Best Network Testing Software in 2026
Updated
In short: PingPlotter is ranked #1 of 31 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of LibreSpeed and M-Lab NDT. The best-ranked option with a free plan is LibreSpeed. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Ostinato at $12/mo.
Checking network performance can mean choosing test methods, protocols, and an operating setup that match the checks you need to run. Compared on protocol support and test methods, these entries also vary in deployment, scheduled tests, distributed agents, and API access. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing add cost considerations. PingPlotter leads the ranking, followed by LibreSpeed, iPerf2, and Cisco pyATS; Invariant, OpenSpeedTest, IP Fabric, and EVE-NG are also among the first entries. Use those criteria to weigh how each option aligns with your testing approach and environment as you move through the ordered entries.
31 network testing software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 PingPlotter iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9$29/mo Deployment: hybrid
- 2 LibreSpeed Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.8Free Deployment: self_hostedTest methods: activeProtocol support: HTTP, HTTPS, ICMP
- 3 M-Lab NDT Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.9 Deployment: hybridTest methods: activeProtocol support: ndt7, ndt5, web100; WebSocket/TLS over TCP
- 4 OpenSpeedTest iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.8 Deployment: self_hostedTest methods: activeProtocol support: HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, HTTP/3
- 5 iPerf2 Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.7 Deployment: self_hostedTest methods: activeProtocol support: TCP, UDP, UDP L4S, IPv4, IPv6, multicast
- 6 Tessabyte iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.6 Deployment: self_hostedTest methods: activeProtocol support: TCP, UDP, IPv4, IPv6
- 7 Cisco ThousandEyes Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4 Deployment: hybrid
- 8 TRex No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4Free Deployment: self_hostedTest methods: bothProtocol support: TCP, UDP, ARP, ICMP, IPv6/ND, DHCPv4/v6, IGMP, DNS, DOT1X, LLDP, mDNS, NetFlow/IPFIX, OSPF, RIP, and GTP-U
- 9 Cisco pyATS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free Deployment: self_hosted
- 10 EVE-NG No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free
- 11 iperf3 No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free Deployment: desktop
- 12 Netpicker No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3$625/mo
- 13 GNS3 No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.2Free
- 14 perfSONAR No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.2Free
- 15 Ostinato No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6$12/mo Deployment: hybridTest methods: activeProtocol support: Ethernet II, 802.3, LLC, SNAP, 802.1Q VLAN, QinQ, IPv4, IPv6, UDP, stateless TCP, ICMP, ARP, NDP, IGMP, MLD, GRE
- 16 IP Fabric No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5
- 17 PacketForge No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Deployment: desktopTest methods: activeProtocol support: Ethernet, IPv4, TCP, UDP, RTP, VoIP, HTTP, FTP, DNS, video, 5G, BERT
- 18 Pktgen-DPDK No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Deployment: self_hostedTest methods: activeProtocol support: IPv4, IPv6, TCP, UDP, VLAN, GRE, GTP-U
- 19 Invariant No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Deployment: hybridProtocol support: BGP, OSPF, IPSec, NAT, policy-based routing, VPN, ACL, VLAN
- 20 PacketCheck No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Deployment: desktopTest methods: bothProtocol support: Ethernet, IPv4, UDP, TCP, ICMP, VLAN, MPLS, GTP
- 21 Flent No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Deployment: desktopTest methods: activeProtocol support: TCP, UDP, ICMP
- 22 MoonGen No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Deployment: self_hostedTest methods: bothProtocol support: Ethernet, IPv4, IPv6, UDP, TCP, ARP, ICMP, PTP
- 23 NetBeez No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Deployment: cloud
- 24 Netperf No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2Free Deployment: self_hostedTest methods: activeProtocol support: TCP, UDP, SCTP, XTI, DLPI, Unix domain sockets; IPv4 and IPv6 where documented
- 25 Testground No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Deployment: hybridTest methods: active
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which network testing software is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?
PingPlotter is ranked #1 of 31 with a score of 7.9. LibreSpeed is second and M-Lab NDT third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Ostinato has the lowest first paid tier we found: $12/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.