Side by side
WinDbg vs x64dbg
Both stand on debuggers. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Windows
WinDbg provides a broad set of debugging and dump-analysis capabilities at no listed cost. It is focused on Windows use while also handling Linux crash dumps.
Visit WinDbg Free plan Windows
Choose x64dbg if you need a free Windows debugger for reverse engineering or malware analysis, with support for both x64 and x32 targets. Look elsewhere if you need a debugger for a platform other than Windows.
Visit x64dbgThe facts
| WinDbg | x64dbg | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Windows | Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Not published | Free or on request |
| Plans published | None | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | learn.microsoft.com | x64dbg.com |
| On debuggers | #24 of 27 | #20 of 27 |
WinDbg: what it does well
- Free Windows debugger
- Supports C++, C#, JavaScript, and assembly
- Remote debugging available
- Conditional and exception breakpoints
- Time-travel and core dump debugging
What to know first
- Listed platform is Windows
- Linux support is for crash dumps
x64dbg: what it does well
- Free, open-source debugger provided under GPLv3.
- Debugs x64 and x32 applications through one interface.
- Supports DLL and EXE debugging targets.
- Includes memory, symbol, thread, source, graph, and stack views.
- Offers scripting, C++ plugins, and executable patching.
What to know first
- Available for Windows only.
- Requires downloading and extracting a repository snapshot before running.
Alternatives to WinDbg Alternatives to x64dbg The whole list