10 Best Virtual Machine (VM) Monitoring Tools in 2026

When dealing with virtualization and virtual machines, you’re faced with a set of unique and complex VM challenges. VMs (such as those created with VMWare or Hyper-V) often consume resources differently than physical hardware, resulting in a different set of risks and potential performance issues. CPUs, memory, storage, LUNs, network interfaces, and ancillary hardware must all be managed. There can be quite a few “moving parts” to consider overall.

In this comprehensive guide, we detail our picks for the 10 best VM monitoring tools in 2026 based on data from G2 and Capterra.

Best VM monitoring tools at a glance

What are virtual machines?

In its simplest form, a virtual machine is a computer system running on software rather than hardware. Under that umbrella, you’ll find two kinds of virtual machines, each with a unique purpose: system virtual machines and process virtual machines.

With virtual machines becoming vital to both on-premises and cloud computing, they’re stepping up alongside physical hardware in terms of enterprise infrastructure. VMs help organizations safely and effectively develop and test applications, enhance their storage capacity, duplicate workspaces, work remotely, and maximize flexibility regarding operating systems.

Two types of virtual machines

1. System virtual machines

This type of virtual machine will fill in for an entire computer system, including running a complete operating system and all the other software that it entails. System VMs are usually used to run programs on an operating system other than those run by the host machine (such as running Windows software on a Linux machine). They’re also used to run multiple VM instances side by side to make more efficient use of hardware.

2. Process virtual machines

These are created purely to run a single process or application. In this case, the virtual machine only exists when that process is running (the VM ceases when the process or application is closed). Emulators are a good example of this as most launch in the background parallel to the software they’re helping to run. When that application is closed, the emulator (VM) closes as well.

Hyper-V vs VMware

Hyper-V is Microsoft’s VM solution and is a Windows-native hypervisor. It allows IT managers to virtualize operating systems and hardware as hard drives and network switches.

If you’re not running in a Windows environment, VMware offers virtualization solutions for Linux or Mac OS X (and Windows still). VMware Workstation is provided for Linux and Windows applications and is free for non-commercial use, while VMware Fusion is the Apple-friendly OS X counterpart. It’s worth noting that VMWare Workstation and Fusion are popular virtualization tools that run on top of an operating system. These tools are designed for desktop virtualization and development environments.

On the other hand, VMware ESXi is a bare-metal hypervisor used in enterprise environments and considered a state-of-the-art solution for large-scale server virtualization.

The importance of a VM monitoring solution

Getting back to the challenge of monitoring these critical systems, we need to know what sort of information is important. Why is monitoring so important?

Whether you buy or build a solution, with endpoint monitoring and management, you should be able to gain insight into the following information:

• Hardware function and performance, including temperature, voltage, sensors, etc.
• CPU capacity and resource load, CPU throttling, and processor-ready time
• Memory capacity and memory ballooning
• Latency to storage units
• VM resource usage and performance

Features of Hyper-V and VMware monitoring tools

Let’s take a closer look at the common features of Hyper-V or VMWare monitoring tools, and you can decide for yourself which VM monitoring solution would be the right one for your organization.

VM health status monitoring

The tool should monitor the health of ESX/ESXi host hardware components such as CPU processor, memory, fan, voltage, power, temperature, storage, and battery—all while providing alerts in all these areas.

VM performance monitoring

To allow for comparative performance auditing, the tool must measure latency as well as read and write speeds for every host and VM connected to the datastore. It should be able to clue you to hardware resource issues or other problems. Extra information is needed for remediation, so gathering granular data like reserved memory and used host memory is important as well. This all aids the IT manager’s ability to address resource contention and resulting network instability.

VM network monitoring

The ideal tool will measure CPU and memory usage for each VM and adjust memory allocation to free up resources for other VMs. In general, the monitoring tool needs to be able to look into network performance by tracking overall usage and bandwidth at both the host and VM levels.

VM reporting and alerts

You should be able to set notifications for key performance metrics so that you’re alerted when trouble may be on the horizon. The tool should expedite remediation and produce reports that can help with planning and maintaining infrastructure. (In other words, the right VM monitoring solution should make an IT professional’s life much easier.)

Improving service by monitoring VM performance

Most IT managers will use a VM performance monitoring tool to collect data and metrics as well as compare reports monthly or weekly to ensure everything is functioning well and no problems appear to be snowballing. After a few months of data collection, you’ll be able to notice trends, streamline your resource planning, and identify any troublesome VMs that are repeatedly experiencing crashes or slowdowns.

The data collected through a Hyper-V or VMWare reporting tool comes in handy when showing organization leaders how much of your physical resources your VMs are using and what optimization measures are being used — often a necessary step toward procuring more hardware resources.

What is the difference between VM monitoring and VM management?

You may be confused by the terms “VM monitoring” and “VM management” and accidentally interchange them. However, while both are essential aspects of virtualization, they serve distinct purposes.

Essentially, VM monitoring focuses on tracking the performance, health, and status of virtual machines in real time. IT pros can detect potential issues like resource bottlenecks or downtime by analyzing key metrics, such as CPU usage, memory consumption, and disk I/O.

In contrast, VM management covers a broader range of tasks related to the lifecycle of virtual machines, including creating, configuring, updating, and deleting VMs. VM management tools enable IT teams to automate routine tasks to improve operational efficiency.

Best VM monitoring tool

All G2 and Capterra ratings data as of May 2026.

1. NinjaOne

NinjaOne offers a virtual machine monitoring tool fully integrated into its #1 endpoint management software solution. With the platform, IT teams of all sizes can easily monitor and manage their VMware and Hyper-V virtual machine hosts and guests in a single pane of glass.

The platform gives you full visibility into the health and performance of your VMWare and Hyper-V host servers, giving you real-time data on your key metrics. Its virtual machine monitoring and alerting capabilities include the following:

• Host machine details
• Host health details
• Host and guest performance thresholds
• Centralized monitoring and management of all virtual machines on a host
• Ability to create client-facing reports that summarize virtual machine infrastructure

Through the combination of its VM monitoring and endpoint management tools, NinjaOne simplifies work by automating the hardest parts of IT. With its proven track record of success, nearly 40,000 customers worldwide choose NinjaOne to deliver visibility, security, and control over all their endpoints.

Some numbers to note are as follows:

• 98 customer satisfaction score (CSAT)
• 95% increased IT efficiency with automation
• 94% reduced ticket volumes and ticket resolution times
• 70% reduced vulnerabilities in their environment

What users say

Scott Human, head of IT operations of Zero Latency VR, was looking for an integrated, all-in-one endpoint management software to help it scale its operations. With NinjaOne, Human and his team can now easily manage all their devices at over 50 active venues in 23 countries worldwide.

“The biggest benefit of NinjaOne for us is peace of mind—we just don’t have to worry about our fleet. With NinjaOne, we’ve built a process that allows us to innovate rapidly, respond to issues proactively, and deliver support to customers in a way that sets us apart in the industry.”

Read more NinjaOne customer stories or check out NinjaOne reviews.

NinjaOne reviews on G2

NinjaOne reviews on Capterra

2. PRTG Network Monitor

PRTG Network Monitor by Paessler is an all-in-one solution that allows you to monitor all the systems, devices, traffic, and applications in your IT infrastructure. Suitable for small to medium-sized IT enterprises, its network monitor tool is an on-premises software with flexibility and scalability for IT, OT, and IoT infrastructure.

Its software features 360-degree visibility into your entire IT network so you can monitor all your endpoints without vendor lock-in. Additionally, users can benefit from their integrated support of all important technologies and protocols.

Best for

Small to mid-sized IT teams that need a flexible, on-premises monitoring solution with broad device support and quick deployment, without requiring extensive configuration expertise.

Features

• Auto-discovery. PRTG Network Monitor automatically scans the network to detect connected devices, creating a real-time inventory of the IT environment.
• On-premises deployment. PRTG Network Monitor is installed locally rather than delivered as a SaaS product.
• Sensor-based monitoring. The platform uses a sensor model to track individual metrics across network devices and virtual machines.

Shortcomings

• Scalability. Some users have remarked that PRTG Network Monitor can still be improved in terms of scaling in larger environments. (Verified G2 Review)
• Licensing model. Other users mention that they’d appreciate more transparency on the solution’s licensing model as it’s based on sensors, not devices. (Verified G2 Review)
• Hierarchical grouping. According to reviews, PRTG Network Monitor’s hierarchical grouping of OT devices needs to be performed manually. (Verified G2 Review)

See how NinjaOne compares with PRTG or read a more in-depth analysis of PRTG alternatives.

PRTG Network Monitor reviews on G2

PRTG Network Monitor reviews on Capterra

3. Zabbix

Zabbix is an enterprise-class open-source network monitoring solution that gives you a centralized view of your whole IT infrastructure stack, including network and server infrastructure, cloud deployments, APIs and websites, services and applications, and IoT devices and sensors. The platform can be deployed either on-premises or in the cloud.

Zabbix allows you to keep track of your network’s health and performance, providing detailed reports on various metrics, including incoming and outgoing traffic, total bandwidth usage, and number of TCP connections, among others.

Best for

Organizations with experienced IT staff and the technical resources to manage an open-source platform, particularly those seeking a cost-effective solution for large-scale infrastructure monitoring.

Features

• Template-based monitoring. Zabbix uses pre-built and custom templates to define what metrics are collected from hosts.
• Flexible deployment. The platform supports both on-premises and cloud-based installations, accommodating a range of infrastructure configurations.
• Open-source architecture. Zabbix is available under an open-source license, allowing organizations to access and modify the source code without licensing fees.

Shortcomings

• Steep learning curve. Reviews of the software say that it takes a while to become fully accustomed to Zabbix’s features. (Verified G2 Review)
• User interface. According to some users, Zabbix’s user interface can be improved with an updated UI. (Verified G2 Review)
• On-premises installation. A couple of users have pointed out that installing Zabbix on on-premises Linux servers can be rather complex. (Verified G2 Review)

Zabbix reviews on G2

Zabbix reviews on Capterra

4. eG Enterprise

eG Enterprise is a web-based solution that helps you monitor applications, infrastructure devices, and platforms across physical, virtual, cloud, and container environments. Its single-pane-of-glass solution allows you to troubleshoot slow applications and infrastructure failures while tracking every customer journey on digital touchpoints (web applications, VDI, etc.).

Some of its features include tracing distributed business transactions to get code-level visibility (Java, .NET), understanding application dependencies with the supporting infrastructure, automatically diagnosing the root cause of application issues, and leveraging built-in machine learning and artificial intelligence for performance optimization, capacity planning, and infrastructure right-sizing.

Best for

Larger enterprises with complex virtual desktop and application environments that require deep end-user experience monitoring alongside infrastructure visibility.

Features

• Application performance monitoring. eG Enterprise traces transactions across distributed applications.
• Root cause analysis. The platform uses built-in machine learning to automatically correlate anomalies across infrastructure layers.
• End-user experience monitoring. eG Enterprise monitors VDI and web applications to track the performance of digital services as experienced by end users.

Shortcomings

• Complex setup. Users of eG Enterprise have said that the software’s initial setup can be complex and require more streamlined documentation. (Verified G2 Review)
• Browsing. According to reviews of the software, eG Enterprise’s browsing feature is prone to lagging and even crashing. (Verified G2 Review)
• Enhanced dashboard view. Other reviews say that eG Enterprise can improve how it displays enhanced views of its dashboard. (Verified G2 Review)

eG Enterprise reviews on G2

eG Enterprise reviews on Capterra

5. ManageEngine OpManager

OpManager by ManageEngine is a network monitoring tool that provides deep visibility into the performance of your routers, switches, firewalls, load balances, wireless LAN controllers, and virtual machines. Its VM monitoring tool helps you monitor your server system resources, such as CPU usage, memory consumption, I/O, network, disk usage, and processes.

Meanwhile, its server monitoring tool leverages automation to help you identify other performance-related issues, including resource utilization, app downtime, and response time. OpManager also offers out-of-the-box features to provide you with a more holistic view of your servers’ status.

Best for

Mid-size to large enterprises seeking a comprehensive, budget-conscious network and server monitoring tool with broad device coverage and out-of-the-box dashboards.

Features

• Server resource monitoring. OpManager tracks key server metrics across physical and virtual environments.
• Out-of-the-box dashboards. The platform includes preconfigured dashboards that display infrastructure health and performance data.
• Workflow automation. OpManager includes an automation engine that can trigger predefined actions in response to performance thresholds or fault conditions.

Shortcomings

• Performance issues. Some OpManager users have noticed that the software’s performance tends to slow down during large deployments. (Verified G2 Review)
• User interface. A few reviews suggest that OpManager’s user interface can still be improved. (Verified G2 Review)
• Alerting. According to reviews, OpManager’s alerts can create excessive noise without careful tuning. (Verified G2 Review)

ManageEngine OpManager reviews on G2

ManageEngine OpManager reviews on Capterra

6. New Relic

New Relic markets its monitoring solution to offer “intelligent observability,” eliminating silos for data, tools, and teams with its all-in-one platform. The software helps engineers plan, build, deploy, and run more efficiently, with all telemetry found on one secure cloud.

Its platform boasts over 770 integrations—including Kubernetes, Docker, Serverless, AWS, Azure, and GCP services—across 11 programming languages. In addition, New Relic uses automation and artificial intelligence at almost every step to get to the root cause much faster.

Best for

Engineering and DevOps teams at larger organizations that need full-stack observability across modern, cloud-native application environments and have the technical maturity to take advantage of an advanced, AI-driven platform.

Features

• AI-assisted analysis. New Relic applies machine learning to telemetry data to surface anomalies and suggest probable root causes during incident investigation.
• Full-stack observability. New Relic consolidates telemetry data from across an organization’s infrastructure and applications into a single platform.
• Broad integration support. It offers over 770 integrations, covering cloud providers, container orchestration tools, and major programming language agents.

Shortcomings

• Advanced API features. A few New Relic users point out how some advanced API functionalities are only available in higher tiers of the platform. (Verified G2 Review)
• Frequent logouts. Other users mention experiencing frequent logouts while using the solution. (Verified G2 Review)
• Memory usage. Some reviews say that New Relic’s memory usage still needs improvement as users often experience stack overflows. (Verified G2 Review)

New Relic reviews on G2

New Relic reviews on Capterra

7. IBM Turbonomic

IBM Turbonomic helps IT teams optimize the performance and cost of their IT infrastructure, including public, private, and hybrid cloud environments. With Turbonomic, IT experts can automate optimization actions in real time without human intervention; deliver compute, storage, and network resources across their stacks; avoid over-provisioning resources to their cloud environment; and increase ROI by using only what they need.

Turbonomic’s monitoring functionality operationalizes automation for faster, more efficient incident resolution. By using automation, Turbonomic eliminates data siloes and gives you end-to-end visibility of your IT infrastructure. Its IBM Instana Observability platform gives you full-stack visibility, one-second granularity, and three-second notification.

Best for

Large enterprises managing complex hybrid or multi-cloud environments where automated resource optimization and cost control across compute, storage, and container workloads are a priority.

Features

• Resource optimization. Turbonomic generates automated recommendations to right-size compute, storage, and network resources.
• Automated action execution. Turbonomic can execute optimization actions in real time without manual intervention, based on policies set by the IT team.
• Hybrid cloud support. The platform operates across on-premises, public cloud, and hybrid cloud environments, providing a unified view of resource utilization.

Shortcomings

• Complex setup. Reviews say that setting up Turbonomic can be complex given the software’s integration with multiple platforms. (Verified G2 Review)
• Optimization actions. Users point out that learning about Turbonomic’s optimization actions requires some familiarity with the platform’s infrastructure and with Kubernetes. (Verified G2 Review)
• Reporting. A few reviews have stated that Turbonomic’s reporting feature is rather rigid, making the creation of presentations more challenging. (Verified G2 Review)

IBM Turbonomic reviews on G2

IBM Turbonomic reviews on Capterra

8. Nagios XI

Nagios XI is an enterprise-level monitoring solution that grants users full oversight of servers, networks, and other services. Running on its proprietary open-source Nagios Core 4 monitoring engine, Nagios XI allows you to extensively monitor critical components, applications, and systems with built-in add-ons as well as third-party add-ons for comprehensive coverage.

The platform also enhances user access to relevant information with a centralized view of monitoring data and third-party insights to help IT teams identify, detect, and remediate security vulnerabilities.

Best for

Technically proficient IT teams that require a highly extensible, on-premises monitoring solution and are comfortable building out custom plugins and configurations to fit their specific infrastructure.

Features

• Extensible plugin ecosystem. Nagios XI supports thousands of community-developed and official plugins.
• Centralized alert management. It consolidates alerts from monitored infrastructure and delivers notifications via email, SMS, Slack, or Microsoft Teams.
• Role-based access control. Nagios XI allows administrators to define user permissions and visibility at a granular level.

Shortcomings

• Complex setup. Reviews of Nagios XI have mentioned that the software’s setup can be less complex for new or nontechnical users. (Verified G2 Review)
• SQL database troubleshooting. Some users say that the platform can benefit from more in-depth insights for troubleshooting SQL database performance issues. (Verified G2 Review)
• Logging. Other users have pointed out that Nagios XL’s logging capabilities can be rather limited. (Verified G2 Review)

Nagios XI reviews on G2

Nagios XI reviews on Capterra

9. LogicMonitor

LogicMonitor is a SaaS-based hybrid observability platform that provides automated monitoring, applications, and business services. It helps IT teams improve operational efficiency worldwide through AI-powered early warning capabilities, customizable escalation chains, and more. Because it offers end-to-end visibility into your entire IT infrastructure, the platform reduces the risk of tool sprawl and consolidates everything into a single source of truth.

In addition, LogicMonitor uses IT automation to eliminate redundant and time-consuming tasks so you save time, money, and resources. You can also use its built-in automation to customize and create rules, scale growth, and automate onboarding.

Best for

Mid-to-large enterprises and managed service providers that need a scalable, SaaS-delivered observability platform capable of covering diverse hybrid environments without deploying monitoring agents on individual devices.

Features

• SaaS-based deployment. LogicMonitor is delivered as a cloud-hosted service, providing access to monitoring data from any location.
• Automated device onboarding. The platform uses dynamic discovery to automatically detect and onboard new devices and cloud resources.
• AI-powered forecasting. LogicMonitor generates capacity forecasts and early warnings before thresholds are breached.

Shortcomings

• Customer support. According to some LogicMonitor users, the platform’s customer support still needs improvement. (Verified G2 Review)
• User interface. Some reviews state that LogicMonitor’s UI can still be more intuitive for new users. (Verified G2 Review)
• Integration configuration. A few users point out that configuring integrations in LogicMonitor can be complex. (Verified G2 Review)

LogicMonitor reviews on G2

LogicMonitor reviews on Capterra

10. Site 24×7

Site24×7 is an all-in-one AI-powered monitoring tool for public and private cloud monitoring, server monitoring, application performance monitoring, website monitoring, real user monitoring, synthetic web transaction monitoring, network monitoring, log management from the cloud, and IT monitoring powered by AIOps.

Its network monitoring tool helps you track your network performance more thoroughly with granular visibility at the device and interface levels. With Site24×7, you can track network components and endpoints as well as perform fault, performance, and traffic monitoring.

Best for

Organizations of all sizes—particularly those in retail, media, or e-commerce—that need a unified, cloud-hosted monitoring platform covering web applications, infrastructure, and end-user experience in a single tool.

Features

• Unified monitoring scope. Site24×7 covers servers, networks, applications, websites, and cloud infrastructure from a single platform.
• Real user monitoring. The platform captures actual end-user interactions with web applications to measure page load times and identify performance bottlenecks.
• AIOps integration. Site24×7 uses AI-driven event correlation and anomaly detection to reduce alert noise and surface actionable insights during incidents.

Shortcomings

• User interface. According to reviews of Site24×7, the platform’s user interface can be a little more user-friendly. (Verified G2 Review)
• Automatic alerts. Users mention that it can be rather challenging to understand the context of some automatic alerts. (Verified G2 Review)
• Dashboard customization. Some users say that the platform’s customization of dashboards can be improved with widget consolidation. (Verified G2 Review)

Site 24×7 reviews on G2

Site 24×7  reviews on Capterra