HWiNFO vs Sidebar Diagnostics
HWiNFO
hwinfo.comSidebar Diagnostics
github.comSide by side
| Figure | HWiNFO | Sidebar Diagnostics |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 8 | 1 |
| Spec score · Hardware monitoring tools | 9.1 (#1) | 7.6 (#44) |
| Spec score · Hardware Monitoring Software | 8.7 (#8) | 7.2 (#54) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Monitoring | Non-Pro remote sensor monitoring is limited to 12 hours; Pro supports more connections by license. | No |
| Supported platforms | Windows,DOS | Windows 7,Windows 8,Windows 8.1,Windows 10 |
Plans
HWiNFO
- Pro Subscription (starting price)Priced on request
- Pro Subscription (starting price)Price not published
- Pro Lifetime (starting price)Priced on request
- Pro Lifetime (starting price)Price not published
- Subscription Pro$29 a year
- Lifetime Pro$199, paid once
- Commercial evaluationFree
- Personal non-commercialFree
In their own words
Sidebar Diagnostics
Sidebar Diagnostics is a free Windows desktop sidebar for viewing hardware diagnostic information. It monitors CPU, RAM, GPU, network, and logical drives, and can graph those measurements. The sidebar can show a clock and supports alerts, hotkeys, and monitors with different DPI settings. The project describes extensive customization, with hardware data supplied by Libre Hardware Monitor. The README lists Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 as supported systems. Releases include an installer and a standalone ZIP; the standalone build does not update automatically. The application must be run as administrator. The GitHub repository identifies it as GPL-3.0 software and provides an issue template for reporting problems. The author says it will always be free on GitHub and invites donations. The Free plan costs nothing. Remote monitoring is not supported.