Amazon CloudWatch vs SolarWinds NPM comparison

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and SolarWinds are both solutions in the Cloud Monitoring Software category. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is ranked #14 with an average rating of 7.9, while SolarWinds is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.5. Amazon Web Services (AWS) holds a 1.7% mindshare in CMS, compared to SolarWinds’s 4.4% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of Amazon Web Services (AWS) users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

Amazon CloudWatch

Read 48 Amazon CloudWatch reviews

6,550 Views
2,424 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

SolarWinds NPM

Read 160 SolarWinds NPM reviews

18,343 Views
6,787 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Amazon CloudWatch

SolarWinds NPM

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 8, 2026

SolarWinds NPM and Amazon CloudWatch compete in the network and cloud service monitoring category. SolarWinds NPM seems to have the upper hand due to its extensive network management features and customizable alerts.

Features: SolarWinds NPM is noted for its extensive network monitoring capabilities including scheduled scans, SNMP monitoring, and customizable alerts. It supports integration with multiple vendors and features modular pricing. The comprehensive management tools such as reports and visual dashboards are valuable for network administrators. Amazon CloudWatch is primarily focused on monitoring AWS services with features like automatic alerts, metrics collection, and seamless AWS service integration.

Room for Improvement: SolarWinds NPM has been criticized for its resource-heavy nature, the absence of automatic network mapping updates, and complex alert configuration. Some users also report interface issues and slow support. Amazon CloudWatch lacks inbuilt visualization tools, often requiring third-party integrations for graphical insights. It also needs enhancements in real-time monitoring, report generation, and cost management for data usage.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SolarWinds NPM is primarily deployed on-premises, demanding significant setup yet offering robust monitoring. The customer service is knowledgeable but can be slow in response. Amazon CloudWatch, being cloud-based, allows faster deployment in AWS environments. Customer service is generally consistent and technical support handles standard issues promptly, though complex queries might experience delayed responses.

Pricing and ROI: SolarWinds NPM can be costly, especially with additional modules, though the investment is often deemed worthwhile due to its extensive features and strong ROI from efficient monitoring. Amazon CloudWatch uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model which can increase with extensive data usage but remains cost-effective within AWS, offering flexibility and cost benefits for AWS users.

To learn more, read our detailed Amazon CloudWatch vs. SolarWinds NPM Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Amazon CloudWatch vs. SolarWinds NPM

April 2026

Download the complete report

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

ROI

Sentiment score

6.8

Amazon CloudWatch reduces monitoring costs, boosts operational efficiency, is vital for oversight, but not direct revenue, especially for small projects.

Sentiment score

7.0

SolarWinds NPM enhances network management and cost efficiency, providing superior monitoring, fast issue resolution, and significant ROI.

Amazon CloudWatch offers cost-saving advantages by being an inbuilt solution that requires no separate setup or maintenance for monitoring tasks.

Satheesh Papisetty

Digital Services & Engagement Senior Manager at AXA

For more quotes and insights, download the Amazon CloudWatch report

The return on investment is significant as the solution effectively reduces costs while being worth its expense.

Wahyu Krisnamukti

Network Administrator at PT Bni Life Insurance

For more quotes and insights, download the SolarWinds NPM report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

7.4

Amazon CloudWatch support is reliable, with varying response times and expertise based on support level, premium ensures faster help.

Sentiment score

6.9

SolarWinds NPM support is knowledgeable and helpful but faces criticism for slow responses and aggressive sales tactics.

In recent years, due to business expansion, knowledge levels among support engineers seem to vary.

Satheesh Papisetty

Digital Services & Engagement Senior Manager at AXA

While using their cloud and cloud resources, if you have an issue with CloudWatch, you must pay additional monthly fees to get time from dedicated tech support.

S K Mishra

founder, ceo at Techrev Solutions Pvt Ltd

For more quotes and insights, download the Amazon CloudWatch report

If there is no timely response, getting a resolution is more difficult.

SJ6

Network Security Engineer at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees

We had contact with SolarWinds regarding the implementation, and they were helpful.

Wahyu Krisnamukti

Network Administrator at PT Bni Life Insurance

They have good technical support.

Tochukwu Uzomba

Solutions Architect at Boch Systems Company Limited

For more quotes and insights, download the SolarWinds NPM report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.7

Amazon CloudWatch excels in scalability and performance, efficiently managing data and adapts quickly to diverse organizational needs.

Sentiment score

6.9

SolarWinds NPM offers scalable solutions for various environments, with possible increased costs and challenges on virtual platforms.

It is already there as a managed service from AWS.

Azam S M

Infrastructure Lead at Danat Fz LLC

Amazon CloudWatch's scalability is managed by AWS.

Satheesh Papisetty

Digital Services & Engagement Senior Manager at AXA

For more quotes and insights, download the Amazon CloudWatch report

SolarWinds NPM is scalable and effective in handling large network infrastructures.

Tochukwu Uzomba

Solutions Architect at Boch Systems Company Limited

For more quotes and insights, download the SolarWinds NPM report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

8.1

Amazon CloudWatch is praised for its reliability and performance, though some note occasional data delays and slowness in low-capacity environments.

Sentiment score

7.5

SolarWinds NPM is stable, with issues arising during upgrades; regular updates and support enhance its performance.

I sometimes notice slowness when Amazon CloudWatch agents are installed on machines with less capacity, causing me to use other monitoring tools.

Satheesh Papisetty

Digital Services & Engagement Senior Manager at AXA

For more quotes and insights, download the Amazon CloudWatch report

The NPM product is stable, particularly when used for simple network monitoring.

SJ6

Network Security Engineer at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the SolarWinds NPM report

Room For Improvement

Users seek better customization, visualization, and integration in CloudWatch, citing high costs, steep learning curve, and scalability challenges.

SolarWinds NPM users seek improvements in network discovery, interface, integration, resource usage, cloud support, security, and pricing adjustments.

When using third-party dashboards such as Kibana or Grafana and other visualization tools, there should be a way to feed CloudWatch's data and logging capabilities into these visualization tools.

S K Mishra

founder, ceo at Techrev Solutions Pvt Ltd

We are in a process of integrating Grafana, Loki, and Prometheus to have better visualization on Amazon CloudWatch.

Azam S M

Infrastructure Lead at Danat Fz LLC

Maybe Amazon Web Services can improve by providing a library for CloudWatch with some useful features.

Rohit Bhosale

Senior Software Engineer at Carnera

For more quotes and insights, download the Amazon CloudWatch report

SolarWinds needs to upscale on observability and add full-fledged observability features, including security features.

Tochukwu Uzomba

Solutions Architect at Boch Systems Company Limited

Customers have given feedback about the delayed response times from the technical team.

SJ6

Network Security Engineer at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees

I would need a feature in SolarWinds in the future for some kind of malfunctioning detection, such as malware attacks or that type of environment.

Vivek Jaiswal

Manager IT at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the SolarWinds NPM report

Setup Cost

Amazon CloudWatch pricing is variable, with costs ranging from $25 to $350, depending on usage and AWS service integration.

SolarWinds NPM pricing is competitive yet complex, appealing to some while being costly for smaller enterprises or multi-module needs.

Overall, the pricing of Amazon CloudWatch is very expensive.

S K Mishra

founder, ceo at Techrev Solutions Pvt Ltd

Amazon CloudWatch charges more for custom metrics as well as for changes in the timeline.

Satheesh Papisetty

Digital Services & Engagement Senior Manager at AXA

For more quotes and insights, download the Amazon CloudWatch report

The solution is considered expensive.

Wahyu Krisnamukti

Network Administrator at PT Bni Life Insurance

Pricing-wise, SolarWinds NPM is more expensive than PRTG.

Tochukwu Uzomba

Solutions Architect at Boch Systems Company Limited

It is not too pricey and is adequate.

Vivek Jaiswal

Manager IT at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the SolarWinds NPM report

Valuable Features

Amazon CloudWatch offers real-time data, AWS integration, efficient monitoring, user-friendly interface, and versatile dashboards for enhanced system performance.

SolarWinds NPM offers easy deployment, strong monitoring, and seamless integration, enhancing network management with intuitive dashboards and real-time insights.

Amazon CloudWatch allows me to set up and view even historical logs, which is one of the features I find valuable.

Satheesh Papisetty

Digital Services & Engagement Senior Manager at AXA

If there is a CPU spike or system issues, we set alarms to notify us if the system is going down or not reachable.

Azam S M

Infrastructure Lead at Danat Fz LLC

I like its filtering capability and its ability to give the cyber engine insights.

Rohit Bhosale

Senior Software Engineer at Carnera

For more quotes and insights, download the Amazon CloudWatch report

Whenever any node is down in our network, whether it is a server or any network device, we receive information through email that the device is down.

Vivek Jaiswal

Manager IT at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

The most valuable feature for us is the database performance analyzer, which we use a lot.

Wahyu Krisnamukti

Network Administrator at PT Bni Life Insurance

SolarWinds NPM has specific modules for monitoring different network capabilities, which provides rich features for carrying out specific tasks.

Tochukwu Uzomba

Solutions Architect at Boch Systems Company Limited

For more quotes and insights, download the SolarWinds NPM report

Categories and Ranking

Amazon CloudWatch

Ranking in Cloud Monitoring Software

14th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability (19th), Log Management (17th)

SolarWinds NPM

Ranking in Cloud Monitoring Software

8th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

160

Ranking in other categories

Network Monitoring Software (3rd), IT Infrastructure Monitoring (5th)

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Cloud Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Amazon CloudWatch is 1.7%, down from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds NPM is 4.4%, down from 4.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
SolarWinds NPM	4.4%
Amazon CloudWatch	1.7%
Other	93.9%

Cloud Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

Azam S M

Infrastructure Lead at Danat Fz LLC

Has provided reliable monitoring and alerting through extensive metric tracking and dashboard configuration

Amazon CloudWatch itself provides a lot of data. However, for visualization, we need to use third-party tools. We are in a process of integrating Grafana, Loki, and Prometheus to have better visualization on Amazon CloudWatch. We are also integrating Grafana with the application itself to get the application data and logs. Alternatively, there is AWS Kinesis and Glue where you can scrape the logs and have visualization, but a more easy option is Grafana. If you want to get a proper visual representation to see what is happening, then you need to integrate a third-party tool. Amazon CloudWatch has all the data, but to see what is happening, you need some third-party tool.

Read full review

Vivek Jaiswal

Manager IT at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Central monitoring has improved outage alerts and now needs smarter detection and modern dashboards

Regarding the automated network topology and mapping feature in SolarWinds NPM, I am not satisfied with it. For static monitoring, it is acceptable. However, if it is possible, I would need a feature in SolarWinds in the future for some kind of malfunctioning detection, such as malware attacks or that type of environment. We did not have any facility to detect that in SolarWinds. I think it would be better to incorporate those types of features. Regarding customization options in SolarWinds, the ability to customize the dashboard has room for improvement. The dashboard is quite old, and we need some improvement in it. Nowadays, we have multiple tools with AI-based monitoring and web-based dashboards. SolarWinds also has a web-based dashboard, but I think there is scope for improvement in the UI. There may be other areas I would like to improve in SolarWinds NPM.

Read full review

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Comparison Review

it_user174738

IT Developer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

May 31, 2015

Nagios vs. Zabbix vs. PRTG vs. Spiceworks vs. Solarwinds Network Performance Monitor

I have researched a quite a few network monitoring tools which can be used for various monitoring purposes of not only the servers, but the intermediate routers as well. There are majorly three types of these softwares. Ones which are completely open-source, you can do almost anything you want…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

15%

Manufacturing Company

Transportation Company

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	17
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	24

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	59
Midsize Enterprise	33
Large Enterprise	85

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Amazon CloudWatch?

No specific setup costs were mentioned.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Amazon CloudWatch?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Amazon CloudWatch?

Amazon CloudWatch is a very small service that AWS provides. It is a monitoring service for applications within the AWS cloud, and we can integrate external applications using the APIs or SDK. The ...

See all answers

What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?

It actually depends on the exact purpose or kind of devices (network devices, servers, something else). Some tools are better for only network devices while others are better for a cloud monitoring...

See all answers

What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?

From my point of view, SolarWind is the best tool.

See all answers

What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?

We are partners with SolarWinds and we sell a lot of Network management to large enterprises also because of scalability, products like Network Performance Monitor & Netflow Traffic Analyzer ar...

See all answers

Comparisons

Grafana Loki vs Amazon CloudWatch

Compared 6% of the time

Amazon OpenSearch Service vs Amazon CloudWatch

Compared 5% of the time

Zabbix vs Amazon CloudWatch

Compared 4% of the time

Datadog vs Amazon CloudWatch

Compared 4% of the time

Dynatrace vs Amazon CloudWatch

Compared 4% of the time

More Amazon CloudWatch Competitors

ManageEngine OpManager vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 4% of the time

Nagios XI vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 3% of the time

DX Spectrum vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 3% of the time

Zabbix vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 3% of the time

Entuity vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 2% of the time

More SolarWinds NPM Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Amazon CloudWatch

May 2026

Download Amazon CloudWatch product report

Buyer's Guide

SolarWinds NPM

April 2026

Download SolarWinds NPM product report

Also Known As

No data available

Solarwinds Network Performance Monitor, SolarWinds Network Bandwidth Analyzer

Overview

Amazon CloudWatch integrates seamlessly with AWS, providing real-time monitoring and alerting features. Its interface supports task automation, enhancing troubleshooting and analytics capabilities, while offering strong security and scalability at a cost-effective rate.

Amazon CloudWatch is an impactful platform for monitoring AWS resources and managing application performance. It simplifies infrastructure performance monitoring by providing comprehensive analytics capabilities, including application insights and event scheduling. Users appreciate CloudWatch for its detailed metrics, dashboards, and support in issuing alerts to detect anomalies. It efficiently tracks performance, optimizes resource utilization, and ensures service availability. CloudWatch is recognized for its robust alerting features and integration with other AWS services, further supporting its resource monitoring capabilities. However, there is room for improvement in dashboard customization, log streaming speed, and integration with non-AWS services. Enhancements in API integration, machine learning features, and support for third-party tools are also desired.

What features does Amazon CloudWatch offer?

Seamless Integration: Works effortlessly with AWS for cohesive service management.
Advanced Metrics: Provides detailed monitoring of CPU, memory, and more.
Real-time Monitoring: Offers up-to-the-minute alerts on infrastructure status.
Dashboards: User-friendly and informative for quick insights.
Automation: Supports task automation for efficient troubleshooting.

What benefits does Amazon CloudWatch provide?

Cost-effectiveness: Efficient resource monitoring without high costs.
Scalability: Easily adapts to growing infrastructure needs.
Security: Strong protocols for safe monitoring activities.
Improved Performance: Enhances application insights and operational efficiency.
Operational Insights: Provides comprehensive logging and performance analysis.

Industries implementing Amazon CloudWatch often focus on optimizing IT infrastructure. Companies in sectors like finance and e-commerce rely on its monitoring and alerting capabilities to ensure service uptime and performance. The platform's automation and analytics features empower teams to proactively manage performance and detect potential issues promptly.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

SolarWinds NPM is a network performance monitoring tool offering a user-friendly interface with customizable dashboards. It provides real-time tracking of device health, latency, and bandwidth utilization, supporting diverse integration and scalability needs.

SolarWinds NPM's robust features include real-time monitoring of network performance and efficient tracking of device health, latency, and bandwidth utilization. The tool is appreciated for its ease of deployment, scalability, and support for integration with other tools. Features like SNMP monitoring, NetPath, and comprehensive reporting enhance its diagnostic capabilities and network visibility. However, users identify areas for improvement such as real-time analytics, advanced customization options, and enhanced scalability for larger enterprises. Better customer support, improved integrations, and security measures are also desired.

What are the key features of SolarWinds NPM?

User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies navigation and operation.
Customizable Dashboards: Allows personalized data views.
Real-Time Monitoring: Provides instant updates on network performance.
Strong Alerting Capabilities: Offers immediate notifications for issues.
Scalability: Supports growth with ease.
Integration: Works smoothly with other tools for comprehensive monitoring.
SNMP Monitoring: Tracks device stats effectively.
NetPath: Helps visualize network paths and performance.

What benefits and ROI can users expect?

Improved Network Visibility: Enables proactive issue resolution.
Enhanced Diagnostics: Facilitates quicker troubleshooting.
Real-Time Performance Data: Supports informed decision-making.
Ease of Deployment: Reduces setup time and complexity.
Infrastructure Monitoring: Ensures network stability and reliability.
Custom Integration: Adapts to existing IT environments.

In enterprise environments, SolarWinds NPM is deployed to monitor network health and device status, sending alerts for any issues. It provides visibility into network performance, tracking bandwidth utilization and server metrics efficiently. Its applications span from monitoring routers, switches, and firewalls to supporting infrastructure monitoring across industries.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

AirAsia, Airbnb, Aircel, APUS, Avazu, Casa & Video, Futbol Club Barcelona (FCBarcelona), National Taiwan University, redBus

Microsoft, Federal Express, Hewlett-Packard, and MasterCard

Buyer's Guide

Amazon CloudWatch vs. SolarWinds NPM

April 2026

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