9 Best Compliance Monitoring Tools in 2026
Are you looking for a compliance monitoring tool for your IT systems?
Compliance monitoring tools help you check system configurations, review logs, identify policy violations, and prepare audit reports.
To help you compare your options, we evaluated nine compliance monitoring tools based on the following criteria:
Supported compliance standards and built-in rules
Network, log, and cloud monitoring
Custom policies and automated checks
Alerts and remediation
Audit reports and compliance history
Deployment options and pricing
We also reviewed each tool's features, limitations, and pricing to help you choose the right solution for your requirements.
Here's what we found.
TL;DR: Best Compliance Monitoring Tools in 2026
Here are three compliance monitoring tools worth considering, depending on your monitoring needs and IT infrastructure.
Motadata ObserveOps: Best for monitoring network device configurations and log compliance from a single platform, with cloud and on-premises deployment options.
ManageEngine: Best for small and mid-sized businesses that need affordable network compliance checks and ready-made policies.
Datadog: Best for monitoring cloud accounts, hosts, and containers against established compliance frameworks.
Top 9 Compliance Monitoring Tools at a Glance
Let’s have a quick glance at compliance monitoring tools.
Tool Name | Best For | Supported Systems | Deployment Type | Starting Price |
Motadata ObserveOps | Network configuration and log compliance | Network devices, servers, applications, and cloud resources | On-premises or cloud | Custom quote |
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager | Network configuration audits | Multi-vendor network devices | On-premises | Starts at $754 |
ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager | Network configuration compliance | Network devices | On-premises on Windows or Linux | $238 for 10 devices |
Sumo Logic | Log-based compliance monitoring | Logs from servers, cloud accounts, and firewalls | Hosted service | Custom quote |
Site24x7 | Network configuration and firmware compliance | Network devices and infrastructure | Hosted service | $625/month, billed annually |
WhatsUp Gold | Network configuration audits | Network devices and infrastructure | On-premises | $3,469/year for 50 devices |
Datadog | Cloud security and compliance monitoring | Cloud accounts, hosts, and containers | Hosted service | $22/host/month, billed annually |
BackBox (Kilter) | Network configuration compliance and remediation | Network and security devices | Virtual machine on your own servers | Custom quote |
rConfig | Network configuration compliance | Routers, switches, firewalls, and other network devices | Self-hosted on Linux | $2,999 for up to 300 devices |
How We Evaluated Compliance Monitoring Software
We evaluated these tools based on how well their compliance monitoring features help an IT team pass audits and keep systems in line with policy:
Can the tool check device settings or logs against standards such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, and CIS?
Does the tool include ready-made rules, so you do not have to write every check yourself?
Can teams write custom rules for their own internal policies?
Can the tool run compliance checks on a schedule without anyone starting them?
Does the tool alert the team as soon as a device or system breaks a rule?
Can the tool show exactly which setting failed and why?
Does the tool help fix a failed check, either automatically or with clear steps?
Can the tool keep a history of changes, so you can show auditors who changed what and when?
Can teams export compliance reports that auditors can read?
Does the tool support devices and systems from many different vendors?
Top Compliance Monitoring Tools Discussed in Detail
Let’s now understand each of these tools in detail.
1. Motadata ObserveOps
Best for: IT teams that need network configuration compliance, log compliance, and infrastructure monitoring in one platform.
Motadata ObserveOps is an IT observability platform that monitors networks, servers, applications, logs, and cloud environments. Its network configuration and compliance module checks device configurations against defined rules and benchmarks.
Its log monitoring module also provides prebuilt compliance reports for standards such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001.
You can group compliance rules into benchmarks and apply them to selected devices through compliance policies.
The platform evaluates each rule, flags failed checks, and calculates an overall compliance score. You can also schedule compliance assessments, generate audit reports, and configure remediation actions to address policy violations.
Motadata ObserveOps is a good fit for IT teams that want to manage network configuration compliance, log compliance, and infrastructure monitoring through one platform.
If you only need to back up network device configurations, however, a dedicated configuration backup tool may be a better fit.
Pros
- Each rule can carry a severity, a reason, and a reference, so auditors can see why the rule exists.
- Assessment results can reach your team by email or Microsoft Teams, so nobody has to keep checking a dashboard.
- You can run it on-premises or in the cloud, so you decide where your compliance data is stored.
- Compliance checks can run on a schedule, so audits do not depend on someone remembering to start them.
Cons
- Advanced rules use regular expressions or scripts, so writing them needs scripting skills.
- Each device needs a credential profile with SSH or Telnet access before its settings can be checked.
Pricing
Custom quote: Motadata ObserveOps has a custom quote based on what you monitor and how you deploy it. You can contact its sales team for the price.
Free trial: A 30-day free trial is available.
Our network compliance management page explains how rules, benchmarks, and policies work in Motadata ObserveOps.
2. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager
Best for: Mid-sized and large organizations that need to audit and manage configurations across large, multi-vendor networks.
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) helps IT teams back up, manage, and audit network device configurations. It supports devices such as routers, switches, and firewalls from multiple vendors. The platform also tracks configuration changes, alerts teams to unauthorized updates, and lets them restore previous configurations when needed.
SolarWinds NCM includes automated compliance audits and reports for standards such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, and DISA STIG. You can use built-in policy reports or create custom policies to check device configurations against your organization's requirements. The platform also supports scheduled compliance checks and remediation scripts to help address policy violations.
SolarWinds NCM is a good fit for teams that need to manage configuration compliance across many network devices. However, its compliance checks focus on network device configurations.
If you also need to assess compliance using logs from servers, applications, or cloud environments, you may need a separate log monitoring or security information and event management (SIEM) solution.
Pros
- Scheduled backups let you roll a device back to its last good settings after a bad change.
- Ready-made templates make it easy to update old firmware that has known security problems.
- It works with networks that use devices from many different vendors.
- Its split-screen view highlights the exact lines that changed between two versions of a device's settings.
Cons
- It needs a Microsoft SQL Server database, which adds setup work for your team.
- Real-time change alerts work only after you set each device to send syslog or trap messages to the SolarWinds server.
Pricing
Custom quote: SolarWinds has a custom quote. You can contact its sales team for the price.
Free trial: A 30-day free trial is available.
Our SolarWinds pricing guide explains how its products are priced.
3. ManageEngine
Best for: Small and mid-sized businesses that need affordable network configuration compliance.
ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager helps IT teams back up, manage, and audit network device configurations. It supports routers, switches, firewalls, and other network devices.
The platform checks device configurations against compliance policies during backups. You can also schedule checks, receive alerts when configurations violate policies, and generate compliance reports.
Plus, its built-in policies help you check device settings against industry standards and internal requirements.
ManageEngine is a good fit for businesses that want to automate network compliance checks without a large investment.
However, if you need centralized management of devices across multiple locations, you will need the Enterprise edition.
Pros
- It runs on Windows or Linux, so you can use the servers you already have.
- Compliance reports can be exported as PDF or CSV files for auditors.
- The Free plan includes compliance checks for 2 devices and never expires.
- Its change history shows who changed a device's settings, what changed, and when, which helps during audits.
Cons
- Real-time change detection works only when devices send syslog messages to ManageEngine.
- Devices that are not supported out of the box need a custom device template, or you have to request one from its support team.
Pricing
Free plan: The Free plan covers 2 devices.
Professional plan: The Professional plan starts at $238 per year for 10 devices.
Enterprise plan: The Enterprise plan starts at $3,358 per year for 250 devices.
Free trial: A 30-day free trial is available.
4. Sumo Logic
Best for: IT and security teams that need log-based compliance monitoring and audit reporting across cloud and on-premises environments.
Sumo Logic is a cloud-based analytics platform that collects and analyzes logs and other machine data from applications, servers, cloud services, and security tools. It helps teams monitor security events, investigate unusual activity, and keep audit data in one place.
The platform provides prebuilt searches, dashboards, and reporting tools to support compliance monitoring. Teams can use these features to review user activity, monitor security controls, identify potential compliance issues, and prepare for audits. Sumo Logic also supports real-time monitoring and configurable data retention to meet different operational and audit requirements.
Sumo Logic is a good fit for organizations that rely on log data to monitor security and demonstrate compliance.
However, if your main requirement is to back up network device configurations, compare configuration changes, or enforce settings on routers and switches, you may need a dedicated network configuration management tool.
Pros
- Its search audit records who ran each search and from which IP address, so you can show auditors how log data was used.
- You can check whether your AWS accounts follow security standards with its AWS Security Hub app.
- Your logs are stored in its cloud, so you do not have to buy or manage storage for them.
- It is certified for PCI DSS, SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP Moderate, so your auditors can trust the place where your logs are kept.
Cons
- Searching logs uses Sumo Logic's own query language, so your team has to learn it first.
- To collect logs from firewalls and other devices in your network, you have to install a collector on one of your servers.
Pricing
Essentials plan: The Essentials plan has a custom quote. You can contact its sales team for the price.
Enterprise Suite plan: The Enterprise Suite plan has a custom quote. You can contact its sales team for the price.
Free trial: A 14-day free trial is available.
Our Sumo Logic alternatives article compares it with other tools.
5. Site24x7
Best for: IT teams that want cloud-based network configuration monitoring and compliance checks.
Site24x7 is a cloud-based monitoring platform from Zoho that covers networks, servers, applications, and websites. Its Network Configuration Manager (NCM) backs up network device configurations, tracks changes, and checks settings against compliance policies.
Site24x7 supports devices from more than 75 vendors and offers over 300 device templates. Its NCM module checks configurations against standards and policies such as Cisco IOS, SOX, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and custom organizational rules. It also alerts teams to policy violations and helps them review configuration changes.
Site24x7 is a good fit for teams that want to manage device backups and compliance checks through a cloud-based platform.
However, configuration backups are stored in Site24x7's cloud, so organizations that must keep these backups entirely within their own network may need another solution.
Pros
- Change alerts can go out by email, SMS, voice call, PagerDuty, or Slack.
- A backup is taken automatically when a change is detected, so every change has a record.
- Scheduled PDF reports make it easy to share compliance status with managers.
- Its mobile app lets you see alerts and device status from your phone.
Cons
- Reaching your network devices needs an On-Premise Poller installed on a machine inside your network.
- Configuration backups are kept for up to one year, which may be too short for audits that need a longer history.
Pricing
Enterprise plan: The Enterprise plan starts at $625 per month, billed annually.
Other plans: Site24x7 also sells the Lite plan and the Professional plan, but they do not include compliance checks, so they are not listed here.
Free trial: A 30-day free trial is available.
Our Site24x7 alternatives article compares it with other tools.
6. WhatsUp Gold
Best for: IT teams that need network monitoring and configuration compliance in one platform.
WhatsUp Gold is a network monitoring platform from Progress Software. Its Configuration Management feature helps IT teams back up, manage, and audit configurations for network devices such as routers, switches, and firewalls. It also tracks configuration changes and alerts teams when settings change.
The platform stores approved configurations as a reference, often called a “gold standard,” and compares them with running device configurations to identify differences. You can also audit device settings against predefined or custom policies, schedule compliance checks, and generate reports to document compliance with internal policies and standards such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, and SOX.
WhatsUp Gold is a good fit for teams that want configuration backups, compliance audits, and network monitoring in one console.
It can support up to 20,000 devices with a suitable server and additional pollers, and larger networks may require a scaled deployment.
Pros
- New device settings are checked against your policies automatically.
- Firmware updates can be scheduled as automated tasks.
- Device settings are backed up to a secure, encrypted archive.
- The Enterprise Plus plan also includes log management, so you can keep logs for audits in the same tool.
Cons
- If you monitor 2,500 or more devices, you need a separate SQL Server, so your team has one more server to set up and look after.
- Instant change alerts need devices to send SNMP traps, so other devices are only checked during scheduled scans.
Pricing
Enterprise Plus plan: The Enterprise Plus plan starts at $3,469 per year for 50 devices.
Enterprise Scale plan: The Enterprise Scale plan has a custom quote. You can contact its sales team for the price.
Total Plus plan: The Total Plus plan is a one-time license with a custom quote. You can contact its sales team for the price.
Other plans: WhatsUp Gold also sells the Business plan, the Enterprise plan, and the Premium plan. The Business plan and the Enterprise plan do not include Configuration Management, and the Premium plan offers it only as an add-on, so they are not listed here.
Free trial: A 30-day free trial is available.
Our WhatsUp Gold pricing guide explains its editions and license types.
7. Datadog
Best for: IT and security teams that need cloud security monitoring and compliance checks alongside infrastructure monitoring.
Datadog is a cloud-based observability platform that monitors infrastructure, applications, logs, and cloud services. Its Cloud Security features check cloud resources, hosts, and containers for security misconfigurations and potential compliance issues.
Datadog supports frameworks and benchmarks such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, FedRAMP, and CIS. It provides more than 1,300 built-in compliance rules to help teams identify configuration issues, review compliance findings, generate reports, and track remediation.
Datadog is a good fit for teams that already use the platform to monitor their infrastructure and want to add cloud security and compliance checks.
However, if your main requirement is to back up and audit router and switch configurations, a dedicated network configuration management tool may be a better fit.
Pros
- It covers regional laws such as Brazil's LGPD, California's CCPA, and the UK's Cyber Essentials.
- Compliance numbers can be added to dashboards to track progress over time.
- Frameworks for newer rules, such as DORA, NIS2, and the EU Cyber Resilience Act, are already included.
- It works with AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, so you can check all your cloud accounts in one place.
Cons
- Compliance checks on hosts need the Datadog Agent installed on every host.
- Its ready-made host benchmarks cover Linux systems only, with no CIS benchmark for Windows servers.
Pricing
DevSecOps Pro plan: The DevSecOps Pro plan starts at $22 per host per month, billed annually, or $27 on demand.
DevSecOps Enterprise plan: The DevSecOps Enterprise plan starts at $34 per host per month, billed annually, or $41 on demand.
Free trial: A 14-day free trial is available.
Our Datadog alternatives article compares it with other tools.
8. BackBox
Best for: Large organizations that need to automate network configuration compliance across multiple vendors.
BackBox is a network automation platform that helps organizations back up device configurations, run compliance checks, and automate remediation. Its Kilter platform supports network and security devices from multiple vendors.
Kilter checks device configurations against compliance policies and supports standards such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, DISA STIGs, CIS benchmarks, and DORA. It also helps identify configuration issues, generate compliance reports, and automate corrective actions.
BackBox is a good choice for organizations that want to reduce manual work in network compliance. However, it may not meet the needs of organizations that require compliance monitoring for servers, applications, and cloud resources.
Pros
- Every backup is checked in 5 steps when it is taken and again before a restore.
- One combined report can be shared with other departments in your company.
- Operating system and firmware upgrades can be automated across your devices.
- It also shows performance trends for your devices.
Cons
- There is no free trial, so you can only see it working in a live demo.
- Reviewers on G2 say the first setup takes time, because each device type and its login details have to be set up.
Pricing
Kilter ALM plan: The Kilter ALM plan has a custom quote. You can contact its sales team for the price.
Kilter Enterprise plan: The Kilter Enterprise plan has a custom quote. You can contact its sales team for the price.
Kilter AI plan: The Kilter AI plan has a custom quote. You can contact its sales team for the price.
Free trial: BackBox does not offer a free trial. You can request a live demo instead.
9. rConfig
Best for: Small and mid-sized businesses that need affordable network configuration management.
rConfig is a Linux-based tool that helps organizations back up network device configurations, track changes, and check settings against compliance policies.
You can create compliance rules in text files and assign them to devices, categories, or tags. rConfig checks device configurations against these rules and generates compliance reports.
rConfig is a good choice for organizations that want predictable pricing and control over network configurations. However, 24/7 support is available only with the Enterprise/MSP plan.
Pros
- Checks use saved settings and never connect to devices, so they add no load to your network.
- It keeps tamper-proof records of every settings change and user action, which gives auditors a trusted record.
- It can run in air-gapped networks with no internet access, which suits sites with strict security rules.
Cons
- There is no hosted version, so your team has to run and maintain the server.
- Built-in AI and script automation come only with the Standard plan and the Enterprise / MSP plan.
Pricing
Core plan: The Core plan is free and open source, with backup and management tools.
Starter plan: The Starter plan costs a one-time $2,999 for up to 300 devices.
Standard plan: The Standard plan costs a one-time $4,499 for up to 1,000 devices.
Enterprise / MSP plan: The Enterprise / MSP plan has a custom quote. You can contact its sales team for the price.
Free trial: rConfig does not offer a free trial of its paid plans. You can book a live demo instead.
How to Choose a Compliance Monitoring Tool
Before choosing a compliance monitoring tool, think about which standards you must meet, what your auditors ask for, and whether your company rules let you store data in the cloud or only on your own servers.
List every standard your company must meet, such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, or CIS.
Decide whether you need to check device settings, log data, cloud resources, or all three.
Check that the tool has ready-made rules for your standards, so you do not start from zero.
Make sure you can write custom rules for your own internal policies.
Decide whether the tool must run on your own servers or can run as a hosted service.
List every device vendor and model the tool has to support.
Check how the tool alerts your team when a check fails.
Ask your auditors which report format they need and confirm the tool can export it.
Calculate the total cost with your own numbers by including devices, log sources, hosts, and expected growth.
Use the free trial or demo to run one full audit on a small group of devices, then compare the report with what your auditors expect.
If you are not sure where your tool should run, our guide to on-premises and SaaS network monitoring compares the two options.
Conclusion
Choosing the right compliance monitoring tool depends on the systems you need to monitor and the standards you must meet. You need a solution that helps you identify configuration issues, monitor logs, and prepare for IT audits.
Motadata ObserveOps brings network configuration compliance, log compliance, and infrastructure monitoring together in one platform. It helps your team check compliance rules, identify failed checks, and generate reports for audits.
Want to see how Motadata ObserveOps can support your compliance monitoring needs? Book a demo with the team to explore its features.
FAQs
What is a compliance monitoring tool?
A compliance monitoring tool checks your IT systems against rules from standards such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, and CIS. It finds settings or activity that break those rules. It also creates reports that you can share with auditors.
What is the difference between configuration compliance and log compliance?
Configuration compliance checks the settings on devices, such as whether password encryption is turned on. Log compliance checks activity records, such as who logged in and what they changed. Many audits need both.
Can compliance monitoring tools fix problems automatically?
Some can. Motadata ObserveOps uses runbooks, BackBox can fix devices automatically, SolarWinds uses fix scripts, and ManageEngine applies saved fixes.
Is there a free compliance monitoring tool?
Yes, but with limits. ManageEngine is free for 2 devices. The free rConfig Core plan does not include compliance checks.
Which compliance monitoring tools can run on my own servers?
Motadata ObserveOps, SolarWinds, ManageEngine, WhatsUp Gold, BackBox, and rConfig can all run on your own servers. Site24x7, Sumo Logic, and Datadog run only as hosted services.
Author
Ramya Shah
Technical Writer
Ramya Shah is a technical content writer with a computer engineering background and roots in automotive journalism. He covers IT Service Management, observability, IT operations, and AI-driven automation. An early adopter of AI-assisted writing workflows, he turns complex IT processes into clear, engaging content optimized for search and answer engines (AEO), lifting content output and organic visibility.
