Glances vs NVTOP
Glances
nicolargo.github.ioNVTOP
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Glances | NVTOP |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Hardware Monitoring Software | 8.9 (#6) | 7.7 (#43) |
| Spec score · Process Monitoring Software | 8.9 (#3) | 7.8 (#11) |
| Spec score · Hardware monitoring tools | 8.6 (#12) | 8.1 (#20) |
| Installation | The documented installation paths include pip, pipx, uvx, operating-system packages, and optional extras such as web or all. | The project documents installation through Linux distribution packages, AppImage, Snap, Conda-forge, Docker, and source builds. |
| License | Glances is distributed under the GNU LGPL version 3, expressed on PyPI as LGPL-3.0-only. | NVTOP is licensed under GPLv3 or any later version. |
| Remote monitoring | Client/server mode supports monitoring a remote host through the terminal, web UI, or APIs. | No |
| Support | The project directs users to its manual, official Reddit forum and GitHub Discussions for help. | The project README provides troubleshooting guidance and directs users to its issue tracker for project questions. |
Plans
In their own words
Glances
Glances is a free, open-source, cross-platform tool for monitoring real-time system statistics and running processes. Its listed coverage includes CPU, memory, load, processes, network, disk I/O, sensors, filesystems, containers, alerts, and uptime. Client/server mode enables remote monitoring through a terminal, web interface, or API, while its built-in web UI lets users view a system from a browser-equipped device. Statistics can be exported to CSV or JSON files, databases such as InfluxDB and Prometheus, brokers such as RabbitMQ and Kafka, or a REST endpoint. The project documents Docker and Podman support and describes Docker and LXC container monitoring in its README. Installation options include pip, pipx, Homebrew, Linux and FreeBSD packages, and Docker images. Glances 4 requires Python 3.10 or higher. Its default installation does not include web interface dependencies; separate extras cover features such as web, GPU, containers, exports, and MCP. Version 4.5.1 and higher can provide an MCP server for AI assistants. The project uses the LGPL version 3 license.