comparison · capability vs cost
Three scanners on one bench
Same LAN, three afternoons, notes kept honestly. The winner depends on the question you bring.
checked 15 september 2026
Capability table
| Angry IP Scanner | LizardSystems NS | Engineer's Toolset | |
|---|---|---|---|
| price | free, open source | free tier + licence | licence per engineer |
| platforms | win / mac / linux | windows | windows |
| host sweep | fast, ping + ARP | multithreaded | ping + SNMP |
| share permissions | — | core feature | partial |
| switch port mapping | — | — | core feature |
| exports | csv / txt / xml | html / xml / txt | maps + reports |
| install footprint | none (portable) | installer | installer, licence server |
Reading the table aloud
Angry IP Scanner is the one you hand to a relative over the phone. Portable, free, self-explanatory grid. It declines to do shares or switch ports, and that restraint keeps it fast and simple.
LizardSystems Network Scanner is the one you open at a Windows office. Shares and their real permissions are its native language; the writable column does the talking.
Engineer's Toolset is the one on an invoice. SNMP correlation, port maps, topology exports — artefacts for auditors and successors.
Decision lines
- Home, casual: Angry IP Scanner.
- Office, shares: Network Scanner.
- Infrastructure, documents: Engineer's Toolset.
Running more than one is normal — they are cheap to keep and quicker than any single tool stretched outside its lane.