Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

MRTG VS Bashtop

Compare MRTG VS Bashtop and see what are their differences

MRTG logo MRTG

MRTG (or Multi Router Traffic Grapher) is an open-source network monitoring tool.

Bashtop logo Bashtop

Linux/OSX/FreeBSD resource monitor
  • MRTG Landing page
    Landing page //
    2020-07-26
  • Bashtop Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-09

MRTG features and specs

  • Open Source
    MRTG is open-source software, which means it is free to use and can be modified to suit specific needs. This can lead to cost savings and flexibility for organizations.
  • Wide Compatibility
    MRTG is compatible with a variety of devices and platforms. It can monitor any device that supports SNMP, providing flexibility in network management.
  • Historical Data Analysis
    MRTG stores historical data, allowing users to analyze trends and usage patterns over time. This helps in network planning and troubleshooting.
  • Simple Setup
    The initial setup of MRTG is relatively straightforward. It comes with useful documentation and examples that make it easier for users to get started.

Possible disadvantages of MRTG

  • Limited Features
    Compared to more modern network monitoring tools, MRTG has limited features. It primarily focuses on traffic monitoring and lacks advanced functionalities like alerts or sophisticated data visualization.
  • Outdated Interface
    MRTG's web interface is considered outdated by today's standards. The basic design may not meet the expectations for user experience present in newer software.
  • Performance Issues with Large Networks
    MRTG may not scale well with very large networks. As the number of monitored devices increases, performance can degrade, leading to slower data processing and display.
  • Manual Configuration
    Configuring MRTG can be labor-intensive since it often requires manual edits to configuration files. This can be time-consuming and error-prone, especially as network complexity increases.

Bashtop features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Bashtop features an intuitive and visually appealing user interface that makes it easy to monitor system resources like CPU, memory, and processes in real-time.
  • Feature-Rich
    The tool offers a wide range of functionalities including process management, detailed stats on system performance, and customizable options, making it versatile for various needs.
  • Ease of Installation
    Installing Bashtop is straightforward on most Linux distributions, as well as macOS and even Windows via WSL, with clear instructions provided in the documentation.
  • Low Resource Usage
    Despite its graphical interface, Bashtop is relatively lightweight and does not consume a significant amount of system resources, which is ideal for maintaining system performance while monitoring.

Possible disadvantages of Bashtop

  • Bash Dependency
    Being a bash script, Bashtop requires GNU Bash shell to run, which might not be as efficient as applications written in compiled languages for high-performance monitoring tasks.
  • Compatibility Limitations
    While Bashtop runs on various systems, there are occasional compatibility issues or platform-specific bugs that can affect its performance or usability.
  • No Longer Maintained
    Development of Bashtop has been discontinued in favor of Bpytop, a Python-based version, which means users may not receive updates or support for newer systems and bugs.
  • Terminal Based
    Since it runs in the terminal, users who prefer or require graphical user interfaces for system monitoring might find Bashtop less convenient compared to other available GUI-based system monitors.

Analysis of Bashtop

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Bashtop is considered good by many users due to its comprehensive feature set and ease of use. It offers detailed information and a clean interface, enhancing the user experience significantly. It receives positive feedback for its performance and adaptability.

Why this product is good

  • Bashtop is a resource monitor that provides a visually appealing interface and real-time insights into system performance. It is user-friendly, highly customizable, and supports multiple platforms, making it a popular choice for users who want to monitor CPU, memory, disk usage, and network activities closely. Bashtop also allows for a quick glance at running processes, making it accessible for users who appreciate efficiency and an intuitive layout.

Recommended for

    Bashtop is recommended for system administrators, developers, and tech-savvy users who need to monitor system performance regularly. It's also suitable for users who appreciate visually engaging terminal applications and those accustomed to working with command-line tools.

MRTG videos

MRTG Results vs Netflow Results

More videos:

  • Review - Episode 15: MRTG
  • Review - Mrtg Loans; Dont get ripped off

Bashtop videos

Bashtop Is An Htop Alternative Written In Bash

More videos:

  • Review - Top Guides - Bashtop Themeable CLI System Monitor

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MRTG and Bashtop)
Monitoring Tools
38 38%
62% 62
Log Management
100 100%
0% 0
Command Line Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Network & Admin
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare MRTG and Bashtop

MRTG Reviews

The Best Cacti Monitoring Alternatives
The MRTG is easy to configure and set up, with most automatic processes. In addition, the tool can create visual representations of your traffic in the last week, five weeks, or last year.

Bashtop Reviews

We have no reviews of Bashtop yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Bashtop seems to be a lot more popular than MRTG. While we know about 22 links to Bashtop, we've tracked only 2 mentions of MRTG. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

MRTG mentions (2)

  • SNMP Tool
    Take a look at https://oss.oetiker.ch/mrtg/. Graphics arenโ€˜t fancy but the whole tool is light and pretty stable. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Is there a tool I can use to remotely monitor all network traffic to a specific device on my network?
    Look into setting up MRTG and SNMP of the network device. Source: over 4 years ago

Bashtop mentions (22)

  • BPYTOP - a fun HTOP alternative :-)
    Check out btop. Itโ€™s a rewrite of bpytop in C++. Both are from the same author. FYI, bpytop is also a rewrite of bashtop in python. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Btop looks great
    As far as I remember, the guy made first the bashtop, that was slow as molasses but looks cool. Then he made bpytop that is the same idea but ported to python, and then finally ported to C++ and we got just btop. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Share your greatest free tools
    Bashtop - Seriously, I my brain can't follow columns without some kind of order to the madness. Ty bashtop. Source: over 4 years ago
  • How to return current and average cpu utilization, maybe the top process name too?
    There is https://github.com/aristocratos/bashtop with prettier and more readable output compared to top, in my opinion. It also has a port on python and c++. Source: over 4 years ago
  • My fans go brrrrrr
    ๐Ÿค” I've found that the data Vitals reports isn't always correct, not to mention it uses far to much system resource for what it does. Have you tried bashtop? Source: over 4 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing MRTG and Bashtop, you can also consider the following products

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