SolarWinds NPM vs WhatsUp Gold
A side-by-side comparison on deployment model, data residency, licensing basis and security coverage. Structural facts are verifiable against vendor documentation; the scored dimensions are our assessment.
SolarWinds NPM
SolarWinds
7.5
Average across eight dimensions
- Deployment
- Self-hosted
- Licensing
- Per element
- Time to value
- Medium
- Segment
- Mid-market / enterprise
- G2
- —
WhatsUp Gold
Progress Software
7.1
Average across eight dimensions
- Deployment
- Self-hosted
- Licensing
- Points / per device
- Time to value
- Fast
- Segment
- SMB / mid-market
- G2
- 4.4 (388)
Score by dimension
| Dimension | SW | WU |
|---|---|---|
| Data residency control | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Pricing value | 4.5 | 6 |
| Detection accuracy | 8 | 7 |
| Response speed | 8 | 7 |
| Ease of setup | 7 | 8 |
| Management UX | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| Integration depth | 9 | 7.5 |
| Security coverage | 6.5 | 5.5 |
What the comparison says
Both platforms are self-hosted, so deployment model is not what separates them here. SolarWinds NPM is described as medium to reach value, against fast for WhatsUp Gold.
SolarWinds NPM licenses on per element, WhatsUp Gold on points / per device. Neither bills on data volume, so the comparison is about what each licence includes rather than how much you send it.
SolarWinds NPM leads on fault detection, alerting speed, management UX, integrations and device coverage. WhatsUp Gold leads on pricing value and ease of setup.
SolarWinds NPM
- +Polished interface and mature topology mapping.
- +Deep device support and a large module ecosystem across the Orion platform.
- +Self-hosted, with strong enterprise reporting.
- −Element-based licensing makes this among the most expensive options at scale.
- −Reputational overhang from the 2020 supply chain compromise still features in security reviews.
Best for Enterprises wanting a polished commercial platform with broad device coverage.
Watch out Model element counts carefully, and expect security review questions about the vendor.
WhatsUp Gold
- +Straightforward setup with strong Layer 2 and Layer 3 discovery mapping.
- +Self-hosted with clear point-based licensing.
- +Good hybrid cloud and on-premises visibility in one view.
- −Windows server requirement limits it in Linux-first environments.
- −Point-based licensing and add-on modules make total cost harder to forecast.
Best for Windows-centric SMB and mid-market networks wanting commercial support.
Watch out Add up the modules you actually need. The base licence covers less than it appears.
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Data last verified 2026-10-06. nPro publishes this comparison. Where nPro appears as one of the platforms listed, its card is marked and its scores are our own assessment. Third-party review scores are sourced from public vendor profiles. Structural facts are verifiable against each vendor's documentation: deployment model, licensing basis and residency.