Side by side
HDDScan vs Stellar Drive Monitor
Both stand on disk diagnostic 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
HDDScan combines drive tests, SMART analysis and temperature monitoring in a free Windows utility. Check device support and the surface-test limits for RAID and USB flash drives before relying on it; Erase mode permanently overwrites tested blocks.
Visit HDDScan
Free plan MacWindows
Choose Stellar Drive Monitor if you want local drive health checks, SMART reports, bad-sector scans, or drive cloning on Windows or macOS. Look elsewhere if remote monitoring is a requirement or you need USB pen-drive model and SMART details.
Visit Stellar Drive MonitorThe facts
| HDDScan | Stellar Drive Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Windows | Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Standard: $19.99, paid once |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | hddscan.com | stellarinfo.com |
| On disk diagnostic software | #12 of 26 | #15 of 26 |
HDDScan: what it does well
- Free plan costs nothing.
- Offers several drive tests, including Butterfly reading.
- Reads SMART parameters and can run SMART tests.
- Saves reports as MHT files or prints them.
- Supports command-line use and saved .cmd or .bat commands.
What to know first
- Only one test should run at a time.
- RAID and USB flash drives get surface tests only.
- Erase mode makes previous data unrecoverable.
- Windows Server 2003 support has restrictions.
Stellar Drive Monitor: what it does well
- Reports real-time drive temperature, performance, and health.
- Saves SMART attributes in reports for later comparison.
- Scans disks for bad sectors and shows a block table.
- Cloning copies drive data to a target drive.
- Free download checks disk status, SMART status, partitions, and disks.
What to know first
- Remote monitoring is unavailable.
- USB pen drives lack SMART status, model, and serial number details.
- The Standard plan covers one system.
Alternatives to HDDScan Alternatives to Stellar Drive Monitor The whole list