Checkmk vs HWMonitor
Checkmk
checkmk.comHWMonitor
cpuid.comSide by side
| Figure | Checkmk | HWMonitor |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $275/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 5 | 4 |
| Spec score · Hardware Monitoring Software | 9.4 (#2) | 8.1 (#22) |
| Spec score · Hardware monitoring tools | 9.0 (#3) | 7.9 (#31) |
| Headquarters | Munich, Germany | Dunkerque, France |
| Support | The Pro plan includes professional support for 8h x 5d, while Ultimate includes 10h x 5d and can be upgraded to 24h x 5d. | CPUID directs users to a bug report form for inconsistent readings and to contact support for registration issues. |
Plans
Checkmk
- CommunityFree
- Synthetic MonitoringFree
- Pro$275 a month
- Cloud$290 a month
- Ultimate$400 a month
HWMonitor
- HWMonitor FreeFree
- HWMonitorFree
- HWMonitor PRO Standard$19.95, paid once
- HWMonitor PRO Extended$34.95, paid once
In their own words
Checkmk
Checkmk monitors cloud, hybrid, and data center infrastructure, including containers and networks. For web, mail, and database servers, it combines more than 2,000 smart checks with automatic discovery and network mapping. Monitoring can use native agents for Windows, Linux, and other systems, agentless SNMP and TCP/UDP checks, or API-based checks over HTTP/XML, SSH, or TELNET. Cloud coverage includes AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, with automatic component detection and Quick Setup. One instance can monitor thousands of servers, while distributed monitoring supports horizontal scaling. Community includes more than 2,000 integrations and is intended for smaller environments, scaling to approximately 100 hosts. The software can run on customer hardware or virtualized infrastructure, with Linux distribution packages, Docker, and a Virtual Appliance. The Community plan is free forever and includes community support. The pricing note lists paid plans from €190/mo (annual) and a 30-day trial. Other listed plan prices use USD: Pro is $275 a month, Cloud is $290 a month, and Ultimate is $400 a month. Platforms include API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows.
HWMonitor
HWMonitor reads PC system-health sensors, including temperatures, voltages, power, current, fan speed, utilization, and clock speeds. It covers CPUs and GPUs, supported LPCIO chips, memory modules with thermal sensors, S.M.A.R.T. storage devices, and batteries. The listed Windows release is version 1.68 for x86/x64, available as an installer or ZIP download, and CPUID lists a separate Windows ARM64 download. Version 1.68 adds PCI Express error counters for AMD and Intel GPUs, NPU and platform metrics, HDD IOPS and average latency, and saved device and sensor tree state. CSV logging is listed as a feature. The free HWMonitor plan monitors PC hardware sensors on Windows x86/x64. HWMonitor PRO adds remote monitoring over TCP/IP, saved monitoring data, and bitmap logging graphs. Its Android app reports device temperatures and battery details, plus CPU clock and utilization and, on supported devices, GPU clock. Android remote connections require local Wi-Fi, and the app can monitor up to 10 Windows PCs or Android devices.