Azure Network Watcher vs NinjaOne comparison

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Azure Network Watcher

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

NinjaOne and Azure Network Watcher compete in the IT management and network performance monitoring categories. NinjaOne has the upper hand due to its user-centric functionalities, compared to Azure Network Watcher's detailed networking insights.

Features: NinjaOne offers remote monitoring, patch management, and comprehensive IT management capabilities. Azure Network Watcher provides detailed network diagnostics, advanced monitoring features, and robust networking insights.

Room for Improvement: NinjaOne could enhance its network-specific tools, broaden compatibility with various network devices, and improve integration with third-party applications. Azure Network Watcher might benefit from simplifying its setup process, expanding its user interface customization options, and providing more intuitive alerts and notifications.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: NinjaOne provides a simplified deployment process with excellent customer support, while Azure Network Watcher requires more technical knowledge for setup due to its complex tools, despite offering valuable network insights.

Pricing and ROI: NinjaOne presents a competitive pricing model with strong ROI due to effective management features that enhance operational efficiency. Azure Network Watcher, although having a higher setup cost, offers justified expenses for organizations requiring in-depth network analysis.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Network Watcher vs. NinjaOne Report (Updated: September 2026).

Azure Network Watcher vs. NinjaOne

September 2026

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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:

Categories and Ranking

Azure Network Watcher

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

46th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

5.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

NinjaOne

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

11th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Help Desk Software (6th), Server Monitoring (2nd), IT Service Management (ITSM) (6th), Remote Access (8th), Vulnerability Management (21st), Mobile Device Management (MDM) (4th), IT Alerting and Incident Management (8th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (1st), Patch Management (4th), MSP Backup (1st), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (6th), Autonomous Endpoint Management (3rd)

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Azure Network Watcher is 0.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NinjaOne is 1.0%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
NinjaOne	1.0%
Azure Network Watcher	0.5%
Other	98.5%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

PrashantSarmalkar

Enterprise Architect at ATOS

Monitoring traffic has improved cost control and threat visibility across network flows

The main area for improvement is AI-based features. Currently, many intelligent tools are coming from third parties, and Azure Network Watcher needs to improve in this area. The focus should be on getting better analytics and foundation models for proactive monitoring through AI models. While these capabilities exist, they are still in beta version. Azure Network Watcher should improve to match the capabilities that Google is targeting from an analytical point of view. Azure Network Watcher needs to improve foundation models in terms of AI-specific features and analytics, which are still evolving. This may take some time, but within one or two years, these improvements should reach a nine rating.

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Not Joseph Pearson

Assistant Vice President, Tech Solutions at LPL Financials

Has simplified remote software delivery and script management but needs improved reporting flexibility and better Mac support

NinjaOne's best features include ease of use regarding enablement and deployment, a broad selection and ability of software enablement, and API deliveries. Using CrowdStrike, we are able to tie in NinjaOne's API to have these automatically deliver to endpoints upon addition of those devices to a group with that policy deployed to it. NinjaOne has positively impacted our organization by making delivery easier for our end users and improving the ability to create scripts, manage scripts, and check status of devices and their compliance. This easier delivery with NinjaOne gives us oversight on devices without having to be on the call or remoted in directly to a device.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Azure Network Watcher provides valuable features based on your specific requirements and use cases, helping you monitor network bandwidth, throughput, data flow consumption, and control costs by giving insight into egress and ingress traffic, total input and output operations, bandwidth, and threats through IP identification."

"The stability is very good. I rate it a ten out of ten."

"The solution is good for monitoring device behavior."

"The most valuable features I have found are typology, visualization, and capture."

"It provides good visibility."

"This will help the company or the administrator, by helping them see how the traffic moves, to make sure that no entities are having any communication issues or different endpoints with task issues."

"This is a stable system providing stable performance."

"The solution is stable, there are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze, it's reliable."

More Azure Network Watcher pros

"The most valuable feature we have found currently is probably patch management."

"We can use it for remote monitoring, and it also works great as a troubleshooting tool. We are able to open up a command line or a PowerShell session remotely without having to disrupt the user. They have a limited network device monitoring capability, but for workstation servers, we have the event logs. We can do performance monitoring, system changes, software deployment, and patch management. We can also push scripts. It has a very simple web interface. There are no additional things to do there. Security is also pretty good. It does the same things that the other competitor's tools do. One of the advantages of Ninja is that they have a more capable mobile app, which allows you to see the alerts immediately. I get alerted to major critical issues."

"The solution's most valuable feature is related to its remote access...I know that NinjaOne's technical support is good."

"If you're looking for a simple and cost-effective remote management tool, NinjaRMM is a good choice."

"The best feature of NinjaOne is the SLA system. Every IT person can check their performance, how long it takes to resolve an issue, and how many SLAs are breached."

"A significant feature of NinjaOne is its remote access capability, which is essential for my clients’ home office usage."

"NinjaOne has positively impacted our organization by making delivery easier for our end users and improving the ability to create scripts, manage scripts, and check status of devices and their compliance."

"The most important aspect of this tool is the security it provides our company."

More NinjaOne pros

Cons

"There are some occasional downtimes, but these were based on Azure-specific issues."

"Technical support from Microsoft needs significant improvement compared to other product vendors."

"User experience could be improved."

"The initial setup and deployment could be improved to be simplified."

"The solution could use some additional components of the network culture, not only VMs. I'd like to see some additional security features because what they currently have concentrates only on the network."

"Azure Network Watcher needs to have better documentation and it needs to capture information accurately."

"I still use Wireshark and Azure Network Watcher to get the required data. My team captures the traffic from Azure Network Watcher, downloads it, then imports that traffic into Wireshark to get more details on the number of hits and replies, for example. If you can do that on Azure Network Watcher and have Wireshark built-in, that would make Azure Network Watcher better. If Azure Network Watcher has that functionality where you won't need a third-party tool to get what you need, that would be helpful. I'm also expecting more from Azure Network Watcher. It's more complex than knowing how the IP flows from its source to the destination. The tool also needs more open-source features, such as having some built-in Wireshark that improves monitoring for customers. Sometimes, you encounter a VPN tunnel, network, or routing issue, but finding out more about the blockage is challenging. Is it one hundred percent an Azure issue? Is it a peer issue? You don't get complete information from Azure Network Watcher, so you must use other tools and depend on your strategies to resolve a specific issue. If more features could be added in the next release of Azure Network Watcher, specifically ones you can find on open-source tools, then that would be a plus point for the tool."

"Lacks sufficient security features."

More Azure Network Watcher cons

"I want NinjaOne to improve the reports."

"The one feature that I believe needs improvement is the software patching."

"NinjaOne's reporting module is cumbersome."

"I wish that they integrated it with more antivirus solutions. Currently, they only push Defender, but it doesn't really have integration with SentinelOne. It also didn't integrate with Trend Micro, which we were using previously. I would also like to have more control from the mobile app. As of now, I am able to see some performance values, but I can't see, for example, disk activity or disk performance values. If they can improve their app a little bit, it would help greatly. They can also improve the tech interface. If I assign certain techs to a bunch of specific machines, they only get those alerts that they're assigned to."

"I wish that they integrated it with more antivirus solutions. Currently, they only push Defender, but it doesn't really have integration with SentinelOne."

"The graphical user interface could be improved."

"I would like to see the software reduced to focus on inventory or remote help tools since many of its current functionalities are not needed."

"Improvements could be made to reduce NinjaOne's functionalities to focus more on inventory or remote help tools."

More NinjaOne cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Price-wise, I have no information on how much Azure Network Watcher costs."

"The pricing is good. It's not too expensive."

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

"Azure Network Watcher is a little bit expensive."

"Its pricing is great."

"NinjaOne is a little expensive but is still cheaper than competitors like Acronis or Veeam."

"It roughly costs $400 a month. It provides a good value because of the number of tools that you get in the solution. I would rate it a four out of five in terms of pricing. There are no additional costs other than the standard licensing fees."

"NinjaOne's price is fine since my workplace is an educational institution, so we get the product at a really good price considering that we do not pay taxes, making the prices very fair and worth the product."

"I rate the solution’s pricing a five out of ten, where one is the lowest and ten is the most expensive."

"We got a pretty good deal. It was fairly affordable."

"The product's pricing depends on the number of PCs or devices."

"NinjaRMM uses a subscription model."

More NinjaOne pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

21%

Construction Company

13%

Outsourcing Company

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	17
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	4

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Network Watcher?

I do not have the exact setup cost information on hand, but it is available in the public Azure portal. You can access the calculator there to get detailed pricing information.

What needs improvement with Azure Network Watcher?

What is your primary use case for Azure Network Watcher?

Azure Network Watcher is used for monitoring network traffic. It provides insight into egress and ingress traffic, which helps determine whether consumption can be controlled. Most Azure services c...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for NinjaOne?

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that I think it is very reasonable for the product that we get.

What needs improvement with NinjaOne?

To improve NinjaOne, there should be better integration between multiple different software including Cisco and Meraki.

What is your primary use case for NinjaOne?

My main use case for NinjaOne is managing machines over multiple networks and locations. For managing machines across those networks or locations, we have NinjaOne deployed on all our machines, and...

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Product Reports

Download Azure Network Watcher product report

Azure Network Watcher

October 2026

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September 2026

Overview

Azure Network Watcher provides advanced network monitoring capabilities including packet capture, cloud-native firewall, and traffic diagnosis, aiding in VPN troubleshooting and security enforcement with enhanced visibility and alerting features.

Azure Network Watcher is essential for monitoring, diagnosing, and analyzing network traffic. It efficiently handles VPN connection issues and enhances network security by capturing and analyzing traffic to assess performance or latency problems. The tool facilitates traffic flow control, security rule verification, and bandwidth monitoring. Users benefit from its capabilities in diagnosing service connections, offering insights into network activity, and identifying potential threats, crucial for maintaining compliance and efficient network management.

What are the key features of Azure Network Watcher?

Packet Capture: Enables detailed network traffic inspection to troubleshoot issues.
Cloud-Native Application Firewall: Provides enhanced protection for applications running in the cloud.
Traffic Monitoring: Allows for real-time analysis and troubleshooting of network traffic.
NSG Flow Logs & AI-Based Monitoring: Enhances flow control and threat detection.
Alerting & Threshold Configuration: Offers customizable alerts via Azure Monitor for proactive management.

What benefits can users look for in reviews?

Improved Network Security: Helps in identifying and mitigating threats efficiently.
Enhanced Visibility: Provides clear insights into network operations and potential issues.
Compliance Support: Assists in maintaining regulatory compliance with thorough monitoring capabilities.
Effective Bandwidth Management: Facilitates control and optimization of network bandwidth.

In industries like finance and healthcare, Azure Network Watcher is implemented to ensure robust security and compliance, crucial for safeguarding sensitive data. It aids retail and manufacturing sectors in optimizing network performance and maintaining seamless connectivity, supporting their digital infrastructure needs.

Microsoft

NinjaOne provides comprehensive remote monitoring, troubleshooting, and automation via a user-friendly web interface. With a robust mobile app and integration capabilities, it appeals to small businesses seeking cost-effective management solutions.

NinjaOne is designed to streamline IT operations through its remote monitoring, patch management, and automation capabilities. Its integration with Bitdefender and ongoing feature enhancements are valuable, although users express a desire for more third-party compatibility and smoother deployment processes. The platform's SLA system enhances performance tracking, while its continual development is a key attraction. Despite some calls for a more intuitive graphical interface and advanced reporting features, it remains an asset for managed service providers and businesses adapting to cloud-based environments.

What are the most important features?

Remote Monitoring: Essential for real-time insights into network and device performance.
Automation: Reduces manual tasks, increasing efficiency in IT management.
Patch Management: Timely updates for software and system security.
Mobile App: Ensures alerts and management capabilities on the go.
Third-Party Integrations: Enhances functionality by working with tools like Bitdefender.

What benefits can users expect?

Cost-Effectiveness: Appeals to small companies seeking budget-friendly IT solutions.
Performance Tracking: Improved SLA system aids in efficient performance monitoring.
Enhanced Management: Effective use of scripts and policies streamline operations.
Client Interaction: Better remote session management and asset control.

NinjaOne is widely employed across different sectors for server and workstation management, network infrastructure oversight, and client computer support. With its cloud-based framework, it supports managed service providers and businesses shifting to the cloud, ensuring seamless software deployment and improved asset management, making it integral to modern IT environments.

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Status Pros, Mitchell and Company