HWiNFO vs SpeedFan (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, HWiNFO grades higher than SpeedFan: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
HWiNFO grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan 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 HWiNFO if
- Fits if you want to see exactly which parts are in a Windows PC
- Works for people who watch temperatures and loads while gaming or stress testing
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want it for work, as the project page says non-commercial use only
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux machine, as there is no version for either
- Watch out: the vendor site returned a bot check, so these details come from SourceForge
- Watch out: commercial terms were not readable
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
| 3.0GPAHWiNFOVery good | 2.6GPASpeedFanGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFreeware with no price on record. The listing's price source is unverified. | AFree to download and use, with a PayPal donation link. |
| Free plan and trial | AFreeware with no cap or trial clock, but its project page says for non-commercial use only. | AThe full program is free with no cap or trial clock. |
| Features | BHardware inventory, real-time sensors, tables, graphs, tray icons, an on-screen display, and exports to XML, CSV and HTML. The listing names no gap in the core job. | 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 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 is the only current desktop platform; DOS and WinPE are the other listed targets. No Mac, Linux or phone version. | DWindows only, from Windows 9x through Windows 10 and Server 2012. Windows 11 is not mentioned. |
| Best for | reading every sensor and part inside a Windows PC | 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: HWiNFO and SpeedFan. How we grade
Price against what you get
HWiNFO has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. SpeedFan has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
HWiNFO scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other desktop utilities on the chart, none scores higher than HWiNFO for less, and none scores higher than SpeedFan for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- HWiNFO also covers reports.
- SpeedFan also covers workflow automation.
In commonFree planWindowsSystem monitor
At a glance
| HWiNFO | SpeedFan | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Described on its SourceForge project page as freeware for non-commercial use only. | Free to download and use; the site takes PayPal donations. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Made by | HWiNFO | Alfredo Milani Comparetti |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | almico.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
HWiNFO
- Its vendor site returned a bot check when read, so these details come from its SourceForge project page.
- The project page says freeware use is for non-commercial purposes only; commercial terms were not readable.
- Windows is the only current desktop platform covered here; the other listed targets are DOS and WinPE.
- No Mac, Linux or mobile version is listed.
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
HWiNFO
- Hardware inventory
- Shows components in a hierarchy that unfolds into deep detail, or as a quick summary overview, for a full hardware report or spot checks.
- Real-time monitoring
- Tracks parameters across CPUs, GPUs, mainboards, drives and peripherals to help spot overheating, overload or performance loss.
- Customizable display
- Shows sensor data in customizable tables, graphs, tray icons and an on-screen display.
- Reports and logging
- Exports reports to XML, CSV and HTML, logs status over time and can interface with other tools or add-ons.
- Broad OS and hardware coverage
- The project page lists DOS, Windows 95 through Windows 11 and WinPE, on platforms from the i8086 to Xeon Platinum.
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
HWiNFO
Pricing could not be confirmed. See hwinfo.com.
SpeedFan
Free$0
The full program; the download page says it costs nothing and offers a donation link.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, HWiNFO or SpeedFan?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both HWiNFO and SpeedFan are free to use.
Which has a free plan, HWiNFO or SpeedFan?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both HWiNFO 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.