Auvik vs. SolarWinds: What to Know About Pricing Predictability

Key takeaways

• SolarWinds ended new perpetual license sales in August 2025, moving to mandatory three-year subscriptions. Some customers have reported renewal costs climbing to 2-3x what they previously paid.
• Auvik isn’t necessarily cheaper than SolarWinds, but its pricing model has a longer track record of consistency. Its straightforward, per-device subscription model makes it easier to understand costs, get a quote, and plan your budget as your network grows.
• The best choice depends on what your team needs from its monitoring platform. Auvik is a strong fit for predictable pricing and flexibility, while SolarWinds can make sense for teams already invested in its ecosystem or needing broader monitoring capabilities.

In August 2025, SolarWinds ended perpetual licensing and moved customers to mandatory three-year subscriptions. For IT teams that had relied on the same licensing model for decades, this understandably raised some questions about long-term costs.

If you’re comparing Auvik vs. SolarWinds pricing, it’s tempting to focus on which vendor offers the better deal. But there’s more to consider than the number on your invoice. A published price tells you what software costs today, but doesn’t necessarily tell you what to expect at renewal, as your network grows, or when your needs change.

This article isn’t a price-off between Auvik and SolarWinds. We’re digging into something just as important: pricing predictability. Let’s break down how each vendor’s pricing model works, where the trade-offs lie, and what you should know before making a commitment.

After 20+ years, SolarWinds ended perpetual licensing 

What changed, and when

On August 1, 2025, SolarWinds officially ended new perpetual license sales and switched to a mandatory three-year subscription model. The change came just months after private equity firm Turn/River Capital acquired the company in April 2025.

SolarWinds had actually introduced subscription pricing back in 2020, positioning it as an additional option alongside perpetual licensing. In its original announcement, the company described its commitment to “deliver the flexibility to allow users to buy the way that works best for their business—whether through perpetual or subscription-based licensing.”

Five years later, subscriptions became the required model for new purchases, and existing customers faced new terms when renewing their maintenance agreements.

For some customers, the financial impact was significant. In a Reddit discussion, one customer reported receiving a three-year subscription quote exceeding $30,000, compared with approximately $9,500 under their previous perpetual licensing arrangement, even after a reported 43% discount.

While individual renewal costs vary, experiences like this highlight how a change in licensing structure can have a substantial impact on long-term IT budgets.

Why your vendor’s pricing history matters

For decades, SolarWinds customers could purchase perpetual licenses and plan their software costs around that model. When the licensing terms changed, so did the financial assumptions many customers had relied on.

And that raises a reasonable question: If a vendor can make a change this significant once, what’s stopping it from happening again?

It’s a fair question to ask about Auvik, too.

The difference is the track record. Auvik has used subscription-based, per-device pricing since day one. It hasn’t transitioned customers from perpetual licenses to subscriptions or repackaged previously purchased modules into new bundles. Its pricing structure has remained consistent, giving IT teams and MSPs a familiar framework for budgeting as their networks grow.

Of course, no software vendor can guarantee its prices will never change. Subscription rates and discounts can shift over time, including at renewal. But there’s a difference between adjusting prices within an established model and fundamentally changing how customers purchase your software.

When you’re choosing a network monitoring platform you’ll rely on for years, pricing history is worth considering.

SolarWinds’ new subscription pricing looks a lot more like Auvik’s model

Same shape, different track record

With SolarWinds moving away from perpetual licenses, both vendors now offer subscription-based pricing. That means shifting from a large upfront software purchase (CAPEX) to recurring operating expenses (OPEX) that you can plan for in your IT budget.

The pricing structures have some similarities, too. SolarWinds Observability Self-Hosted now uses node-based pricing, while Auvik charges based on the number of billable devices you’re monitoring. Keep in mind that a SolarWinds node and an Auvik billable device aren’t necessarily counted the same way, so comparing rates directly isn’t always straightforward.

SolarWinds also publishes tiered pricing for its Observability platform, so you can get a sense of the starting rates before requesting a quote. However, figuring out your total cost isn’t necessarily an easy feat, particularly if you’re evaluating different products, licensing tiers, and add-ons through its somewhat complex online quote builder.

So, what’s the real difference? While the two pricing models look increasingly similar on paper, Auvik has been using its per-device subscription model from day one. SolarWinds’ model is still relatively new, making its long-term pricing track record harder to evaluate.

What a three-year term buys you (and what it costs if your needs change)

One of the biggest factors for consideration when comparing SolarWinds to Auvik comes down to how long you’re committing.

SolarWinds’ new licensing model requires a three-year subscription. Auvik typically offers annual contracts, with longer terms available if you’d prefer to lock in your rate. And there are advantages to both approaches.

With a three-year agreement, you have greater certainty about your contracted rate for the next few years. That’s useful if your IT environment is relatively stable and you want to avoid revisiting pricing every year. But what if your needs change?

Maybe your company downsizes, your network infrastructure changes, or you discover a different tool that’s a better fit. With a three-year commitment, you may have less room to adjust your software spending until the contract ends. An annual agreement gives you an earlier opportunity to reassess your needs, although you’ll also have to revisit pricing more frequently.

For IT teams, this is worth weighing carefully, especially when you’re committing to a platform that’s recently undergone changes in ownership and licensing.

And for MSPs, there’s another layer to consider. If you’re signing a three-year vendor agreement but your clients operate on shorter contracts, you’re taking on the risk of paying for monitoring capacity you may no longer need. Matching your software commitments to your client agreements can make forecasting costs and protecting your margins much

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We’ve covered the pricing predictability of Auvik vs. SolarWinds, but which model actually makes the most sense for your business? That depends on how your network is growing, what you’re already using, and how much flexibility you need. Here’s where each platform tends to be the strongest fit.

Auvik is a good fit for…

Teams that want their monitoring bill to look the same shape next year

Auvik has used the same subscription-based, per-device pricing model since day one, giving you a consistent framework for planning your IT budget. While rates may change at renewal, you can forecast costs based on the devices you’re monitoring without worrying about a fundamental shift in how your software is licensed.

IT teams and MSPs without a dedicated SolarWinds admin

Auvik makes it easier for technicians at different skill levels to troubleshoot network issues without constantly escalating to a senior engineer or dedicated platform expert. That means less time spent on training, troubleshooting bottlenecks, and relying on one person to keep things running. When you’re managing multiple networks and competing priorities, those time savings can have just as much impact on your bottom line as your software licensing costs.

Growing MSPs and IT teams that expect their device count to keep climbing

If you regularly add new clients, sites, or network devices, Auvik’s volume-based pricing scales with you, so you can add billable devices without having to renegotiate your entire licensing agreement every time you hit a new threshold. That makes it easier to forecast monitoring costs as your business grows.

Teams that want to verify their real device count before committing to a number

Estimating how many devices you’ll need to monitor can be tricky, especially across multiple sites or client environments. With Auvik’s free trial, you can discover the devices on your actual network and see which ones count toward your bill before committing to a subscription.

SolarWinds is a good fit for…

Organizations already deep in the SolarWinds ecosystem who’ve made peace with the new terms

If your team has years of experience with SolarWinds, established workflows, and integrations built around its tools, sticking with the platform may make the most financial sense. Switching monitoring solutions comes with its own costs, and keeping your existing setup can be a practical choice if the new subscription terms work for your budget.

Teams that need SolarWinds’ broader modules in a single platform

SolarWinds offers a wide range of monitoring tools beyond network infrastructure, including database performance monitoring, application monitoring, and virtualization management. If your team relies on these capabilities and prefers to manage them within the same vendor ecosystem, that broader coverage can be a compelling reason to stay.

What to ask before you sign, whichever way you’re leaning

Whether you’re considering a switch to Auvik or sticking with SolarWinds, it’s worth looking beyond the initial quote to understand what you’re committing to. Here are a few questions to ask before signing on the dotted line:

• What are the contract terms? How long are you committing for, what happens when it’s time to renew, and is your rate guaranteed in writing for the full term?
• What’s actually included in your quote? If you’re evaluating SolarWinds, confirm whether you’re being quoted for Observability or individual legacy modules, and which features are included at your licensing tier.
• Which devices count toward your bill? If you’re considering Auvik, make sure you understand which device types are billable and which you can monitor for free.
• Can you test the software before committing? Take advantage of a free trial to see how the platform performs in your environment and verify your actual billable device count rather than relying on estimates.

The goal is to understand what you’ll pay today, what could change down the road, and whether the platform gives you the flexibility your team needs.

How to get started with Auvik today

For MSPs, predictable network monitoring costs make it easier to price your services, protect your margins, and plan for growth. And with Auvik’s straightforward per-device pricing model, you can spend less time figuring out licensing and more time delivering great service to your clients.

Plus, with capabilities like Auvik AI helping technicians troubleshoot faster, you’re investing in tools that can help your team work more efficiently as your business grows, and you’re getting a predictable bill.

Want to see what Auvik would cost for your environment? Explore Auvik’s pricing to learn how the model works and request a custom quote. You can also try Auvik free for 14 days to discover your network, explore the platform, and see which devices count toward your bill before committing.

If you’re currently using SolarWinds, check out our full Auvik vs. SolarWinds comparison for a closer look at the differences beyond pricing. Or, book a personalized demo to see how Auvik could work for your team.

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