Scanopy is for IT teams and MSPs who want a dedicated network diagram automation tool which works alongside their existing monitoring platform. Auvik is for MSPs who need monitoring, alerting, and network maps in one cloud-managed platform. The table below puts the two side by side on discovery, the four topology views, pricing, and licensing, including Auvik's trade-offs.
Scanopy vs Auvik: head to head
| Scanopy | Auvik | |
|---|---|---|
| DiscoveryProtocols used to find devices and map connections | SNMP LLDP CDP ARP TCP/UDP | SNMP CDP LLDP ARP [1] |
| ServicesNo No service awareness Basic Common port detection Yes Application-level fingerprinting | Yes240+ types | Basic [2] |
| 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 | ||
| 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 | No |
| PricingStarting price or pricing model | Starts at $11.99 monthly, unlimited hosts | Per-device (contact sales) |
| Also IncludesCapabilities beyond network diagramming | Docker Visualization | Monitoring Traffic Analysis |
How they compare
Auvik and Scanopy both build live Layer 2/3 topology maps from SNMP, CDP, LLDP, and ARP, so on raw discovery they overlap. The difference is what each is built to be. Auvik is a monitoring-and-RMM platform: alerting, config backup, traffic analysis, and remote management, with topology mapping as one strong feature among many. Scanopy is a dedicated documentation tool. It maps and fingerprints services (databases, web servers, Docker containers, and more) and produces four switchable views (L2, L3, workloads, applications), but it does no monitoring or alerting.
That shapes the buying decision. Auvik prices per device and does not publish rates, so cost scales with your fleet and you request a quote. Scanopy is flat monthly with unlimited hosts, and there is a commercial self-hosted edition or a free, self-hostable AGPL-3.0 Community edition. If you are an MSP that wants monitoring, alerting, and maps in one cloud platform, Auvik's bundle is the stronger fit, and its topology mapping is a real core feature, not an afterthought. If you already run a monitoring stack (LibreNMS, Zabbix, PRTG) and just need accurate, shareable, exportable documentation that isn't tied to a per-device monitoring bill, Scanopy sits alongside what you have rather than replacing it.
On views, Auvik covers L2 and L3 well and surfaces VMs and containers as nodes, but it has no host-to-VM workload-nesting view, and its application grouping is unclear from public docs. Scanopy adds the workload and application views. Neither tool replaces the other's primary job.
When to choose which
Choose Scanopy when: You want documentation over monitoring + RMM: 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 Auvik when: If you're an MSP that needs monitoring, alerting, config backup, and network maps in one platform, Auvik is a strong option. The topology mapping is a core feature with Layer 2/3 views, device grouping, and real-time link status — not an afterthought.
This is a focused, two-tool comparison.Weighing other options too? See the best Auvik alternatives. For all 13 tools side by side, see the full comparison of automated network diagram tools.
Sources
[2] Auvik - Can Auvik discover services on my network?
[18] Scanopy - Documentation
[37] Auvik - Network Topology Mapper (visualizes physical wiring, VLANs, VMs, containers)
[39] Auvik - VMware hypervisor dashboard (VMs listed in a dashboard, not a host-to-VM nesting map)
Try Scanopy
Scanopy deploys a lightweight daemon that discovers your network and builds a live topology map. No per-device fees, unlimited hosts. It pairs with whatever monitoring tool you already use.
Started as a homelabber, now deep in SNMP MIBs, Layer 3 topology, and service fingerprinting - building the network documentation tool I wished existed.