Fastfetch vs hw-probe
Fastfetch
fastfetch.devhw-probe
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Fastfetch | hw-probe |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · System Information Software | 8.7 (#3) | 8.2 (#7) |
| Integrations | The installation documentation lists package-manager integrations including APT, pacman, DNF, Homebrew, MacPorts, Scoop, Chocolatey, winget and Termux. | The project provides AppImage, Docker, Snap, Flatpak, Live CD/USB, and native Linux package installation options. |
| License | The project is distributed under the MIT License. | The software is dual-licensed under LGPL 2.1 or later and BSD-4-Clause. |
| Operating systems | The maker lists native support for Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD, and Android through Termux. | The project supports Linux distributions and BSD systems including FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, DragonFly, MidnightBSD, GhostBSD, NomadBSD, FreeNAS and pfSense. |
| Privacy | Version 2.69.0 is described as having no telemetry, crash reporting or update check; network access is limited to modules such as publicip and weather when configured. | The project says it attempts to mask private information before upload, warns this can fail in edge cases, and uploads data over HTTPS. |
| Purpose | Fastfetch displays operating system, hardware, and software information in a terminal alongside customizable logos. | hw-probe snapshots computer hardware and logs, checks device operability, and returns a permanent URL for viewing the probe. |
Plans
In their own words
Fastfetch
Fastfetch is a free, open-source command-line tool that displays operating system, hardware, and software details in a terminal alongside customizable logos. Its more than 75 modules cover information such as CPU, GPU, memory, disks, battery, TPM, audio, and Wi-Fi. It can display ASCII logos or render images through Kitty, Sixel, iTerm2, or Chafa protocols. Configuration uses JSONC, with an official schema for editor autocomplete and validation. The maker lists native support for Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD, and Android through Termux, and installation options including winget, Scoop, Homebrew, MacPorts, APT, Pacman, DNF, FreeBSD pkg, and Termux. Fastfetch can be integrated with Bash, Zsh, Fish, PowerShell, and Nushell startup setups and is compatible with Starship and Oh My Posh. Sample configurations can query music services for media information. The maker highlights terminal startup greetings, hardware auditing and diagnostics, and desktop screenshot showcases. It warns that unconditional output from a shell startup file can disrupt SCP, SFTP, and other non-interactive shell operations.
hw-probe
hw-probe is a free hardware probing tool for Linux and BSD systems, aimed at debugging computer problems and managing hardware inventory. It captures a snapshot of hardware state and logs, then provides a permanent URL to view the probe. If a device lacks a driver, it can suggest a Linux kernel version or third-party driver using LKDDb data. Users can create an inventory ID and mark probes to locate their computers on Linux-Hardware.org. Its monitoring command schedules a daily cron probe and emails alerts about operating-system failures, configuration changes, and hardware degradation. Optional tests check graphics, drive read speed, CPU performance, and RAM. Installation options include AppImage, Docker, Snap, Flatpak, Live CD/USB, and native packages. Uploads use HTTPS; selected logs can be disabled, and private details are decorated before upload, though edge-case failures are acknowledged. MAC addresses and serial numbers are represented by prefixes of salted SHA-512 hashes. The tool is dual-licensed under LGPL-2.1-or-later and BSD-4-Clause. The Snap package runs in a sandbox with limited functionality.