Scanopy is a dedicated tool for automated network discovery and documentation: one scan produces four switchable topology views — L2 physical, L3 logical, workloads, and applications — with per-host service detection. If you're weighing it against other options, here are the closest alternatives and where each one fits. Most overlap with only part of what Scanopy does; the table below shows how view coverage, pricing, and licensing compare.
Scanopy alternatives at a glance
How Scanopy and the closest alternatives compare on discovery, the four topology views (L2, L3, workloads, applications), service detection, pricing, and licensing.
| ToolProduct name and link to vendor site | DiscoveryProtocols used to find devices and map connections | Network ViewsWhich topology views the tool produces from discovery. L2 Physical switch ports and links L3 Subnets, VLANs, routing Workload VM/container host nesting Application Service-dependency / app grouping Yes supported Tag ? unverified Greyed not supported | ServicesNo No service awareness Basic Common port detection Yes Application-level fingerprinting | PricingStarting price or pricing model | Open SourceOSI OSI-approved open source license Source available Source code available, restricted license No Proprietary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scanopy | SNMP LLDP CDP ARP TCP/UDP | Yes240+ types | Starts at $11.99 monthly, unlimited hosts | OSI AGPL-3.0 | |
| NetBrain | SNMP CDP LLDP ARP SSH/CLI | No | Enterprise (contact sales) | No | |
| SolarWinds NTM | SNMP WMI CDP LLDP ICMP [3] | No | Perpetual ~$1,570 (subscription shift unclear) [44] | No | |
| Faddom | NetFlow/sFlow [23] | Basicapp dependencies [23] | Free up to 50 servers then from $19,000/yr [24] | No | |
| Auvik | SNMP CDP LLDP ARP [1] | Basic [2] | Per-device (contact sales) | No | |
| Domotz | SNMP ARP ICMP CDP LLDP mDNS NetBIOS [5] | Basic [6] | $1.50/device/mo [7] | No | |
| ManageEngine OpManager | SNMP CDP LLDP ARP [8] | No | From $95/yr (10 devices) [9] | No | |
| PRTG | SNMP WMI ICMP [13] | No | Free up to 100 sensors then tiered [4] | No | |
| LibreNMS | SNMP CDP LLDP [10] | No | Free | OSI GPL-3.0 | |
| NetDisco | SNMP CDP LLDP ARP [12] | No | Free | OSI BSD | |
| NetBox | ICMP SNMP SSH/CLI | No | Cloud and Enterprise: contact sales [42] | OSI Apache-2.0 |
The closest Scanopy alternatives
NetBrain
NetBrain is for large enterprises that need network maps integrated with automation and troubleshooting workflows.
Where Scanopy differs: Scanopy matches its topology coverage and adds per-host service detection, at flat pricing regardless of host count with a free, self-hostable Community edition.
Scanopy vs NetBrain, head to head →SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper
SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper is for enterprise teams that standardize on Microsoft tools and need Visio-native network diagram exports.
Where Scanopy differs: Scanopy also produces the application view and adds per-host service detection, at flat pricing regardless of host count with a free, self-hostable Community edition.
Scanopy vs SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper, head to head →Faddom
Faddom is for enterprise IT teams mapping application dependencies for data center migrations and cloud transitions.
Where Scanopy differs: Scanopy also produces the L2 physical and L3 logical views and adds per-host service detection, at flat pricing regardless of host count with a free, self-hostable Community edition.
Scanopy vs Faddom, head to head →Auvik
Auvik is for MSPs who need monitoring, alerting, and network maps in one cloud-managed platform.
Where Scanopy differs: Scanopy also produces the workload view and adds per-host service detection, at flat pricing regardless of host count with a free, self-hostable Community edition.
Scanopy vs Auvik, head to head →Domotz
Domotz is for cost-conscious MSPs who need monitoring, remote access, and basic network maps at a transparent price.
Where Scanopy differs: Scanopy matches its topology coverage and adds per-host service detection, at flat pricing regardless of host count with a free, self-hostable Community edition.
Scanopy vs Domotz, head to head →ManageEngine OpManager
ManageEngine OpManager is for mid-market IT teams that want monitoring and visualization at a lower per-device cost.
Where Scanopy differs: Scanopy also produces the application view and adds per-host service detection, at flat pricing regardless of host count with a free, self-hostable Community edition.
Scanopy vs ManageEngine OpManager, head to head →PRTG Network Monitor
PRTG Network Monitor is for teams already invested in the Paessler ecosystem who want built-in topology mapping alongside monitoring.
Where Scanopy differs: Scanopy also produces the L2 physical, L3 logical, and application views and adds per-host service detection, at flat pricing regardless of host count with a free, self-hostable Community edition.
Scanopy vs PRTG Network Monitor, head to head →LibreNMS
LibreNMS is for teams with Linux skills that want free, self-hosted monitoring with basic topology visualization.
Where Scanopy differs: Scanopy also produces the L3 logical, workload, and application views and adds per-host service detection, at flat pricing regardless of host count with a free, self-hostable Community edition.
Scanopy vs LibreNMS, head to head →NetDisco
NetDisco is for network teams that want free, open-source Layer 2 topology discovery and device tracking.
Where Scanopy differs: Scanopy also produces the L3 logical, workload, and application views and adds per-host service detection, at flat pricing regardless of host count with a free, self-hostable Community edition.
Scanopy vs NetDisco, head to head →NetBox
NetBox is for network and automation teams building a structured source of truth to drive Ansible, Nornir, or Terraform.
Where Scanopy differs: Scanopy also produces the L2 physical, L3 logical, workload, and application views and adds per-host service detection, at flat pricing regardless of host count with a free, self-hostable Community edition.
Scanopy vs NetBox, head to head →Why teams choose Scanopy
The tools above each lead with a different job — monitoring, discovery, or a structured source of truth — and several can produce a diagram as a byproduct. Scanopy's job is infrastructure documentation: a single scan returns four switchable views (L2 physical, L3 logical, workloads, and applications) and fingerprints the services running on each host, so the map shows not just what is connected but what each device is actually running.
It is also priced and licensed to stay out of the way: flat pricing regardless of host count, a free, self-hostable Community edition under AGPL-3.0 or a commercial license for business self-hosting, and a design that sits alongside whatever monitoring stack you already run rather than replacing it. If you want living, shareable network documentation without standing up another platform, that combination is hard to match — which is why teams comparing these tools tend to come back to Scanopy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Scanopy?
It depends on what you need most. Auvik and ManageEngine OpManager bundle automatic network maps into a full monitoring platform; LibreNMS and NetDisco are the leading free, open-source discovery tools; and NetBox is the standard if you want a structured source of truth rather than a visual map. None of them combine all four topology views (L2, L3, workloads, applications), per-host service detection, flat pricing, and a free self-hostable edition the way Scanopy does — so the right alternative comes down to which of those you can do without.
Can Scanopy be self-hosted or deployed on-prem?
Yes. Scanopy runs as a single daemon — no per-device agents and no inbound firewall rules — so you can self-host it on your own infrastructure or run the managed cloud. Commercial self-hosted licensing is available for teams that need on-prem deployment across multiple networks and seats.
Is Scanopy open source, and is there a free version?
Yes to both. The Scanopy Community edition is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license and free to self-host, limited to one network and one seat. Among the alternatives, LibreNMS, NetDisco, and NetBox are also open source; most commercial options are proprietary. Paid plans remove the caps — a commercial license for self-hosting, or managed cloud hosting — with more networks, seats, and support.
For all 13 tools side by side, see the full comparison of automated network diagram tools, or browse the head-to-head and alternatives comparisons.
Sources
[2] Auvik - Can Auvik discover services on my network?
[3] SolarWinds - Network Topology Mapper
[4] Paessler - PRTG Pricing
[5] Domotz - Agentless Network Discovery for MSP Client Onboarding
[6] Domotz - Device TCP/UDP Ports/Services Discovery
[7] Domotz - Pricing
[8] ManageEngine - Discover Networks
[9] ManageEngine - OpManager Editions
[10] LibreNMS - Auto-Discovery
[12] NetDisco - Documentation
[13] Paessler - PRTG System Requirements
[23] Faddom - Agentless Application Dependency Mapping
[24] Faddom - Pricing
[42] NetBox Labs - Pricing (Cloud and Enterprise contact sales)
[44] SolarWinds NTM - Pricing (TrustRadius)
Try Scanopy
Scanopy deploys a lightweight daemon that discovers your network and builds a live topology map. No per-device fees, unlimited hosts. It pairs with whatever monitoring tool you already use.
Started as a homelabber, now deep in SNMP MIBs, Layer 3 topology, and service fingerprinting - building the network documentation tool I wished existed.