vnStat
A console network traffic monitor for Linux and BSD that logs interface usage over time.
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1 more ways to get vnStat
Package managers
- Homebrew
brew install vnstat
About vnStat
vnStat keeps a log of how much traffic passes through selected network interfaces, reading the statistics the kernel already collects instead of sniffing packets. That keeps resource use low no matter how busy the link is, and the data survives reboots.
It reports summaries in 5 minute, hourly, daily, monthly and yearly views plus top days, can draw PNG graphs, lets months follow a billing period and can run without root. It suits anyone tracking bandwidth on a metered connection or a server.
Strengths
- Very light, no packet sniffing
- Statistics persist across reboots
- Monitors several interfaces at once
- Months can follow a billing period
Limitations
- Linux and BSD only
- Console output by default; graphs need the separate image tool
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree and open source under the GPL.
- License
- GPL
- Platforms
- Linux, Command line
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Works offline
- Yes
- Best suited for
- Tracking bandwidth use on a server or metered connection
- Categories
- System monitoring, Network tools, CLI tools
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to vnStat
Compare allSoftware that can replace vnStat for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
ntopng
Web-based network traffic probe that shows real-time and historical flows by host, protocol and application.
ntopng adds a web interface with real-time and historical traffic by host and application, but some features are paid and it needs a mirror port or flow export.
bmon
A terminal bandwidth monitor that shows live traffic rates for each network interface.
bmon is a terminal monitor with live per-interface graphs and scriptable output, but it shows current rates rather than persistent history across reboots.
IPTraf-ng
A console-based network monitor for Linux that shows live IP traffic statistics by connection and interface.
IPTraf-ng is a Linux console monitor with live per-connection and per-interface statistics, without long-term logging or billing-period tracking.
TrafficMonitor
A Windows floating window and taskbar widget showing network speed, CPU, memory and temperatures.
TrafficMonitor shows live network speed on the Windows taskbar, but it does not log interface usage over billing periods like vnStat.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
NetHogs
Linux terminal tool that shows network bandwidth usage grouped by process, like top for traffic.
bandwhich
Terminal tool that shows current network use broken down by process and connection.
Picosnitch
A Linux daemon that monitors network traffic per executable and alerts when new programs connect.
NetBalancer
Per-process network monitoring and bandwidth limiting for Windows.
Speedtest CLI
Official Ookla speed test for the command line.
Akvorado
Self-hosted flow collector, enricher and visualizer for NetFlow, IPFIX and sFlow traffic data.
