Network Watcher reviews

1,006 Views
966 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

PRTG Enterprise Monitor

Read 11 PRTG Enterprise Monitor reviews

1,096 Views
1,085 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Azure Network Watcher

PRTG Enterprise Monitor

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

Azure Network Watcher and PRTG Enterprise Monitor compete in network management. PRTG Enterprise Monitor has the upper hand due to its extensive monitoring features and adaptability across IT environments.

Features:Azure Network Watcher integrates seamlessly with Azure, offers advanced diagnostics, and focuses on security, making it ideal for businesses invested in Azure. PRTG Enterprise Monitor delivers comprehensive network monitoring, customized alerts, and a flexible sensor-based architecture, suitable for diverse IT infrastructures.

Room for Improvement:Azure Network Watcher could expand support for non-Azure environments, enhance its feature set beyond Azure integration, and provide more comprehensive reporting tools. PRTG Enterprise Monitor may improve by simplifying its interface, reducing setup complexity for newcomers, and offering more affordable pricing tiers for smaller businesses.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service:Azure Network Watcher provides easy setup within Azure and benefits from robust Azure support. PRTG Enterprise Monitor ensures straightforward deployment with responsive customer service, making it adaptable across various IT landscapes.

Pricing and ROI:Azure Network Watcher offers competitive pricing within Azure services, representing good ROI for existing Azure users. PRTG Enterprise Monitor might be more expensive but ensures high ROI through its extensive functionalities and efficiency for large-scale monitoring needs.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Network Watcher vs. PRTG Enterprise Monitor Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher vs. PRTG Enterprise Monitor

February 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Azure Network Watcher

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

42nd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

5.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

PRTG Enterprise Monitor

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

31st

Average Rating

7.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Azure Network Watcher is 0.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of PRTG Enterprise Monitor is 0.6%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
PRTG Enterprise Monitor	0.6%
Azure Network Watcher	0.5%
Other	98.9%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

Bijoyendra Roychowdhury

Program Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

Network monitoring provides comprehensive analytics while the interface requires further development

The quality of Azure Network Watcher is quite good in terms of the in-depth analysis you can create from these matrices. There are other monitoring tools such as New Relic, AppDynamics, and Dynatrace which provide very detailed network tracing. Cloud providers such as Azure or AWS do not have that kind of GUI-based capability at this point, but using PowerShell or Python, you can develop it yourself. From the GUI perspective, it still needs to evolve in terms of quality and standard, though overall, it is quite good for troubleshooting. Regarding areas for improvement, when comparing to other network tools beyond Azure Monitor or Azure Network Watcher, those tools can identify single failed packets. This level of granularity is not currently possible with cloud providers as they only go to a certain level rather than the granular level needed for deep troubleshooting, though they do provide hints with available matrices.

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Emmanuel Appiah Boateng

Network and Security Engineer at a educational organization with 1,001-5,000 employees

Proactive monitoring has reduced network downtime and enables rapid incident response

The main benefits PRTG Enterprise Monitor provides for us include helping us respond quickly to network problems. For our virtualization switches, we normally use a different vendor, but I am not in charge of that particular system. I have not really used the pre-configured sensors feature in PRTG. A different team handles reporting. For now, nothing really comes to mind regarding additional functions for PRTG. I think it is good for what we use it for. I cannot really say much about technical support because I have never had a situation where I have to reach out. I would give PRTG Enterprise Monitor a final rating of eight. I would definitely recommend PRTG Enterprise Monitor to other users. I am an end user of the product. I am quite satisfied with the alerting part of PRTG, as it is quite good.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable feature of Azure Network Watcher is the cloud-native application firewall. It is helpful for securing databases."

"The stability is very good. I rate it a ten out of ten."

"What I like most about Azure Network Watcher is that it's focused more on the architecture. I also like that it has a packet capture feature that tells you how the packet travels and whether it's exiting Azure, etc."

"It provides good visibility."

"I like the visibility."

"The solution is stable."

"The most valuable features I have found are typology, visualization, and capture."

"Azure Network Watcher provides valuable features based on your specific requirements and use cases, helping you monitor network bandwidth, throughput, data flow consumption, and control costs by giving insight into egress and ingress traffic, total input and output operations, bandwidth, and threats through IP identification."

More Azure Network Watcher pros

"The product is easy to use and you don't need to have any training. You can use it even if you don't have an IT background."

"The solution's ability to monitor each and every aspect of our devices, such as memory utilization and port connectivity, is valuable."

"The solution offers perfect real-time bandwidth monitoring and SNMP functionality."

"PRTG is good and very easy to use."

"The product's most valuable feature is network analysis."

"It provides a vast array of options for dashboard creation and monitoring of the activities within the environment."

"The product is easy to understand."

"It can identify downtimes and disruptions."

More PRTG Enterprise Monitor pros

Cons

"Azure Network Watcher could improve by having other built-in applications. For example, an application to log activities for in and outbound traffic."

"User experience could be improved."

"Lacks sufficient security features."

"There are some occasional downtimes, but these were based on Azure-specific issues."

"I would like to see in the future if we can troubleshoot as a firewall because it is equipment as a network player and some diagnostics."

"Azure Network Watcher needs to have better documentation and it needs to capture information accurately."

"The initial setup and initial learning curve could be improved to be easier."

"The initial setup and deployment could be improved to be simplified."

More Azure Network Watcher cons

"The solution could be improved by including a processing monitor, possibly with a language interface like Lua, allowing for writing custom sensors and processing outcomes of inputs."

"In my opinion, one area that could be improved in PRTG Enterprise Monitor is the capability to send SMS notifications. Notifications are crucial for alerting us to areas that require attention."

"They should work on minimizing false positives by sending alerts promptly and confirming errors with minimal troubleshooting requirements."

"PRTG Enterprise Monitor should include more functionalities and features that are similar to SolarWinds."

"The licensing policy needs to change."

"There could be more security features included in PRTG Enterprise Monitor."

"When it comes to dashboard customization in PRTG Enterprise Monitor, there are not too many options, and I think that would not be a strong point for PRTG, but for our use cases, we do not really need that kind of customization."

"The support must be improved."

More PRTG Enterprise Monitor cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

"Azure Network Watcher is a little bit expensive."

"Price-wise, I have no information on how much Azure Network Watcher costs."

"The pricing is good. It's not too expensive."

"PRTG Enterprise Monitor is an expensive product."

"PRTG Enterprise Monitor's pricing is reasonable."

"The pricing is $2,149 for software without maintenance, and licenses are sold in the minimum bundle of 500 interfaces."

"The solution is affordable."

"I rate the product's pricing an eight to seven out of ten."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

17%

Government

11%

University

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

11%

University

10%

Healthcare Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Network Watcher?

I do not have the exact setup cost information on hand, but it is available in the public Azure portal. You can access the calculator there to get detailed pricing information.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Azure Network Watcher?

The main area for improvement is AI-based features. Currently, many intelligent tools are coming from third parties, and Azure Network Watcher needs to improve in this area. The focus should be on ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Azure Network Watcher?

Azure Network Watcher is used for monitoring network traffic. It provides insight into egress and ingress traffic, which helps determine whether consumption can be controlled. Most Azure services c...

See all answers

What do you like most about PRTG Enterprise Monitor?

If an event is detected, such as a resource running low on storage or RAM, the product will notify you via email. Upon receiving the notification, action must be taken to address and resolve the is...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PRTG Enterprise Monitor?

I would rate the pricing of PRTG Enterprise Monitor maybe a six. I think a six is fine, as it is reasonable and not expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with PRTG Enterprise Monitor?

When it comes to dashboard customization in PRTG Enterprise Monitor, there are not too many options, and I think that would not be a strong point for PRTG, but for our use cases, we do not really n...

See all answers

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Compared 33% of the time

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Compared 13% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher

February 2026

Download Azure Network Watcher product report

Buyer's Guide

PRTG Enterprise Monitor

January 2026

Download PRTG Enterprise Monitor product report

Overview

Azure Network Watcher is a comprehensive network monitoring and diagnostic service offered by Microsoft Azure. It provides a range of tools and capabilities to help users monitor, diagnose, and gain insights into their Azure network infrastructure. With Network Watcher, users can capture and analyze network traffic, monitor network performance, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and gain visibility into network topology. It also offers features like packet capture, flow logs, connection monitoring, and VPN diagnostics to ensure the smooth operation of Azure networks. Network Watcher enables users to proactively identify and resolve network issues, optimize network performance, and enhance the overall reliability and security of their Azure network environment.

Microsoft

PRTG Enterprise Monitor serves enterprises by ensuring comprehensive monitoring of servers, services, and applications, empowering users to track sensor data effectively and detect performance or security issues across their networks.

PRTG Enterprise Monitor is widely recognized for its capability to efficiently monitor technical sensors such as ping, uptime, CPU load, and memory usage. It supports users in tracking network resource performance, detecting malicious activity, and preventing failures. Its custom frameworks enable monitoring of certificate expirations and process availability. The intuitive interface requires no specialized IT background, featuring agentless operations that enhance responsiveness and SNMP monitoring valued across platforms. The tool is appreciated for its anomaly detection and notification features, allowing users to address issues proactively. Installation is straightforward and support is robust, although users seek enhancements in real-time SMS alerts, SAP system integration, fault management, and more flexible manual configurations.

What are the key features of PRTG Enterprise Monitor?

Network Analysis: Offers in-depth insights into network performance.
Custom Dashboards: Provides a library for tailored dashboard creation.
Alerting System: Effective user notifications prevent escalation of issues.
Agentless Monitoring: Enhances response times without installing agents.
SNMP Monitoring: Useful for monitoring multiple platforms.

What benefits and ROI should users consider?

Easy Installation: Simplifies the setup process for companies.
Proactive Anomaly Detection: Identifies and resolves issues swiftly.
Comprehensive Coverage: Ensures efficient fault detection and management.
User Support: Strong support capabilities aid troubleshooting.

Enterprises in industries such as IT services, finance, and healthcare rely on PRTG Enterprise Monitor for monitoring critical infrastructure. This includes ensuring internet connectivity, monitoring mail services, and tracking network performance and security, thereby maintaining operational efficiency and service availability.

Paessler GmbH

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher vs. PRTG Enterprise Monitor

February 2026

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