Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

mtr VS Nmap

Compare mtr VS Nmap and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

mtr logo mtr

mtr combines the functionality of the 'traceroute' and 'ping' programs in a single...

Nmap logo Nmap

Nmap Free Security Scanner, Port Scanner, & Network Exploration Tool. Download open source software for Linux, Windows, UNIX, FreeBSD, etc.
  • mtr Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-22
  • Nmap Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-15

mtr features and specs

  • Real-time Network Diagnostics
    MTR (My Traceroute) provides real-time statistics on the network path, including packet loss and latency, which helps in diagnosing network issues promptly.
  • Combination of Ping and Traceroute
    MTR combines the functionalities of both ping and traceroute, allowing for comprehensive analysis by showing the route and performance metrics for each hop along the path.
  • Continuous Monitoring
    Unlike traditional traceroute that runs once, MTR continuously sends packets, providing ongoing updates on the network status, which helps in identifying intermittent issues.
  • Visualization Options
    MTR includes both console-based and GUI-based interfaces, catering to different user preferences and making it easier to visualize the network performance.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    MTR is available on multiple operating systems including Linux, BSD variants, and macOS, ensuring that it can be used in various environments.

Possible disadvantages of mtr

  • Potential Overhead
    Continuous monitoring by MTR can add network overhead, especially in congested networks, possibly impacting performance.
  • Security Concerns
    Using MTR might pose security risks, as it continuously sends packets to remote hosts. This can be exploited to perform network reconnaissance or be flagged by security systems.
  • Requires Administrative Privileges
    Running MTR typically requires administrative or root privileges, which may not be available in all environments or may pose security risks if improperly managed.
  • Limited Network Layer Support
    MTR primarily functions at the IP layer and might not provide insights into application-specific issues or issues at different OSI layers, limiting its diagnostic capabilities for complex problems.
  • Dependency on External Conditions
    The accuracy and usefulness of MTR reports can be affected by variables like network congestion, traffic shaping, and firewall rules, which can lead to misleading conclusions about network health.

Nmap features and specs

  • Comprehensive Scanning
    Nmap can perform a wide variety of scans, including port scanning, service detection, and OS fingerprinting, making it a versatile tool for network exploration and security auditing.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source tool, Nmap is free to use and has a large community of users contributing to its development and improvement.
  • Scripting Engine
    The Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE) allows users to write custom scripts to automate tasks, detect vulnerabilities, and extract information, significantly extending its capabilities.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Nmap is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, ensuring broad accessibility for users.
  • Large Knowledge Base
    Nmap has extensive documentation and a wealth of online resources, tutorials, and community support, making it easier for beginners to learn and use the tool effectively.
  • Performance Optimization
    Nmap is designed to be efficient and can handle large networks, making it suitable for both small-scale and enterprise-level scanning.

Possible disadvantages of Nmap

  • Complexity
    Due to its extensive features and options, Nmap can be overwhelming for beginners, requiring a steep learning curve to fully utilize its capabilities.
  • Potential for Misuse
    Nmap can be used for malicious activities such as unauthorized network scanning, potentially leading to security violations and ethical concerns.
  • Permission Issues
    Using Nmap without proper authorization can be illegal in some jurisdictions, and unauthorized scans can be considered invasive or hostile by network administrators.
  • False Positives/Negatives
    Like any scanning tool, Nmap can produce false positives and negatives, requiring additional verification and analysis to ensure accuracy.
  • Resource Intensive
    Some Nmap scans, especially comprehensive ones, can be resource-intensive, potentially affecting network performance and consuming significant CPU and memory resources.
  • Network Disruption
    Aggressive scanning techniques used by Nmap can disrupt network services and lead to denial of service, particularly in sensitive or critical environments.

Analysis of mtr

Overall verdict

  • Yes, mtr (from bitwizard.nl) is generally considered a useful tool.

Why this product is good

  • MTR (My Traceroute) combines the functionality of the traceroute and ping programs in a single network diagnostic tool. It allows users to diagnose network connections by providing real-time analysis of the network route taken to reach a target server. Its ability to provide detailed insights into network performance makes it particularly valuable for identifying issues such as latency, packet loss, and routing problems.

Recommended for

  • Network administrators looking to troubleshoot and diagnose network connectivity issues.
  • IT professionals who need to perform detailed network performance analysis.
  • Individuals wanting a comprehensive tool to monitor network path reliability.

Analysis of Nmap

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Nmap is a highly effective and reliable tool for network scanning and security auditing. Its comprehensive suite of features and frequent updates ensure it remains relevant in the constantly evolving landscape of network security.

Why this product is good

  • Nmap is widely regarded as a powerful and versatile network scanning tool. It is known for its ability to discover hosts and services on a computer network, thus creating a 'map' of the network. Security professionals and system administrators use it to conduct network inventory, manage service upgrade schedules, and monitor host or service uptime. Its robustness, open-source nature, and support of a wide range of platforms make it a staple in the toolkit of network security experts.

Recommended for

  • Network security professionals
  • System administrators
  • Penetration testers
  • IT professionals responsible for network management
  • Anyone interested in learning more about network mapping and security

mtr videos

35" Goodyear MTR Tire Review | Jeep TJ

More videos:

  • Review - Exploring Traditions & Tasting the VEGETARIAN LUNCH THALI At Mavalli Tiffin Rooms | MTR | Bangalore
  • Review - CZ MTR 457 MATCH .22LR first impressions review

Nmap videos

Nmap Tutorial For Beginners - 1 - What is Nmap?

More videos:

  • Review - Nmap - Review of Scan Types
  • Review - LABS 50 Bypassing Windows Firewall Using Nmap Evasion Techniques REVIEW

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to mtr and Nmap)
IP Data
100 100%
0% 0
Monitoring Tools
5 5%
95% 95
Network & Admin
100 100%
0% 0
Security
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

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

mtr Reviews

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Nmap Reviews

The Top 5 Open Source Vulnerability Scanners
Nmap is a tool that scans ports, does service fingerprinting, and identifies versions of operating systems. Nmap also comes with a scripting engine that detects security vulnerabilities. Once these are detected, Vulcan’s platform can help you to prioritize and fix vulnerabilities.
Source: vulcan.io
9 Best Angry IP Scanner Alternatives Reviewed 2021 (Free & Paid)
If you’re a network administrator looking for more depth and raw power from a port scanner, look no further than Nmap. What Nmap lacks in frills and functional GUI it makes up for with sheer command-line based power. If you’re not a fan of strictly just a command-line interface, you can always use Zenmap, which is the exact same software just with a graphical interface. Both...
15 Best Nmap Alternatives Network Security Scanner
Nmap is an open-source tool that lots of IT professionals find useful in their careers. It is a tool that can locate available hosts and other services that they offer within a network. The Nmap program makes use of raw IP packets to find the hosts and services that are available.
10 Best WireShark Alternatives for Android Devices in 2021
Nmap is a popular open-source network scanning app for Android and desktop. While it works on both rooted and non-rooted Android, you get more functionality during a rooted Android smartphone. Like some apps, Nmap is not available on Google play store or their website.
Source: techreen.com
Alternatives to Nmap: from simple to advanced network scanning
This month marks the 20th anniversary of Nmap, the open-source network mapping tool that became the standard used by many IT professionals, but that can be a bit much if you only need to do general network maintenance and are intimidated by its command-line interface.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Nmap seems to be a lot more popular than mtr. While we know about 200 links to Nmap, we've tracked only 1 mention of mtr. 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.

mtr mentions (1)

  • Show HN: How did YOUR computer reach my server?
    Interesting, I didn't know traceroute used UDP by default. Just did some testing with the best traceroute tool, mtr[0], and using the -u flag for UDP seemed to give the worst results. -t for TCP seemed OK. I never thought about the difference between how TCP and ICMP packets are handled. [0] https://bitwizard.nl/mtr/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago

Nmap mentions (200)

  • 🛡️ Top 10 Free Penetration Testing Tools Every Security Team Should Use in 2025
    Nmap (Network Mapper) is like a GPS for your network. Scan ports, find devices, and discover what’s alive and vulnerable. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • 3 Types of Chaos Experiments and How To Run Them
    Start by mapping out your network’s topology, including routers, switches, gateways, and the connections between different segments. Tools like Nmap or network diagram software can help visualize your network’s structure. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • How to Install and Use Nmap in Termux
    If you want to scan a website, Nmap can help you find its open ports, see active IPs, and get other important details quickly. For anyone serious about cybersecurity, Nmap is a necessary tool. To learn more, visit their official website at Nmap.org. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Your First Ethical Hack: Learn Network Scanning with Nmap
    Starting Nmap 7.80 ( https://nmap.org ) at 2025-04-12 00:10 IST Nmap scan report for scanme.nmap.org (45.33.32.156) Host is up (0.24s latency). Other addresses for scanme.nmap.org (not scanned): 2600:3c01::f03c:91ff:fe18:bb2f Not shown: 991 closed ports PORT STATE SERVICE 22/tcp open ssh 25/tcp filtered smtp 80/tcp open http 135/tcp filtered msrpc 139/tcp filtered netbios-ssn 161/tcp ... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • The Impact of Open-Source Tools in Cyber Warfare: A Deep Dive
    The democratization of powerful software technologies is a double-edged sword. On one hand, open-source tools empower organizations and individuals to bolster their cybersecurity defenses without incurring steep financial costs. On the other hand, these same tools can be harnessed by malicious actors, leading to a surge in both the frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks. Open-source resources like Metasploit... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing mtr and Nmap, you can also consider the following products

ipinfo.io - Simple IP address information.

Angry IP Scanner - Open-source and cross-platform network scanner designed to be fast and simple to use

ipgeolocation.io - Free IP Geolocation API and Accurate GeoIP Lookup Location Database

Zenmap - Zenmap is the official cross-platform GUI for the Nmap Security Scanner.

ipwhois.io - ipwhois.io is an API that provides a users location (country, region, city, currency, currency symbol etc) based on their IP address. Get the accurate location information with our IP Lookup API and IP Location Database for any IP address.

Fing - Discover which devices are connected to any Wi-Fi network, map devices, detect intruders, assess...