Atlas index
All 9 tools, by sheet
Every tool we review, filed under its main job. Several of them do more than one job — Nmap maps hosts as well as ports, SoftPerfect doubles as a light inventory tool — so the comparison on each sheet also borrows from the others.
IP Scanners
Answers: “Which addresses on my network have something behind them?” See the full comparison
A1FreewareAdvanced IP ScannerA Windows LAN sweeper that lists hosts, MAC vendors and shared folders with almost no setup.WindowsA2GPLv2Angry IP ScannerA small cross-platform open-source sweeper for address ranges, with exportable results.Windows, macOS, LinuxA3CommercialSoftPerfect Network ScannerA paid multi-protocol scanner that pulls WMI, SNMP and share details per host.Windows, macOSA4CommercialLizardSystems Network ScannerA Windows range scanner focused on shared resources and their access rights; last updated in 2021.Windows
Port & Service Scanners
Answers: “Which services does each of my machines offer to the network?” See the full comparison
B1FreewareAdvanced Port ScannerA Windows port checker that shows which services answer on your own hosts.WindowsB2NPSLNmapThe long-running command-line mapper for hosts, ports and service versions on networks you manage.Windows, macOS, Linux, BSDB3GPLv2WiresharkA packet analyser for reading the traffic on your own segment, frame by frame.Windows, macOS, Linux
Discovery & Inventory
Answers: “What exactly do we own, and has anything new appeared?” See the full comparison
C1Free + paid tiersFingA phone and desktop app that recognises devices by make and model and flags newcomers.iOS, Android, Windows, macOSC2Commercial · trialLansweeperAn IT asset discovery platform that keeps a living inventory of hardware and installed software.Web console; scanning server on Windows or Linux