Quick Answer
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Plixer Scrutinizer pricing varies by team size and features, ranging from $2K to $30K per year in 2026. Your actual cost depends on the tier you choose, contract length, and negotiated discounts.

Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.

  • Free tier: No free tier available
  • Billing: Monthly and annual (save 15-20%)
  • Hidden costs: Add ~35% for implementation, support, and training

Plixer Scrutinizer offers 4 pricing tiers: Small Business (25 Devices), Mid-Market (100 Devices), Enterprise (250+ Devices), Managed Service Provider (MSP). The Mid-Market (100 Devices) plan is mid-size organizations needing comprehensive traffic analysis with security features.

Compared to other network traffic analysis software, Plixer Scrutinizer is positioned at the premium price point.

Last verified: January 2026 | Sources: 5 pricing pages and reviews

Plixer Scrutinizer is a network traffic analysis and security analytics platform used by enterprises, government agencies, and service providers worldwide to monitor NetFlow, sFlow, and IPFIX data. Founded in 1996, Plixer pioneered flow-based network monitoring and now provides comprehensive traffic analysis, DDoS detection, and security analytics through their Scrutinizer platform. Unlike cloud-based competitors, Scrutinizer deploys on-premises, giving organizations complete control over their network data.

Plixer Scrutinizer pricing is based on the number of flow exporters/devices monitored: Small Business tier supports 25 devices for $1,995/year, Mid-Market tier supports 100 devices for approximately $8,000/year, and Enterprise tier supports 250+ devices starting at $29,995/year. Annual subscriptions include product updates and support. MSP pricing is custom for multi-tenant deployments. Hardware or VM infrastructure is required separately, costing $2,000-$15,000+ depending on network size and data retention needs.

In this guide, we break down Scrutinizer's pricing tiers from Small Business through Enterprise and MSP, explain how device count affects costs, compare Scrutinizer to Kentik and ntopng on price and features, and reveal hidden costs like hardware requirements, annual maintenance fees, security module add-ons, and storage infrastructure that can significantly impact your total spend.

All Plixer Scrutinizer Plans & Pricing

Plan Monthly Annual Best For
Small Business (25 Devices) Devices: Maximum 25 flow exportersSupport: Business hours, ticket-based Contact Contact Small businesses and branch offices with basic network traffic analysis needs
Mid-Market (100 Devices) Devices: Maximum 100 flow exportersSupport: Priority business hours support Contact Contact Mid-size organizations needing comprehensive traffic analysis with security features
Enterprise (250+ Devices) Devices: Starts at 250, scales with hardwareHardware: Requires dedicated enterprise hardware or powerful VMs Contact Contact Large enterprises with extensive networks requiring advanced security analytics and integrations
Managed Service Provider (MSP) Pricing: Custom based on total devices across all tenantsDeployment: Requires MSP-grade infrastructure Contact Contact Managed service providers offering network monitoring and security analytics to multiple clients
View all features by plan

Small Business (25 Devices)

  • NetFlow, sFlow, IPFIX analysis
  • Up to 25 flow exporters/devices
  • Network traffic visualization
  • Bandwidth monitoring
  • Application awareness
  • Basic security analytics
  • Standard reporting
  • Web-based interface
  • Email and ticket support
  • Annual subscription includes updates

Mid-Market (100 Devices)

  • Everything in Small Business tier
  • Up to 100 flow exporters/devices
  • Advanced security module
  • DDoS detection
  • Enhanced reporting and dashboards
  • API access for integrations
  • SNMP device monitoring
  • Custom alerting rules
  • Priority ticket support
  • Annual subscription with product updates

Enterprise (250+ Devices)

  • Everything in Mid-Market tier
  • 250+ flow exporters/devices
  • Full security module suite
  • Advanced DDoS detection and mitigation insights
  • Threat intelligence integration
  • Multi-tenancy support
  • Advanced API capabilities
  • Custom integrations with SIEM
  • Distributed deployment options
  • Priority phone and email support
  • Dedicated account manager (at scale)
  • Professional services available

Managed Service Provider (MSP)

  • Multi-tenant architecture
  • Unlimited clients (device limits apply per tenant)
  • White-label options
  • MSP-specific reporting
  • Centralized management
  • Per-tenant security analytics
  • API for automation and integration
  • MSP portal access
  • Flexible licensing models
  • MSP support program
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Hidden Costs to Budget For

Watch for 9 hidden costs
  • Hardware infrastructure costs: Scrutinizer requires dedicated servers or VMs with minimum 8GB RAM (small), 16-32GB (mid-size), or 64GB+ (enterprise), costing $2,000-$15,000+ upfront plus ongoing maintenance
  • Annual maintenance fees: typically 25-30% of license cost for continued support and updates, adding $500-$9,000+/year depending on tier
  • Security module add-ons: advanced security features beyond basic DDoS detection may require additional module purchases at $2,000-$8,000/year
  • Storage costs for data retention: long-term flow data retention requires significant disk space, estimate $1,000-$5,000+ for SAN/NAS storage infrastructure
  • Virtual machine licensing: if deploying on VMware or Hyper-V, VM licensing costs apply, typically $500-$2,000/year depending on hypervisor
  • Professional services for deployment: complex implementations require $3,000-$15,000 in consulting fees for proper setup and optimization
  • Training costs: effective use requires 1-3 days of training at $1,000-$2,500 per attendee, totaling $2,000-$10,000 for teams
  • Integration development: custom integrations with SIEM, ITSM, or automation platforms cost $2,000-$10,000 depending on complexity
  • Scaling costs: upgrading from 100 to 250 devices requires new license tier purchase, not just incremental device additions
Tip

Ask your Plixer Scrutinizer sales rep about these costs upfront. Getting them in writing before signing can save you from surprise charges later.

Full hidden costs breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions

01 How much does Plixer Scrutinizer cost?

Plixer Scrutinizer pricing starts at $1,995/year for up to 25 devices (Small Business tier), $8,000-$10,000/year for 100 devices (Mid-Market tier), and $29,995/year for 250+ devices (Enterprise tier). Pricing is based on the number of flow exporters/devices sending NetFlow, sFlow, or IPFIX data to Scrutinizer. Annual subscriptions include product updates and support. MSP pricing is custom based on total devices across all clients. Additional costs apply for hardware, storage, and advanced security modules.

02 Is Plixer Scrutinizer free?

Plixer Scrutinizer does not offer a permanently free tier. However, they typically provide a free trial or evaluation license for 30 days to test the platform before purchasing. This allows you to deploy Scrutinizer in your environment and assess its capabilities with your actual network traffic before committing to the annual subscription starting at $1,995/year.

03 What determines Scrutinizer pricing?

Scrutinizer pricing is based primarily on the number of flow exporters/devices sending data to the system. Pricing tiers are: 25 devices ($1,995/year), 100 devices ($8,000-$10,000/year), 250+ devices ($29,995/year and up). Additional factors include security modules needed, deployment model (single vs distributed), and support level required. Hardware costs are separate and depend on network size and data retention requirements.

04 What's the difference between device tiers?

Small Business (25 devices, $1,995/year) provides basic NetFlow analysis and reporting. Mid-Market (100 devices, $8,000/year) adds advanced security modules, DDoS detection, and API access. Enterprise (250+ devices, $29,995/year) includes full security suite, threat intelligence, multi-tenancy, SIEM integration, and priority support. Device limits are strict - you must upgrade to the next tier if you exceed your current device count.

05 How does Scrutinizer compare to Kentik on price?

Plixer Scrutinizer is significantly cheaper than Kentik for similar network sizes. Scrutinizer costs $8,000-$10,000/year for 100 devices, while Kentik typically costs $6,000-$42,000/year ($500-$3,500/month) for comparable deployments. However, Scrutinizer requires on-premises hardware ($2,000-$15,000 upfront) while Kentik is fully managed SaaS. Choose Scrutinizer for cost savings and on-premises control, or Kentik for cloud-native simplicity and advanced analytics without hardware management.

06 What hardware do I need to run Scrutinizer?

Hardware requirements depend on network size: Small Business (25 devices) needs 8GB RAM, 4 CPU cores, 500GB storage. Mid-Market (100 devices) needs 16-32GB RAM, 8 CPU cores, 1-2TB storage. Enterprise (250+ devices) needs 64GB+ RAM, 16+ CPU cores, 5TB+ storage. You can deploy on physical servers ($2,000-$15,000) or VMs (requires hypervisor licensing). Storage needs scale with data retention requirements - 90 days of flow data requires significantly more disk than 30 days.

07 Does Scrutinizer require annual contracts?

Yes, Scrutinizer uses annual subscription licensing where you pay upfront for 12 months of product updates and support. At $1,995-$29,995/year depending on device count, this requires annual commitment. There is no month-to-month option. However, annual subscriptions include all updates and support, unlike perpetual licensing where maintenance is optional. After year one, you can renew at 25-30% of license cost for continued updates and support.

08 Are security modules included or extra?

Basic security analytics are included in all tiers, but advanced security modules may require additional licensing. The Mid-Market tier includes the advanced security module in base pricing, while Small Business has limited security features. Enterprise tier includes the full security suite. Specific advanced features like threat intelligence integration or custom security analytics may cost $2,000-$8,000/year extra depending on requirements.

09 Can I negotiate Scrutinizer pricing?

Yes, especially for larger deployments. The published prices ($1,995, $8,000, $29,995) are list prices. Multi-year contracts typically offer 10-15% discounts. Volume deployments over 500 devices can negotiate custom pricing 20-30% below list. Best time to negotiate is end of quarter (March, June, September, December). Educational institutions and nonprofits may qualify for additional discounts of 15-30% off list pricing.

10 What's included in annual maintenance?

Annual subscriptions include product updates (new features and bug fixes), technical support via email and ticket system (priority support on higher tiers), access to knowledge base and documentation, and security updates. Maintenance after the first year typically costs 25-30% of original license price ($500-$9,000/year depending on tier). Without maintenance, you can continue using your version but won't receive updates or support.

11 Can I upgrade from one tier to another?

Yes, you can upgrade between device tiers mid-contract if you exceed your device limit. Plixer typically charges the prorated difference between tiers for the remaining contract period. For example, upgrading from 25 devices ($1,995/year) to 100 devices ($8,000/year) mid-year would cost approximately $3,000 for the remaining 6 months. Plan device count carefully to avoid mid-contract upgrades which carry less favorable pricing.

12 Is Scrutinizer suitable for MSPs?

Yes, Scrutinizer offers an MSP-specific licensing model with multi-tenant architecture, white-label options, and centralized management across multiple clients. MSP pricing is custom based on total devices across all clients, typically offering better per-device pricing than individual client purchases. MSPs can deploy one Scrutinizer instance serving 10-100+ clients with per-tenant security analytics and reporting.