Windows Task Manager Alternatives

Windows Task Manager is described as 'task manager application included with Microsoft Windows NT family of operating systems that provides detailed information about computer performance and running applications, processes and CPU usage, commit charge and memory information, network' and is a popular process monitoring tool in the os & utilities category. There are more than 50 alternatives to Windows Task Manager for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, PortableApps.com and BSD. The best alternative is Process Hacker, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Windows Task Manager are Process Explorer, htop, Stacer and Glances.

Windows Task Manager alternatives are mainly Process Monitoring Tools but may also be Process Management Tools or System Information Utilities. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Windows Task Manager.

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Windows Task Manager

Free • Proprietary
Process Monitoring Tool
Windows

Windows Task Manager is a task manager application included with Microsoft Windows NT family of operating systems that...

Learn more about Windows Task Manager

Process Hacker
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Process Management Tool
Process Monitoring Tool
Network Monitor
Windows
PortableApps.com
46 alternatives to Process Hacker
A free, powerful, multi-purpose tool that helps you monitor system resources, debug software and detect malware.
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Process Hacker Features
1. PortableProcess Hacker can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
CPU Monitoring
Disk Monitoring
I/O Monitoring
Granular Detail on Processes
Process Hacker vs Windows Task Manager
Almost everyone thinks Process Hacker is a great alternative to Windows Task Manager.
Process Explorer
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Process Monitoring Tool
Process Management Tool
Windows
PortableApps.com
69 alternatives to Process Explorer
Process Explorer shows you information about which handles and DLLs processes have opened or loaded. The display consists of two sub-windows. The top always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information...
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Process Explorer Features
1. PortableProcess Explorer can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
CPU Monitoring
Affinity Mask
Process Explorer vs Windows Task Manager
Almost everyone thinks Process Explorer is a great alternative to Windows Task Manager.
htop
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Process Management Tool
Process Monitoring Tool
Mac
Linux
BSD
59 alternatives to htop
htop is an interactive process viewer for Linux. It is a text-mode application (for console or X terminals) and requires ncurses. htop is an interactive top replacement that runs in the terminal. The available columns are: PID, STATE, PPID, PGRP, SESSION, TTY_NR, TPGID, MINFLT...
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htop Features
1. Lightweighthtop consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
Performance Monitoring
Runs on command line
Stacer
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
System Cleaner
Linux
21 alternatives to Stacer
Stacer is an open source system optimizer and application monitor that helps users to manage entire system with different aspects, its an all in one system utility.
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Stacer Features
Real-time monitoring
Services monitoring
Optimization
Discontinued
The last version (1.1.0) is from May 2019.
Glances
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Process Management Tool
Process Monitoring Tool
Network Monitor
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
52 alternatives to Glances
Glances is a cross-platform monitoring tool which aims to present a large amount of monitoring information through a curses or Web based interface. The information dynamically adapts depending on the size of the user interface.
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Glances Features
1. Command line interfaceGlances either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
2. LightweightGlances consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. Website MonitoringGlances can detect and resolve website performance issues proactively.
Hardware Monitoring
Filesystem
Custom Plugins
Process Monitor
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Process Monitoring Tool
Windows
PortableApps.com
55 alternatives to Process Monitor
Process Monitor is an advanced monitoring tool for Windows that shows real-time file system, Registry and process/thread activity. It combines the features of two legacy Sysinternals utilities, Filemon and Regmon, and adds an extensive list of enhancements including rich and...
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Process Monitor Features
1. PortableProcess Monitor can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Activity history
Process Lasso
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Process Management Tool
Process Monitoring Tool
Windows
31 alternatives to Process Lasso
Process Lasso is NOT yet another task manager. It is a process priority optimization and system automation utility. Priority optimization, affinity optimization, core optimization, automated rules, automated power schemes, you name it and Process Lasso has it.
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Process Lasso Features
1. PortableProcess Lasso can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Affinity Mask
Process Lasso vs Windows Task Manager
pros, cons and recent comments
JergenRoss
its optimize system by control CPU using priority and affinity.
Positive comment• ago

0
SystemExplorer
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Process Monitoring Tool
Process Management Tool
System Information Utility
Windows
PortableApps.com
51 alternatives to SystemExplorer
System Explorer is an enhanced Taskmanager that provides detailed information about running processes, startup programs, IE add-ons (BHOs), drivers, services network connections, system resources and more.
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SystemExplorer Features
1. PortableSystemExplorer can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Show hidden processes
Hardware Monitoring
Software Management
Autostart
Discontinued
While mostly functional it and its website hasn't been updated since 2017 and forums and support are gone.
KSysGuard
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Linux
KDE
18 alternatives to KSysGuard
KSysGuard, also known as KDE System Guard and KDE System Monitor, is designed to make simple process control available to a user without needing to do any special setup - the defaults are usually perfectly adequate.
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KSysGuard Features
Hardware Monitoring
CPU Monitoring
History graphs
System Informer
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Process Monitoring Tool
Network Monitor
Windows
41 alternatives to System Informer
System Informer is the official successor to Process Hacker and was originally created in 2008 by Wen Jia Liu as an open source alternative to programs such as Windows Task Manager and Process Explorer.
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System Informer Features
1. Ad-freeSystem Informer doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
2. LightweightSystem Informer consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. PortableSystem Informer can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Disk Monitoring
I/O Monitoring
CPU Monitoring
Performance Monitoring