Best Network Management Software in 2026
Updated
In short: ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager is ranked #1 of 32 as of 5 October 2026, ahead of Domotz and UniFi Network. The best-ranked option with a free plan is UniFi Network. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Domotz at $1.50/mo.
Keeping network equipment and configurations in view calls for a close look at what management tools cover. Compared on network discovery, managed device limit, configuration management, and configuration backup, these options also differ in API access and policy automation. Deployment model, free-plan availability, and paid starting price offer further points to assess against your environment. ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager, Domotz, and UniFi Network are examples to consider across those fields. Think about which management tasks you need software to support and what operating model fits the network you oversee.
32 network management software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
32ranked
7free plans on this page
$1.50/molowest paid tier
5 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Network Management Software 25 channels on this page · 111 of 200 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromDeployment modelManaged device limitNetwork discoveryConfiguration managementConfiguration backupPolicy automation Spec sheet Score
01 ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelon-premisesManaged device limit10 devicesNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 7/8spec lines stated 7.9
02 Domotz Free planYesPaid from$1.5/moDeployment modelnot statedManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoverynot statedConfiguration managementnot statedConfiguration backupnot statedPolicy automationnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 7.6
03 UniFi Network Free planYesPaid from$29/moDeployment modelhybridManaged device limit1,000 devicesNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 8/8spec lines stated 7.6
04 TP-Link Omada SDN Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 7.5
05 MikroTik RouterOS Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelnot statedManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoverynot statedConfiguration managementnot statedConfiguration backupnot statedPolicy automationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.3
06 Gluware Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.1
07 NetBrain Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.1
08 Arista NG Firewall Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.0
09 HPE Morpheus VM Essentials Software Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelon-premisesManaged device limit50 devicesNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.0
10 Cisco Meraki Dashboard Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelcloudManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupNoPolicy automationYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.9
11 IP Fabric Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.7
12 SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.7
13 cFosSpeed Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelnot statedManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoverynot statedConfiguration managementnot statedConfiguration backupnot statedPolicy automationnot stated 0/8spec lines stated 6.4
14 FRRouting Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelnot statedManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoverynot statedConfiguration managementnot statedConfiguration backupnot statedPolicy automationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 6.4
15 NetBox Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementNoConfiguration backupnot statedPolicy automationYes 5/8spec lines stated 6.4
16 HPE Intelligent Management Center Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelon-premisesManaged device limit50 devicesNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.3
17 ExtremeCloud IQ Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.2
18 Juniper Security Director Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelcloudManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoverynot statedConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupnot statedPolicy automationYes 4/8spec lines stated 6.2
19 Synology Router Manager Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelon-premisesManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 6.2
20 WhatInStartup Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelon-premisesManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoveryYesConfiguration managementnot statedConfiguration backupnot statedPolicy automationnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 6.2
21 Huawei HiSecEngine USG6800G Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelnot statedManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoverynot statedConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupnot statedPolicy automationYes 2/8spec lines stated 6.1
22 VyOS Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelnot statedManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoverynot statedConfiguration managementnot statedConfiguration backupnot statedPolicy automationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 6.1
23 Juniper Mist Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelcloudManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoverynot statedConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 5/8spec lines stated 5.9
24 OpenWISP Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoverynot statedConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupnot statedPolicy automationYes 4/8spec lines stated 5.8
25 BackBox Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridManaged device limitnot statedNetwork discoverynot statedConfiguration managementYesConfiguration backupYesPolicy automationYes 4/8spec lines stated 5.7
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment model | Managed device limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager | 7.9 | Free plan | $19.83/mo | Yes | — | on-premises | 10 devices |
| 2 | Domotz | 7.6 | No | $1.50/mo | Yes | 1.5 /mo | — | — |
| 3 | UniFi Network | 7.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | 29 /mo | hybrid | 1,000 devices |
| 4 | TP-Link Omada SDN | 7.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | hybrid | — |
| 5 | MikroTik RouterOS | 7.3 | Free plan | $45/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 6 | Gluware | 7.1 | Free plan | Free | No | — | hybrid | — |
| 7 | NetBrain | 7.1 | No | — | No | — | hybrid | — |
| 8 | Arista NG Firewall | 7.0 | Free plan | $22.50/mo | No | — | hybrid | — |
| 9 | HPE Morpheus VM Essentials Software | 7.0 | No | $50/mo | — | — | on-premises | 50 devices |
| 10 | Cisco Meraki Dashboard | 6.9 | No | — | No | — | cloud | — |
| 11 | IP Fabric | 6.7 | No | — | No | — | hybrid | — |
| 12 | SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager | 6.7 | No | — | No | — | hybrid | — |
| 13 | cFosSpeed | 6.4 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | FRRouting | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 15 | NetBox | 6.4 | No | — | Yes | — | hybrid | — |
| 16 | HPE Intelligent Management Center | 6.3 | No | — | — | — | on-premises | 50 devices |
| 17 | ExtremeCloud IQ | 6.2 | No | — | No | — | hybrid | — |
| 18 | Juniper Security Director | 6.2 | No | — | No | — | cloud | — |
| 19 | Synology Router Manager | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | — | on-premises | — |
| 20 | WhatInStartup | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | — | on-premises | — |
| 21 | Huawei HiSecEngine USG6800G | 6.1 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 22 | VyOS | 6.1 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 23 | Juniper Mist | 5.9 | No | — | No | — | cloud | — |
| 24 | OpenWISP | 5.8 | No | — | Yes | — | hybrid | — |
| 25 | BackBox | 5.7 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | — |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which network management software is ranked first on Specifiction?
ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager is ranked #1 of 32 with a score of 7.9. Domotz is second and UniFi Network third.
How many of these have a free plan?
7 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Domotz has the lowest first paid tier we found: $1.50/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing.
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