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PingPlotter is useful for tracing connection problems, but its free tier is limited and remote monitoring can get expensive. The alternatives here serve different needs: open-source infrastructure monitoring, configurable telemetry dashboards, or broader observability and network intelligence. We’d treat them as candidates for a change in monitoring approach, not assume they reproduce PingPlotter’s troubleshooting workflow. Prices below are listed starting points; where the published information does not give a price, we say so.
01Why people leave PingPlotter
Free monitoring needs exceed the tier
One Reddit thread sought real-time monitoring for up to 30 IPs every 5–20 seconds, plus email alerts. A commenter noted PRTG’s lowest ping interval was 30 seconds.
Remote monitoring can get expensive
PingPlotter is useful for tracing network issues, but the published overview flags remote monitoring costs. A Reddit post also cited $199 for a full version at the time.
You want a different monitoring model
Some users want continuous ISP and gateway graphs; others want a free option. Reddit commenters suggested tools including SmokePing, MTR and PingInfoView.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Open-source monitoring
PrometheusPrometheusPrometheus is the clearest fit if you’re leaving because you want an open-source monitoring base rather than a paid PingPlotter plan. It has a free plan and is listed for cloud-native service monitoring and PromQL-based queries and alerts. That points to a broader monitoring setup, not a direct promise of PingPlotter-style route tracing.
Trade-off: Independent servers use local storage, per the published product notes.
7.6/10from
Freefree plan - No license fees
ZabbixZabbixZabbix is worth considering if license fees are the sticking point and your team can manage its own monitoring stack. It is listed for IT and OT infrastructure monitoring, with no license cost. That makes it a different kind of switch from moving to another hosted troubleshooting tool: the published notes say experienced teams are best placed to manage it.
Trade-off: It takes work to configure well, according to the published notes.
7.6/10from
Freefree plan - Configurable dashboards
GrafanaGrafanaGrafana fits teams that want configurable dashboards and a way to combine telemetry signals. Its listed starting price is $19, with a free plan. That may suit a broader dashboarding approach if PingPlotter’s focused connection graphs are no longer enough, but the published information does not establish that it duplicates PingPlotter’s tracing workflow.
Trade-off: Pro’s $19 fee is only the start; usage charges matter.
7.0/10from
$19/mofree plan - Network intelligence
KentikKentikKentik is the network-focused option in this list, aimed at teams investigating traffic and performance across data center and cloud networks. Consider it if your need has grown beyond diagnosing an intermittent connection on one line. Its listed starting price is $2,000, so it is a substantial step up from PingPlotter’s $6.99 starting price.
Trade-off: The Pro price and annual commitment are substantial.
6.0/10from
$2,000/mofree plan - Broader observability
New RelicNew RelicNew Relic is listed for teams consolidating observability tools and prioritizing incident response, with a free plan and a $10 starting price. It may fit if your reason for leaving is that a focused network troubleshooting tool no longer covers your wider monitoring needs. The published information does not describe it as a direct PingPlotter replacement.
Trade-off: User and ingest costs can rise, per the published notes.
7.5/10from
$10/mofree plan - Broad monitoring coverage
DatadogDatadogDatadog is aimed at teams seeking broad monitoring coverage or consolidating observability and security tools. That is a bigger change than swapping one connection-diagnostics tool for another, so it fits best if your requirements have expanded beyond PingPlotter’s core use. The published starting price is $500, but it warns that this does not show the full bill.
Trade-off: The available price does not tell you the full bill.
6.7/10from
$500/mo
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 PingPlotter PingPlotter (current) | 6.4 | $6.99/mo | Yes | Tracing intermittent connection problems |
| Prometheus Prometheus | 7.6 | Free | Yes | Teams wanting open-source monitoring |
| Zabbix Zabbix | 7.6 | Free | Yes | Teams avoiding per-host license fees |
| Grafana Grafana | 7.0 | $19/mo | Yes | Teams combining multiple telemetry signals |
| Kentik Kentik | 6.0 | $2,000/mo | Yes | Teams monitoring data center and cloud networks |
| New Relic New Relic | 7.5 | $10/mo | Yes | Teams consolidating observability tools |
| Datadog Datadog | 6.7 | $500/mo | No | Teams seeking broad monitoring coverage |
Questions people ask
Which PingPlotter alternative has a free plan?
The published list marks Prometheus, Zabbix and Grafana as having free plans; New Relic also has a free plan. A free plan does not establish that any of them match PingPlotter’s specific tracing workflow or meet a particular monitoring interval and alerting requirement.
Is there a free tool that monitors 30 IPs every 5–20 seconds?
The published Reddit thread asked for that combination of monitoring and email alerts, but the comments do not confirm a tool that meets all of it. One commenter said PRTG’s lowest ping interval was 30 seconds. Check current limits against your exact host count, interval and alert needs.
Which option is most focused on network monitoring?
Kentik is the option described for network teams investigating traffic and performance across data center and cloud networks. Its listed starting price is $2,000, and the published notes flag a substantial annual commitment. That is a different budget and scope from PingPlotter’s listed $6.99 starting price.