Side by side
HDD Health Monitor vs SMARTHDD
Both stand on disk health monitoring software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Windows
HDD Health Monitor brings drive health indicators, alerts, and retained history into a standalone Windows utility. Its ability to read S.M.A.R.T. data depends on drive and controller support, and it requires administrator privileges.
Visit HDD Health Monitor Free trial Windows
SMARTHDD combines monitoring, diagnostics, temperature display, and drive adjustments for Windows 7–11. The one-time licenses differ by computer coverage, while the EULA excludes returns and warranties.
Visit SMARTHDDThe facts
| HDD Health Monitor | SMARTHDD | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | A free trial |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Windows | Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Home License: $14.95, paid once |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | hddmonitor.github.io | smarthdd.com |
| On disk health monitoring software | #13 of 28 | #25 of 28 |
HDD Health Monitor: what it does well
- Monitors multiple physical drives automatically.
- Records selected health data every five seconds while running.
- Provides several drive-health and failure alerts.
- Runs without an installer or dependencies.
- Free, MIT-licensed, and requires no registration.
What to know first
- Administrator privileges are needed to read S.M.A.R.T. data.
- USB bridge support can prevent S.M.A.R.T. access.
- S.M.A.R.T. data usually cannot be read from unofficial flash drives, memory cards, or eMMC products.
- Some Windows antivirus products may incorrectly flag it as malware.
SMARTHDD: what it does well
- Minute-by-minute disk monitoring
- Background self-diagnostics
- USB drive analysis supported
- S.M.A.R.T. attribute interpretation
- Free trial available
What to know first
- Windows only
- Complete diagnostics can take several hours
- Purchased licenses cannot be returned or canceled
- Provided as-is without warranty
Alternatives to HDD Health Monitor Alternatives to SMARTHDD The whole list