Scanopy is for IT teams and MSPs who want a dedicated network diagram automation tool which works alongside their existing monitoring platform. NetDisco is for network teams that want free, open-source Layer 2 topology discovery and device tracking. Discovery, the four topology views, pricing, and licensing are where the two differ, including NetDisco's trade-offs.
Scanopy vs NetDisco: head to head
| Scanopy | NetDisco | |
|---|---|---|
| DiscoveryProtocols used to find devices and map connections | SNMP LLDP CDP ARP TCP/UDP | SNMP CDP LLDP ARP [12] |
| ServicesNo No service awareness Basic Common port detection Yes Application-level fingerprinting | Yes240+ types | No |
| Network ViewsWhich topology views the tool produces from discovery. L2 Physical switch ports and links L3 Subnets, VLANs, routing Workload VM/container host nesting Application Service-dependency / app grouping Yes supported Tag ? unverified Greyed not supported | Layer 1/2 neighbor map (CDP/LLDP); explicitly no L3 routing or subnet mapping. [31] | |
| Live UpdatesWhether diagrams update automatically after the initial scan | Yes | Yes |
| Open SourceOSI OSI-approved open source license Source available Source code available, restricted license No Proprietary | OSI AGPL-3.0 | OSI BSD |
| PricingStarting price or pricing model | Starts at $11.99 monthly, unlimited hosts | Free |
| Also IncludesCapabilities beyond network diagramming | Docker Visualization | — |
How they compare
NetDisco and Scanopy both discover devices over SNMP and read CDP/LLDP neighbor data, and both are open source. NetDisco focuses on Layer 2: it collects IP and MAC data into PostgreSQL and resolves "what device is on which switch port?". Search a MAC or IP and it returns the exact switch and port, which is why it is long established for tracking down endpoints and auditing port usage. Scanopy does that same Layer 2 work (switch, port, and MAC/IP visualization) from a single scan, and adds three more views (L3, workloads, applications) plus per-host service fingerprinting on top.
The difference is scope and setup, not Layer 2 capability. NetDisco is free (BSD-licensed) but it's Perl and PostgreSQL on Linux, and it's Layer 1/2 only, with no L3 routing or subnet mapping. Scanopy is flat monthly with unlimited hosts, commercially self-hostable, or free under AGPL-3.0, runs from one daemon, and covers L3, workloads, and applications alongside the same switch-port and MAC/IP data. If switch-port and MAC tracking is all you need and you're happy administering Perl and Postgres, NetDisco covers it. If you want that Layer 2 visibility plus L3, workload, and application views in one tool, Scanopy is the broader fit.
On Layer 2 the two land in the same place: switch, port, MAC, IP. The choice is whether you also want L3, workloads, and applications in the same map (Scanopy), or a focused, free, self-hosted Layer 2 tool you run entirely yourself (NetDisco), which has done that one job since 2003.
When to choose which
Choose Scanopy when: Choose Scanopy for four views over layer 2 discovery: automatic L2, L3, workload, and application views, per-host service detection, flat pricing regardless of host count, and a free, self-hostable Community edition. It sits alongside your monitoring stack rather than replacing it.
Choose NetDisco when: Network teams comfortable with Perl and Linux administration who want a free, battle-tested tool for Layer 2 discovery and device tracking. Strong at answering "what device is on which switch port?" questions.
This is a focused, two-tool comparison.Weighing other options too? See the best NetDisco alternatives. For all 13 tools side by side, see the full network documentation tools comparison.
Sources
Started as a homelabber, now deep in SNMP MIBs, Layer 3 topology, and service fingerprinting - building the network documentation tool I wished existed.