Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Nethogs VS iftop

Compare Nethogs VS iftop and see what are their differences

Nethogs logo Nethogs

NetHogs is a small 'net top' tool.

iftop logo iftop

iftop does for network usage what top(1) does for CPU usage.
  • Nethogs Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-26
  • iftop Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-08-25

Nethogs features and specs

  • Real-Time Monitoring
    Nethogs allows users to monitor network bandwidth usage in real time, distinguishing traffic usage by process, which is useful for managing and troubleshooting network performance issues.
  • Process-Based Traffic Tracking
    Unlike some network monitoring tools that only provide overall traffic data, Nethogs separates traffic by process, helping users identify which applications or processes are consuming bandwidth.
  • Lightweight and Simple
    Nethogs is a lightweight utility that is easy to install and use, making it accessible for users who need straightforward network monitoring without large overhead.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source tool, Nethogs allows users to audit, modify, or enhance the codebase to better fit their needs or to contribute to the community.

Possible disadvantages of Nethogs

  • Limited Feature Set
    Nethogs focuses specifically on process-based network traffic monitoring and does not include advanced features like historical data logging or the management of alerts.
  • Linux-Only
    Nethogs is only available for Linux systems, limiting its use for users who operate on other operating systems like Windows or macOS.
  • Command-Line Interface
    While powerful, the command-line interface might be intimidating or less user-friendly for individuals who prefer graphical user interfaces for system monitoring.
  • Real-Time Only
    As Nethogs provides only real-time data, it lacks the capability to produce historical data reports, which could be a drawback for users needing long-term data analysis.

iftop features and specs

  • Real-time Monitoring
    iftop provides real-time bandwidth monitoring, enabling users to quickly identify network usage and any potential issues.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The tool features a simple, text-based user interface that is easy to navigate, making it accessible for users with varying levels of experience.
  • Detailed Traffic Insight
    iftop offers detailed information about network traffic, including source and destination IP addresses, service ports, and data flow rates.
  • Lightweight
    Being a command-line tool, iftop is lightweight in nature and does not consume significant system resources.
  • Open Source
    iftop is open source, allowing users to access, modify, and distribute the software freely, which can lead to community-driven improvements.

Possible disadvantages of iftop

  • Lacks Historical Data
    iftop does not have the capability to store historical data, making it unsuitable for long-term network monitoring and analysis.
  • Limited Features
    Compared to other network monitoring tools, iftop has a limited feature set and may not meet the requirements of advanced network analysis needs.
  • Requires Root Permissions
    The tool requires root or elevated permissions to run, which might be a security concern in certain environments.
  • Text-based Output
    As a text-based tool, iftop may not provide the most visually appealing outputs, which can be a drawback for users who prefer graphical interfaces.
  • Not Cross-Platform
    iftop is primarily designed for Unix-like systems and may not be available or easily operable on non-Unix platforms like Windows.

Nethogs videos

Nethogs Linux Shell Network Traffic Monitoring

More videos:

  • Review - Nethogs - Bandwidth Monitor - Linux TUI
  • Review - Remote linux server admin tools: byobu, htop, nethogs, nload, iptraf

iftop videos

How to monitor network bandwidth using Iftop

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to install iftop and use it on Linux Mint 18.3
  • Review - Untangle Traffic monitoring with Iftop

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Nethogs and iftop)
Monitoring Tools
32 32%
68% 68
Log Management
60 60%
40% 40
Performance Monitoring
35 35%
65% 65
Command Line Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Nethogs seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 5 times since March 2021. 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.

Nethogs mentions (5)

iftop mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of iftop yet. Tracking of iftop recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Nethogs and iftop, you can also consider the following products

Wireshark - Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer for Unix and Windows. It lets you capture and interactively browse the traffic running on a computer network.

psutil - psutil is a module providing an interface for retrieving information on all running processes and...

nload - Monitor network traffic and bandwidth usage in real time

nmon - This systems administrator, tuner, benchmark tool gives you a huge amount of important performance...

ntop - ntopng High-Speed Web-based Traffic Analysis and Flow Collection ntopng is the next generation version of the original ntop, a network traffic probe that monitors network usage. ntopng is based on …

gtop - System monitoring dashboard for terminal