Checkmk vs Domotz

Yes. Checkmk Raw Edition is free and open source with no host count limit. MSPs can use Checkmk Raw to monitor client environments at zero licensing cost. However, Checkmk requires Linux admin expertise to deploy and manage, and multi-tenant MSP configurations require significant custom setup. For MSPs who want out-of-the-box MSP portal features, Domotz or Auvik are purpose-built alternatives.

No. Domotz monitors network-connected devices — switches, routers, firewalls, APs, and IP-connected infrastructure. It does not install agents on servers for CPU, memory, disk, or process monitoring. Organizations using Domotz for network monitoring typically pair it with a separate server monitoring tool (Checkmk, PRTG, Datadog).

Checkmk supports distributed monitoring through remote monitoring sites that forward data to a central Checkmk server. Remote sites run a Checkmk agent or SNMP sensors locally and communicate with the central site over an encrypted connection. This is operationally more complex than Domotz's cloud-probe model but gives more flexibility and monitoring depth at each site.

Yes, Domotz includes basic SNMP monitoring for device discovery and health status. However, its SNMP library and OID customization depth are more limited than Checkmk's 2,000+ check plugin library. For advanced SNMP-based hardware monitoring (per-port utilization, hardware component health), Checkmk or PRTG provide significantly more depth.

For a small MSP with fewer than 10 client sites and limited technical resources, Domotz's simplicity may justify its cost ($21–$35/probe/mo). For a small MSP with Linux expertise, Checkmk Raw at $0 licensing cost with a single server managing all client sites is a strong option. The right answer depends on the MSP's technical capability and whether monitoring depth or operational simplicity matters more.

Checkmk does not have native out-of-the-box integrations with ConnectWise Manage or Autotask. Alert-to-ticket creation requires custom webhook configuration or third-party connectors. Domotz Business includes purpose-built ConnectWise Manage, Autotask, and Halo PSA integrations. For MSPs that rely on PSA integration for ticketing workflows, Domotz's native integrations save significant setup time.

Yes. Checkmk monitors AWS, Azure, and GCP services via API-based check plugins. EC2 instances, RDS databases, S3 buckets, Azure VMs, and other cloud services are discoverable and monitorable. Domotz does not monitor cloud infrastructure. For organizations with cloud workloads to monitor, Checkmk covers the use case — Domotz does not.

Domotz can use hardware probes (Raspberry Pi, Intel NUC, Domotz-branded hardware) or software probes installed on existing Linux/Windows devices at each site. No purpose-built hardware purchase is required if you have an existing device at the site. Checkmk requires a Windows or Linux machine at each remote site to run a Checkmk remote probe, or a reliable VPN connection to the central server.

Checkmk has a moderate-to-high learning curve. Setting up the server, configuring service discovery, tuning alert thresholds, and writing custom check scripts require Linux familiarity and monitoring platform knowledge. Initial setup for a 50-host environment takes 1–3 days. Domotz's setup — deploy a probe, discover devices — is significantly simpler and takes hours.

Both platforms support alert routing to Slack, PagerDuty, and email. Checkmk's alerting is more flexible — configurable by host, service, time period, and escalation rules with complex condition logic. Domotz's alerting is simpler and easier to configure for basic threshold-based network alerts. For complex escalation workflows, Checkmk's rule-based alerting provides more control.