Netwrix Auditor vs SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor comparison

Netwrix and SolarWinds are both solutions in the Active Directory Management category. Netwrix is ranked #3 with an average rating of 9.5, while SolarWinds is ranked #9 with an average rating of 7.6. Netwrix holds a 9.7% mindshare in ADM, compared to SolarWinds’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Netwrix users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 89% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

Netwrix Auditor

Read 8 Netwrix Auditor reviews

2,725 Views
1,172 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

SolarWinds Server and Appli...

Read 44 SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor reviews

4,410 Views
176 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Netwrix Auditor

SolarWinds Server and Appli...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 9, 2024

SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor and Netwrix Auditor compete in the monitoring and auditing category. Netwrix Auditor shows stronger features and comprehensive auditing functions, while SolarWinds is noted for its affordability and customer support.

What features are offered by SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor in comparison to Netwrix Auditor?

SolarWinds provides extensive monitoring capabilities, real-time alerts, and user-friendly dashboards. Netwrix Auditor offers detailed auditing, compliance reporting, and broader auditing functions with deeper insights.

What areas of improvement can be found in SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor in comparison to Netwrix Auditor?

SolarWinds could improve its reporting functionality, user navigation, and integration capabilities. Netwrix Auditor needs enhanced integration features, a more intuitive user experience, and simpler navigation.

How is the ease of deployment and customer service of SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor in comparison to Netwrix Auditor?

SolarWinds provides a straightforward deployment process and strong customer service. Netwrix Auditor requires a more extensive setup but offers thorough guidance and support during deployment.

What setup costs and ROI can be seen with SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor in comparison to Netwrix Auditor?

SolarWinds is praised for its cost-effectiveness and perceived strong ROI. Netwrix Auditor, though more expensive, is noted for delivering better value for its comprehensive features.

To learn more, read our detailed Netwrix Auditor vs. SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Netwrix Auditor vs. SolarWinds Server and Application 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

Netwrix Auditor

Ranking in Active Directory Management

3rd

Average Rating

9.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

GRC (11th), Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) (28th), Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (15th)

SolarWinds Server and Appli...

Ranking in Active Directory Management

9th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

4.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability (22nd), Server Monitoring (8th)

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Active Directory Management category, the mindshare of Netwrix Auditor is 9.7%, down from 14.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor is 1.9%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Active Directory Management Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Netwrix Auditor	9.7%
SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor	1.9%
Other	88.4%

Active Directory Management

Featured Reviews

RishiPandit

Lead - Technical Services at Impetus

Optimizing time and effort through comprehensive auditing features

Netwrix Auditor doesn't have many competitors at the level in which it is placed. All other companies provide auditing solutions but not up to the feature list; it is very broad and robust. The best features include flexibility to interact directly with MS-SQL. Real-time alerts help identify potential security threats. The ability to streamline audits with insights into configuration states is helpful, as the access reviews and audit reports are really insightful. This is a good tool. The search functionality is available, but comparative to other vendors, this is a bit slower. Reports are effective; the compliance reports and all the reports are very insightful. That is good.

Read full review

NikhilKalwint

Technical Specialist at ServiceIO

Monitoring over a thousand systems has improved decision making and operational visibility

From an advantage perspective, SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor is comparatively cheaper from a commercial point of view. It is easy to install and configure, very user-friendly, and quick to get up and running, allowing you to see the early value adds in your organization. It is compatible with most technologies for monitoring with very few chances of incompatibility. Configuration also allows us to monitor all the technical parameters we are looking for, making it a very good experience for us. The alerting feature in SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor is a main advantage, as it alerts based on threshold breaches and can raise tickets to the ticketing system, send SMS, and email notifications, allowing engineers to work on those tickets to resolve issues and avoid further impact. The visibility into server health is a beneficial feature that I am utilizing. We widely use various application performance metrics in SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor such as database monitoring and server monitoring, which are quite good enough for any monitoring solution. We utilize the customizable dashboards in SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor.

Read full review

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 is the real-time monitoring."

"I am impressed with the tool's reporting feature and notifications."

"Netwrix Auditor doesn't have many competitors at the level in which it is placed; all other companies provide auditing solutions but not up to the feature list—it is very broad and robust."

"It maintains audit logs for the duration of time that you wish, as long as you have the storage capacity to do so."

"I have found user behavior analysis and the ability to run risk assessments important features. Additionally, the interface and online documentation are very good."

"Netwrix provides features that no other solution on the market does."

"What I find the most valuable about Netwrix Auditor is the way it shows risk. The reports are very clear."

"The most valuable features of Netwrix Auditor are its affordability compared to similar products and its comprehensive monitoring of admin activities."

"We manage SolarWinds ourselves without outsourcing its services."

"AppInsight. Provides a simple way to get very in-depth monitoring configured for our most popular applications. Exchange, SQL, and SharePoint."

"It is simple to implement and can provide fairly decent Windows-based monitoring, beyond simple SNMP. It is great for monitoring newbies and smaller shops."

"Manage Groups: The capability to group appropriate devices gives better visibility of sites, categories, or critical regions. The same can be used to represent a dashboard for higher management."

"It's good at monitoring system-specific things like ports, services."

"The initial setup was relatively easy, and we didn't have to install anything. All we had to do was put on the devices we wanted to monitor."

"I'd rate technical support at eight out of ten. They are helpful and fast."

"This product can monitor application environments no matter where they reside and provides capabilities for deep insight into infrastructure."

More SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor pros

Cons

"If you buy direct, there is a minimum of 150 licenses that must be procured. The price point and barrier of entry is a little bit higher than it would be if you purchased the solution from an authorized reseller partner, rather than buying it and managing yourself."

"The solution lacks self-service on password reset. It also needs to improve its scalability."

"There is room for improvement with the introduction of AI functionality."

"In the UI, we have to adjust and resize our console many times, and sometimes it appears, sometimes you have to close and open it, and sometimes it does not give a scroll bar to navigate."

"I expect usability features to become more refined over time. I'm interested to see how it evolves and continues to improve."

"An improvement would be if there was an another way to manage the logs besides email because it's not so practical."

"There is room for improvements when it comes to the licensing."

"When there are issues I would like remediation to be in one place."

More Netwrix Auditor cons

"The technical support team's response time could be improved."

"Some custom applications cannot be monitored, and a lot more applications need to be included."

"This product has no real downside unless they fail to continue development of its capabilities."

"Support for the IBM Mainframe is needed."

"Downside of the tools is the web console are hung or crash. It need to improve the performance."

"Mapping interactions between systems."

"For each poller, SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor can only monitor up to ten thousand components, which restricts scalability."

"It needs time-based functions for monitoring. Some things need to be polled on a specific schedule or only during a specific window."

More SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is a license for this solution and we are on an annual license. The price is reasonable."

"This solution is reasonably priced. I would rate it a nine out of ten."

"The tool's price is fair."

"The product is expensive."

"The licenses start from USD 3000.00 and go up to USD 20,000.00 for the year. It's a perpetual license. Nothing is free in SolarWinds, anything that you need is an additional cost."

"When compared to other licensed models in the market, it stands out as one of the more cost-effective options."

"I would advise potential buyers to wait until the end of the quarter, end of year, or other time to place orders. There are actually great deals to be had at those times if your budget cycle can match up."

"Its licensing is on a yearly basis. It is just the standard price, but it can vary depending on the current rate of the dollar."

"We pay around $ 2,000 to $ 5,000 yearly for the solution."

"We are on an annual license to use the solution. The price of the solution is expensive. The price is based on a bunch of factors, such as the number of engines and elements."

"I like the pricing for this SolarWinds product."

More SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Educational Organization

12%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	4

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	17
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	21

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Netwrix Auditor?

The most valuable features of Netwrix Auditor are its affordability compared to similar products and its comprehensive monitoring of admin activities.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Netwrix Auditor?

I don't know about the pricing of this, but it is good at this price point because our organization has purchased it, which means it was in budget. We usually do not buy expensive solutions, so the...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Netwrix Auditor?

The areas of improvement include the front end, as the UI should be more intuitive and there should be fewer bugs. In the UI, we have to adjust and resize our console many times, and sometimes it a...

See all answers

What do you like most about SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor?

Identifying the problem statement is easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor?

The initial cost is quite high, but the renewal cost is reasonable.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor?

There is definitely room for improvement besides simplifying its setup. As a non-technical person, I believe the dashboards could be improved. Everything we use appears on video walls, and we need ...

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Netwrix Auditor

January 2026

Download Netwrix Auditor product report

Buyer's Guide

SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor

January 2026

SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor report

Download SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor product report

Also Known As

No data available

SolarWinds SAM

Overview

Netwrix Auditor is a security-focused solution that monitors IT environments by tracking changes, ensuring compliance, and enhancing visibility into user activities. It offers detailed auditing, real-time alerts, and robust reporting tools. Its intuitive interface and comprehensive features boost efficiency, productivity, and organizational growth.

Netwrix

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) delivers powerful application and server monitoring capabilities for IT pros, enabling them to diagnose and troubleshoot performance issues faster. Do not let slow applications and downtime impact your end-users and business services. Pinpoint the root cause of application issues across various layers of the IT stack. SolarWinds SAM is affordable and easy to deploy, use, and customize. You can automatically discover your system's environment and start monitoring in about an hour. No professional services or consultation needed.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

AT&T, SanDisk, Siemens, Verizon, Electrolux, Allianz, Societe Generale

Andr. L. Riis AS, NetSuite

Buyer's Guide

Netwrix Auditor vs. SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor

February 2026

Free Report: Netwrix Auditor vs. SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor

Find out what your peers are saying about Netwrix Auditor vs. SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.

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