Core Temp vs SpeedFan (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Core Temp grades higher than SpeedFan: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Core Temp grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Core Temp if
- Fits if you want a small readout of CPU temperature on a Windows PC
- Works for people who add plug-ins to show readings elsewhere
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to set fan speeds, since it only reports
- Skip it if your PC is Arm based or runs Mac or Linux, as it covers x86 Windows only
- Too light for whole-system monitoring, which covers drives and graphics too
- Pricey if you run a company: one commercial license per physical machine, ordered by email
Pick SpeedFan if
- Fits if your PC is older and has a monitor chip it recognises
- Works for people who want disk health and temperatures in one window
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if your PC is new, as the page shows 4.52 with a copyright of 2000 to 2020
- Not for you if you run Windows 11, which the page does not mention
- Too light for fans it cannot see: control works only with supported chips
- Watch out: nothing on the page shows recent updates, so support for new hardware may be limited
How we grade them
| 2.8GPACore TempGood | 2.6GPASpeedFanGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe download has no price. Businesses buy a commercial license at $25 per machine, falling to $6 each at 500 to 999 machines. | AFree to download and use, with a PayPal donation link. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe program is offered for download with no price and no trial clock. Only businesses are asked to buy. | AThe full program is free with no cap or trial clock. |
| Features | CPer-core temperatures, live readings, plug-ins and a standalone zip. It does that one job fully, but it is a smaller job: it reports processor data only and does not control fans. | CSensor readings, fan control, disk health and RAID support. Fan control works only with monitor chips it supports, and the 2020 copyright suggests newer hardware may be missing. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating is on record, but it is a small program you install and start using with nothing to set up. | CNo store rating is on record. Fan control means matching chips and setting speeds by hand. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only, on x86 Intel, AMD or VIA processors. No Mac, Linux or phone version. | DWindows only, from Windows 9x through Windows 10 and Server 2012. Windows 11 is not mentioned. |
| Best for | per-core CPU temperatures on Windows | reading fan and temperature chips on older Windows PCs |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Core Temp and SpeedFan. How we grade
Where they differ
- Core Temp also covers reports.
- SpeedFan also covers workflow automation.
In commonFree planWindowsSystem monitor
At a glance
| Core Temp | SpeedFan | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $25 per machine (commercial license) | Free |
| Free plan | The program is offered for download without a price; the vendor sells a separate commercial license for businesses. | Free to download and use; the site takes PayPal donations. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Alcpu | Alfredo Milani Comparetti |
| Price read from | alcpu.com | almico.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Core Temp
- Windows only, on x86 Intel, AMD or VIA processors.
- It reports processor data only; it does not control fans.
- Companies need a commercial license, one per physical machine, ordered by email.
SpeedFan
- Windows only; the page lists versions from Windows 9x through Windows 10 and Server 2012 and does not mention Windows 11.
- The vendor's site shows 4.52 with a copyright of 2000-2020, so support for newer hardware may be limited.
- Fan control works only with hardware monitor chips it supports.
Key features
Core Temp
- Per-core temperatures
- Shows the temperature of each individual core of every processor, read from the CPU's digital thermal sensor instead of a motherboard sensor.
- Real-time readings
- Displays temperature changes live as the workload varies, with processor load and other vital information alongside.
- Broad CPU support
- Supports Intel, AMD and VIA x86 processors; the vendor publishes a list of supported processors.
- Plug-in platform
- Developers can add features through plug-ins, and the vendor hosts add-ons such as a gadget for Windows 7 and Vista.
- Installer or standalone
- Ships as an installer and as standalone 32-bit and 64-bit zip files, with language packs for over 30 languages.
SpeedFan
- Sensor readings
- Reads motherboard, CPU, per-core, chipset and nVidia video card temperatures, along with voltages and the speed of each fan.
- Fan speed control
- Changes fan speeds according to current temperatures to reduce noise, with custom events for handling situations automatically.
- Disk health
- Shows S.M.A.R.T. and SCSI attributes and disk temperatures, and compares SMART data to a model built from reports.
- RAID support
- Reads SMART data through software RAID from Windows and through ARECA, CSMI and AMCC 3ware controllers.
- Wide hardware support
- The 4.52 release notes add IPMI support and a list of motherboard chips and SMBus controllers.
Plans
Core Temp
Standard download$0
Download and install or use the standalone zip; the vendor states no price for it.
Commercial license$25
per physical machine, one license each
For businesses; falls to $20 each for 2 to 9, $12 for 50 to 99, $6 for 500 to 999; ordered by email.
SpeedFan
Free$0
The full program; the download page says it costs nothing and offers a donation link.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Core Temp or SpeedFan?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Core Temp starts at $25 per machine (commercial license), and SpeedFan is free.
Which has a free plan, Core Temp or SpeedFan?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Core Temp and SpeedFan have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.