iotop vs Process Lasso

iotop is a free Linux program that identifies processes generating high input/output activity and lists them by I/O usage. The display can show accumulated I/O or bandwidth, with optional read, write, swap-in and I/O-percentage columns. Monitoring can target selected process IDs or users, or show processes and threads across the machine. Interactive and batch modes support iteration counts, configurable delays and timestamps in batch output. Command-line filters narrow processes by TID or command using a regular expression. Installation guidance covers Debian-derived distributions, Fedora, CentOS/RHEL, Void, Arch and Alpine Linux; source builds use make after development dependencies are installed. The project is GPL-2.0+ licensed, but installation and use require root access. Version 1.31 is listed as the latest release. Its tag has a verified committer signature, although the signing key has expired.

Process Lasso is Windows software for automating process controls and helping maintain system responsiveness. Its ProBalance feature adjusts running programs’ priorities during high CPU loads. Persistent settings can apply CPU affinities, CPU sets, and priorities when processes launch, while rules can automate those controls, power profiles, and other actions based on thresholds or other criteria. Power plan automation can respond to selected processes or system idle time; Keep Awake can prevent sleep for a chosen period or while selected processes run. Listed algorithms include CPU Limiter, Instance Balancer, and Group Extender, and the software can log process launches and other selected system activity. A separate background service, Process Governor, enforces algorithms and rules; the graphical interface is optional. The free plan can be used indefinitely by most users, but some features are trial-only and commercial use requires purchase within 30 days of deployment. Single PC Monthly is listed at $4.95 a month as a recurring subscription. Compatibility is listed for Windows 7–11 and Windows Server 2012–2025.