SolarWinds vs Zabbix: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for SolarWinds and Zabbix side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, SolarWinds leads on lower entry price; Zabbix leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
SolarWinds
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
Best for you if:
- • You want comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
Zabbix
The universal, open-source observability solution for IT & OT infrastructure.
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
| At a Glance | Zabbix | |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $15/user/mo, billed monthly Incident Response plan | Free plan, paid from $50/mo, billed monthly Cloud Nano plan |
Category | Monitoring Cloud & Infrastructure | Monitoring Cloud & Infrastructure |
Rating | 4.3/5 G2 4.3 · SourceForge 4.3 934 reviews | 4.5/5 G2 4.3 · Capterra 4.7 320 reviews |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | Cloud prices are starting points. Config and storage add. Annual is 10% off the monthly Cloud bill. |
Choose SolarWinds or Zabbix?
Choose SolarWinds if
- You want comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- You want AI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
- Budget matters ($15/user/mo, billed monthly vs $50/mo, billed monthly)
Choose Zabbix if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want 100% open-source with no license fees, leading to exceptionally low TCO
- You want highly adaptable and scalable, suitable for diverse and large enterprise environments
In-Depth Analysis
SolarWinds
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
SolarWinds' pricing structure is quite varied, with 'Monitoring & Observability' at $7/node/month appearing fair for comprehensive visibility.
Strengths
- Pro: Comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- Pro: AI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
- Pro: Supports diverse IT environments including on-premise, cloud, and hybrid
- Pro: Flexible deployment options (self-hosted and SaaS)
- Pro: Strong focus on operational resilience and unified visibility
Weaknesses
- Con: No free tier or trial explicitly mentioned for individual products
- Con: Requires integration and setup for full benefit across complex IT landscapes
Key features
Zabbix
The universal, open-source observability solution for IT & OT infrastructure.
Zabbix the software is a download.
Watch out
Cloud prices are starting points. Config and storage add. Annual is 10% off the monthly Cloud bill.
Strengths
- Pro: 100% open-source with no license fees, leading to exceptionally low TCO
- Pro: Highly adaptable and scalable, suitable for diverse and large enterprise environments
- Pro: Comprehensive monitoring capabilities for a wide range of IT and OT infrastructure
- Pro: Flexible deployment options: on-premise, managed cloud, or third-party cloud
- Pro: Strong security features and compliance focus, trusted by global enterprises
Weaknesses
- Con: Requires technical expertise for on-premise deployment and advanced configuration
- Con: Initial setup and customization might be complex for new users without prior experience
Key features
Plans and prices: SolarWinds vs Zabbix
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| SolarWinds |
| solarwinds.com/pricing read Oct 30, 2026 |
| Zabbix |
| zabbix.com/cloud read Nov 1, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on SolarWinds pricing and Zabbix pricing.
Key Takeaways
SolarWinds
- Lower entry price: $15/user/mo, billed monthly vs $50/mo, billed monthly
Zabbix
- Higher user rating: 4.5/5 vs 4.3/5
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, SolarWinds leads on lower entry price; Zabbix leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Zabbix has the higher user rating (4.3/5 from 934 reviews for SolarWinds, 4.5/5 from 320 reviews for Zabbix).
- SolarWinds has the lower entry price: $15/user/mo, billed monthly (Incident Response) against $50/mo, billed monthly (Cloud Nano) for Zabbix.
- Only Zabbix has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do SolarWinds and Zabbix compare in 2026?
On the data below, SolarWinds leads on lower entry price; Zabbix leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Zabbix has the higher user rating (4.3/5 from 934 reviews for SolarWinds, 4.5/5 from 320 reviews for Zabbix). SolarWinds has the lower entry price: $15/user/mo, billed monthly (Incident Response) against $50/mo, billed monthly (Cloud Nano) for Zabbix. Only Zabbix has a free plan.
What are SolarWinds and Zabbix used for?
SolarWinds: Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment. Zabbix: The universal, open-source observability solution for IT & OT infrastructure.
What does SolarWinds cost vs Zabbix?
SolarWinds's cheapest paid plan is Incident Response at $15/user/mo, billed monthly. Zabbix's cheapest paid plan is Cloud Nano at $50/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 1, 2026.
What's the main difference between SolarWinds and Zabbix?
SolarWinds's main strength: comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform. Zabbix's main strength: 100% open-source with no license fees, leading to exceptionally low TCO.