The NetPilot Alternative.
A real canvas. Labs that don't expire.
NetPilot builds labs by AI prompt alone - no diagrams, no templates, no canvas. netplex. gives you both: a full drag-and-drop topology canvas and AI agent access, with labs that stay up for as long as your account exists.
NetPilot's free trial is one-time and time-boxed - roughly 4 hours, with a 30-minute idle timeout, and its Pro tier still caps lab retention at 14 days. netplex. labs don't expire on any tier.
Prompt-only has limits.
Here's where they show up.
No visual canvas at all
NetPilot's own product pages describe the build flow as having "no diagrams or templates" - every topology is built and modified through AI chat prompts. There's nowhere to see the whole lab laid out, drag a device, or eyeball a link you just added.
Labs are ephemeral, not yours to keep
Free tier: a single ~4-hour trial with a 30-minute idle timeout, then it's gone. Pro tier: 1-hour idle timeout, 14-day maximum retention. There is no persistent, always-there lab tier at all.
Cost scales with usage, not a flat seat price
Free gives ~$2/mo of AI credits; Pro is $20/mo for $20 of AI credits plus 50 lab credits. How much a session actually costs depends on how much you prompt and how long the lab stays running - not a predictable per-seat number.
No packet capture
Nothing in NetPilot's documented feature set covers packet capture or Wireshark integration - no way to inspect what's actually crossing a link.
Only one legacy format bridge
NetPilot documents Packet Tracer (.pkt) import and export. There's no path in from EVE-NG, GNS3 or Containerlab - years of existing labs in those formats have nowhere to go.
No multi-user or roles documented
NetPilot's pricing and feature pages don't mention teams, roles or shared accounts anywhere - it reads as single-user by design, on every published tier.
NetPilot vs netplex.
Both free tiers, side by side.
netplex. Associate is free with no time limit. NetPilot's free tier is a one-time trial. Here's what you get in each.
| Feature | NetPilot Free ~$2/mo AI credits |
NetPilot Pro $20/mo |
netplex. Tier shown per row |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual topology canvas | No - prompt-only | No - prompt-only | Yes - all tiers |
| Lab persistence | Ephemeral - one ~4h trial | Ephemeral - 1h idle, 14-day max | Persistent - all tiers |
| Max nodes per lab | Credit-metered, no fixed cap stated | Credit-metered, no fixed cap stated | No limit - free |
| Built-in vendor images | Nokia SR Linux · FRR · Linux | Same + BYOI Cisco / Juniper / Arista / Palo Alto / Fortinet | FRR · VyOS + BYOI - all tiers |
| Legacy lab import | Packet Tracer .pkt only | Packet Tracer .pkt import/export | EVE-NG · GNS3 · Containerlab |
| Integrated packet capture | No | No | Browser-native · all tiers |
| AI agent access (MCP) | Yes - bidirectional | Yes - bidirectional | Professional · beta |
| Multi-user · roles | Not documented | Not documented | Not currently offered |
| REST API | Not documented on public pages | Not documented on public pages | Full REST API - all tiers |
| Pricing model | Metered AI credits | Metered AI + lab credits | Flat tier price - free to start |
| Education discount | Not documented | Not documented | Free for AU schools |
NetPilot figures from netpilot.io/pricing and netpilot.io/features (August 2026). netplex. figures from pricing.html.
Where NetPilot genuinely wins
NetPilot's AI can edit live device configs directly through multi-turn prompts, and its MCP connection is bidirectional today - an agent can act on a NetPilot lab, not just read it. netplex.'s MCP server is currently read-only, with read/write shipping for Architect in beta. NetPilot also ships Nokia SR Linux as a genuine built-in image, alongside one-click bring-your-own-image support for Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Palo Alto and Fortinet - a broad out-of-the-box vendor spread for a prompt-first workflow. If what you want is the fastest possible path from a plain-English description to a running lab with no canvas to touch at all, that's NetPilot's actual design intent, not a gap.
A real canvas. Persistent labs. No credit meter running.
Browser-native console, packet capture, and multi-format import - all in the free tier.
A canvas and an AI agent - not one or the other.
NetPilot chose prompt-only. netplex. gives you a full topology canvas plus MCP access, so you're not forced to pick.
See the whole topology, not just the last prompt
Every lab renders on a live SVG canvas - drag devices, draw links, zoom in on a segment. Nothing is hidden behind a chat transcript you have to scroll back through to remember what you built.
Labs stay up until you tear them down
No idle timeout, no trial clock, no 14-day retention ceiling. A lab you build today is still there next month, on every tier including Associate.
Bring your existing labs with you
EVE-NG .unl, .gns3project and containerlab YAML all import directly - topology, links and saved configs included. Years of existing lab work aren't stranded in a format NetPilot can't read.
Packet capture, browser-native
Inspect real traffic on any link without installing a client pack or exporting a capture file first.
Predictable pricing, not a running meter
Associate is free with no node limit and nothing metered. Paid tiers are a flat price per seat - not AI credits that deplete faster the more you use the product.
Teams, not just one seat
The Team tier adds real multi-user accounts with roles, for classrooms and engineering teams working the same topology together.
NetPilot to netplex.
The questions people actually ask.
Last reviewed September 2026 · Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Ready to build on a
real canvas?
Start on the free Associate tier. No node limit, no credit meter, no expiry clock. Prompt it with AI or draw it by hand - your choice.
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