Invariant vs PingPlotter
Invariant
invariant.techPingPlotter
pingplotter.comSide by side
| Figure | Invariant | PingPlotter |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $6.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 6 |
| Spec score · Network Testing Software | 7.8 (#18) | 8.8 (#2) |
| Integrations | The maker lists Jenkins, GitHub Actions, LibreNMS, Netmiko, Aerleon, Capirca, IPAM, and SIEM workflows as integration options. | REST-call alerts can post to Slack, Microsoft Teams or Google Chat and create Jira tickets. |
| Intended users | Invariant describes its users as network and security operators who need to assess network security and safely make network changes. | The maker presents Standard for home network troubleshooting, Professional for small office networks, and Cloud for remote teams. |
| Security | Invariant says its client removes passwords and secrets from configuration files before upload, and its cloud service uses encryption and environment isolation. | The product comparison lists two-factor authentication and SAML single sign-on among its features; SSO is an add-on for PingPlotter Cloud. |
| Support | The contact page lists [email protected] for technical support and says Slack is the most immediate way to reach the company. | PingPlotter directs users to its support team for help with downloads, licenses, and product questions. |
Plans
PingPlotter
- FreeFree
- Standard$6.99 a month
- Professional$29 a month
- Professional Edition$29 a month
- PingPlotter Cloud$90 a month
- Standard EditionPrice not published
In their own words
Invariant
Invariant validates network configurations against connectivity and security rules in a cross-vendor digital twin. It builds the model from configuration files, so direct access to routers or switches is not required. Users define policies in YAML and evaluate them against network snapshots, including proposed changes before deployment. Results can report policy violations and failures affecting critical flows. Scheduled network scans can trigger incident alerts with virtual traceroutes and virtual route-table differences. The service lists Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, and AWS among supported vendors, and integrations including Jenkins, GitHub Actions, LibreNMS, Netmiko, Aerleon, Capirca, IPAM, and SIEM workflows. A CLI, SDK, and API support automation. Listed protocols include BGP, OSPF, IPSec, NAT, policy-based routing, VPN, ACL, and VLAN. Invariant offers hybrid deployment and web/API access. The Basic account is free, billed as a free Basic account with effectively no usage limits. Higher tiers add SSO, larger device counts, and preview features.
PingPlotter
PingPlotter monitors network performance and maps network paths to help locate connection problems. It tracks latency, jitter and packet loss, with desktop editions monitoring connections from one Windows or macOS computer. PingPlotter Cloud adds an online dashboard for remote connections, while Insights analyzes network data for incidents, possible causes and fixes. Cloud alert actions can make REST calls to services including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat and JIRA. Webhooks can report agent status or connection-quality changes and link to compatible apps through services such as Zapier and Power Automate. Desktop editions have a 14-day trial; afterward, the free version allows one connection, no remote collection and 10 minutes of monitoring history. Cloud trials last seven days. The free plan is free. Standard Edition starts at $6.99/mo.; Professional Edition is $29 a month, and PingPlotter Cloud is $90 a month. Platforms listed include Windows, macOS, Linux, web and iOS.