Custom alerts and data visualization let you quickly identify and prevent all kinds of network issues.
When it comes to log management and infrastructure monitoring, the whole point should be gaining actionable insights fast – not spending weeks configuring complex systems. While Graylog offers an open-source log management solution, it comes with significant complexity that can overwhelm teams looking for straightforward monitoring solutions.
With Graylog you can collect and analyze data from across your IT infrastructure, but there’s a catch. Implementing Graylog requires extensive planning, and can require multiple dependencies. It also requires specialized knowledge to configure effectively.
Paessler PRTG takes a different approach - instead of requiring you to become a log management specialist, PRTG provides comprehensive monitoring that works out-of-the-box. PRTG delivers unified monitoring that handles not just log collection and analytics, but your entire IT infrastructure through a single, user-friendly interface. This eliminates the need to juggle multiple monitoring tools while providing real-time dashboards and cost-effective pricing without the overhead of managing dependencies or specialized expertise.
Many organizations start with Graylog because it's open-source but quickly discover that "free" doesn't mean "easy". Graylog's complexity often requires dedicated resources just to maintain the platform, from managing dependencies and configuring log parsing rules to troubleshooting deployments. PRTG eliminates this complexity by providing comprehensive observability through out-of-the-box functionality and automation that doesn't demand specialized expertise.
Quick installation with automatic network discovery and smart setup for instant monitoring
Custom dashboard creation via drag & drop with easy-to-read visualized overviews
Different user interfaces for web, desktop, and mobile apps for monitoring on the go
Network of qualified implementation partners to support you with a smooth migration to PRTG
Diagnose network issues by continuously tracking the health, availability, and performance of your entire IT infrastructure. Show hardware parameters, application performance, network traffic, bandwidth usage, and other key metrics in real time. Visualize data in clear graphs and dashboards to identify problems more easily. Gain the overview you need to troubleshoot all kinds of issues in your network.
Device tree view of the complete monitoring setup
Custom PRTG dashboard for keeping an eye on the entire IT infrastructure
Live traffic data graph in PRTG
FEATURE | PRTG PRTG | Graylog Graylog |
|---|---|---|
One tool for your entire network | PRTG All monitoring features included | Graylog Primarily focused on log management; requires additional tools for comprehensive monitoring |
Easy setup, intuitive monitoring | PRTG User-friendly interfaces for web, desktop, and mobile | Graylog Requires extensive configuration and specialized knowledge |
Automatic network discover | PRTG Included | Graylog Not available - focuses on log data ingestion, not network device discovery |
Real-time alerts & notifications | PRTG Advanced, highly customizable alerting via different notification methods | Graylog Customizable alerts and integrations available |
Custom maps & dashboards | PRTG Custom dashboard creation via drag & drop | Graylog Supported, but requires significant expertise to configure |
Agentless monitoring | PRTG No need to install agents on the monitored systems | Graylog Typically requires log forwarding agents or collectors for most data sources |
On-premises or cloud-based | PRTG Flexible deployment options available | Graylog Deployment options available |
Enterprise version | PRTG Available | Graylog Available |
Freeware version | PRTG Available for up to 100 sensors, free for life | Graylog Open-source version available |
Distributed network monitoring | PRTG Monitoring an unlimited number of remote locations included | Graylog Supports distributed architecture but requires complex multi-node setup |
Server & application monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Graylog Limited to log-based monitoring; no direct performance metrics |
Network performance monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Graylog Not available - focuses on log data, not network performance metrics |
Bandwidth monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Graylog Not available - no bandwidth monitoring capabilities |
Network traffic analyzer | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra costs | Graylog Limited NetFlow support available but requires additional configuration |
Cloud services monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Graylog Can collect cloud service logs but no direct cloud infrastructure monitoring |
Virtual infrastructure monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Graylog Not available - log collection only |
Storage resource monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Graylog Not available - no storage monitoring capabilities |
Database monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Graylog Not available - can only collect database logs, no performance monitoring |
Web performance monitoring | PRTG Out-of-the-box integration, no extra cost | Graylog Not included - focuses on log analysis, not web performance metric |
Supports leading technologies | PRTG SNMP, flow protocols, packet sniffing, WMI, HTTP, ping, SQL, and much more | Graylog Primarily syslog and log-based protocols; limited infrastructure monitoring capabilities |
Create your own scripts | PRTG Own PRTG API included for custom sensors and scripts | Graylog Supported through plugins, custom inputs, and REST API |
Includes technical support | PRTG Expert support included, no extra costs | Graylog Community support for open-source; paid support available for enterprise version |
“All-around winning
network monitor”
“The real beauty of PRTG is the endless possibilities it offers”
“PRTG Network Monitor
is very hard to beat”
PRTG is a complete package offering log management, infrastructure monitoring, and real-time insights, without the complexity of specialized analytical solutions. And when you need to monitor your infrastructure and critical IT applications, you shouldn't have to sacrifice functionality for usability – PRTG ensures that you don't have to.
Monitor everything from a single console with PRTG's comprehensive but clear user interface. While Graylog focuses primarily on log management and requires additional configuration for comprehensive monitoring, PRTG provides a unified approach that monitors your entire IT ecosystem without multiple products. This enables faster root cause analysis by letting you correlate log data with network performance, server health, and application metrics across all components of your technology stack.
With hundreds of preconfigured sensors and custom scripting capabilities, PRTG monitors every metric that matters across your infrastructure. Compare that with Graylog's specialized focus on log analytics, and PRTG excels at both log monitoring and infrastructure monitoring with immediate out-of-the-box functionality - providing complete visibility from syslog data and network devices to cloud services and application performance monitoring. Throw in real-time dashboards and data visualization and you can make troubleshooting straightforward for DevOps teams.
PRTG adapts to your environment, not the other way around. Deploy it on-premises, cloud-based, or in a hybrid setup to match your use cases, helping you to optimize your workflow. Graylog relies on complex architecture planning, often needing multiple dependencies like MongoDB and OpenSearch for some Gaylog instances. On the other hand, PRTG integrates seamlessly with your existing infrastructure through auto-discovery, reducing implementation time and eliminating the steep learning curve associated with complex log management tools. Whether you need to monitor AWS, Docker containers, or Kubernetes clusters, PRTG's scalable monitoring solution streamlines your workflow.
Always know exactly what you'll pay with PRTG's cost-effective pricing model. PRTG's sensor-based pricing means you pay only for what you monitor, with all features included. Plus, the first 100 sensors are completely free, forever – no complex setup required. This transparent pricing structure includes unlimited users, custom dashboards, automated alerts, and comprehensive reporting without hidden fees. As your IT infrastructure grows, simply add more sensors with predictable costs for your monitoring needs.
You are interested to know if PRTG could be an alternative to your Graylog implementation?
PRTG is set up in a matter of minutes and can be used on a wide variety of mobile devices.
We also compared PRTG with other monitoring tools:
Uptime Kuma is free, open source and great for uptime, downtime, and availability monitoring, but has a steep learning curve. PRTG offers full, customizable monitoring with enterprise features and ease of use.
NinjaOne focuses on endpoint management with per-device pricing. PRTG delivers comprehensive infrastructure monitoring with transparent sensor-based pricing and agentless capabilities.
Centreon is highly customizable but complex to configure. PRTG offers powerful monitoring, an intuitive interface, easy setup, and transparent sensor-based pricing that’s budget-friendly.
Grafana excels at visualization but requires additional tools for data collection. PRTG offers complete monitoring with pre-configured sensors and predictable pricing without data volume limitations.
Real-time notifications mean faster troubleshooting so that you can act before more serious issues occur.
Partnering with innovative IT vendors, Paessler unleashes synergies to create
new and additional benefits for joined customers.
Axis offers one of the most complete and reliable product portfolios, an expanded professional network, and comprehensive integration support for video management software.
Paessler and Plixer provide a complete solution adding flow and metadata analysis to a powerful network monitoring tool.
With ScriptRunner Paessler integrates a powerful event automation platform into PRTG Network Monitor.
Network Monitoring Software – Version 25.3.110.1313 (August 27, 2025)
Download for Windows and cloud-based version PRTG Hosted Monitor available
English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese
Network devices, bandwidth, servers, applications, virtual environments, remote systems, IoT, and more
Choose the PRTG Network Monitor subscription that's best for you
Choosing between Paessler PRTG and Graylog depends on several factors, such as your specific network monitoring needs, budget, and technical resources available in your organization.
PRTG is ideal:
Graylog might be your choice:
PRTG provides syslog monitoring capabilities as part of its comprehensive monitoring solution. While Graylog specializes in log aggregation and analysis, PRTG takes a broader approach by combining log monitoring with infrastructure, application, and network performance monitoring in a single, easy-to-use package.
While Graylog is open-source, the total cost needs to factor in implementation time, training, and ongoing maintenance. PRTG's transparent pricing model includes everything you need: software, support, and updates. Many organizations find PRTG's predictable costs more budget-friendly than the hidden expenses of managing complex open-source solutions.
Yes, PRTG is designed as a unified monitoring solution that can replace multiple specialized tools. Instead of managing separate tools for network monitoring, server monitoring, application performance monitoring, and log management, PRTG provides comprehensive visibility from a single dashboard.
PRTG supports enterprise monitoring for up to several thousand sensors per installation and can work with distributed monitoring through remote probes to distribute high monitoring loads across multiple sites from one central core installation. For large-scale deployments, PRTG also includes fail-safe monitoring clusters for automatic failovers.
Yes, PRTG includes comprehensive syslog monitoring through its Syslog Receiver Sensor that can collect, analyze, and monitor syslog data from various devices across your network. PRTG supports various notification methods including syslog messages and SNMP traps with customizable threshold alerts for security monitoring needs.
While Graylog specializes in centralized log management with advanced log parsing capabilities, PRTG provides sufficient log analytics functionality as part of its unified monitoring solution. This integrates log data with real-time infrastructure monitoring and application performance monitoring, eliminating the need for separate log management tools.
In PRTG, “sensors” are the basic monitoring elements. One sensor usually monitors one measured value in your network, for example the traffic of a switch port, the CPU load of a server, or the free space on a disk drive. On average, you need about 5-10 sensors per device or one sensor per switch port.
Paessler conducted trials in over 600 IT departments worldwide to tune its network monitoring software closer to the needs of sysadmins. The result of the survey: over 95% of the participants would recommend PRTG – or already have.
You are interested to know if PRTG could be an alternative to your Graylog implementation?
