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Vnstat

vnStat is a network traffic monitor that uses the network interface statistics provided by the kernel as information source.

  • Network Services
  • Tools & Utilities
vnStat is a network traffic monitor that uses the network interface statistics provided by the kernel as information source. This means that vnStat won't actually be sniffing any traffic and also ensures light use of system resources regardless of network traffic rate. By default, traffic statistics are stored on a five minute level for the last 48 hours, on a hourly level for the last 4 days, on a daily level for the last 2 full months and on a yearly level forever. The data retention durations are fully user configurable. Total seen traffic and a top days listing is also provided. See the official webpage or the GitHub repository for additional details and output examples. An example of the included image output is also available.

Platform availability

Available on 1 of 6 install platforms

  • Unraid
  • TrueNAS (not listed)
  • Umbrel (not listed)
  • ZimaOS (not listed)
  • Proxmox (not listed)
  • Helm (not listed)

Also on Docker Hub and GitHub

Health score

73/100 Good

Maintained
86last commit 9 days ago
Popular
651,780 GitHub stars
Easy to install
351 install platform, install notes, Docker image
Light to run
10064 MB minimum RAM, runs on ARM
How is this calculated?

A 0-100 score computed nightly from four factors: maintained (40%: recent commits and steady activity), popular (25%: GitHub stars, log scale), easy to install (20%: platforms, install notes, setup guides, Docker image) and light to run (15%: minimum RAM, ARM support). Factors without data are left out and the rest are rescaled.

Availability: platform listings confirmed today, links checked 6 days ago

GitHub stars
1,780
Open issues
8
Last commit
2026-09-26
Latest release
v2.13
License
GPL-2.0
Activity
declining

Checked 7 days ago - source: GitHub (vergoh/vnstat)

Resources & Compatibility

Minimum requirements: 64 MB RAM, 1 CPU core(s), 100 MB disk. ARM (e.g. Raspberry Pi) is supported.

Checked 7 days ago - source: Docker Hub image tags and published docs

First-install notes

  • Enable vnStat so stats keep working Copy the service file (the file that tells Linux how to run vnStat), enable it, and start it so it records traffic in the background. Without this, it stops after a reboot and you lose ongoing network history. source
  • Use the systemd file on modern Ubuntu If you are on a modern Ubuntu version, use the systemd service file instead of the older Upstart file (an older Linux service system) so vnStat starts automatically. Choosing the older file can leave the traffic monitor stopped after a restart. source
  • Check the install with a version test Run vnstat --version after installing to confirm the command is available and the expected version is present. This avoids chasing missing stats when the install step itself did not finish. source

Fetched 7 days ago - each note links to its source

Alternatives (11)

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  • GlassWire - Visualizes network activity, alerts on suspicious behavior, manages firewall rules, reports new app connections, and identifies potential t…
  • Munin - Munin is a networked resource monitoring tool that can help analyze resource trends and "what just happened to kill our performance?&q…
  • NetLimiter - An advanced Windows tool for internet traffic control and monitoring.
  • NetTraffic - Live data rate chart.
  • Netdata - Netdata collects metrics per second and presents them in beautiful low-latency dashboards.
  • Sniffnet - Sniffnet is a network monitoring tool to help you easily keep track of your Internet traffic.
  • TrafficMonitor - Monitors real-time network speed, CPU, and memory usage on Windows with a floating window or taskbar widget, customizable skins, and traffi…
  • ntop - htop-like system-monitor for Windows with Vi-keybindings
  • wavemon

Checked 4 days ago - source: AlternativeTo

Common questions

Does vnStat sniff packet contents?

No, vnStat uses the network interface statistics provided by the kernel. It does not sniff traffic, and this keeps system resource use light regardless of network traffic rate.

Why might vnStat not start after reboot on modern Ubuntu?

Use the systemd service file instead of the older Upstart file so vnStat starts automatically. Choosing the older file can leave the traffic monitor stopped after a restart.

How can I confirm vnStat installed correctly?

Run vnstat --version after installing. This confirms the command is available and the expected version is present, which avoids chasing missing stats caused by an incomplete install.

What happens to vnStat data after a power cut?

One report says a power cut or unplugging can cause vnStat to lose stats and corrupt the data, requiring a reset. A normal reboot was reported not to cause the issue.

Can vnStat be used to track WAN data usage on a router?

It has been used on GL.iNet routers to track WAN data usage. This is useful when the connection has usage caps or fees.

Answers sourced from forum.gl-inet.com, github.com, github.com, github.com, www.reddit.com

Community

Collected 6 days ago - public community threads