The Best Process Monitoring Software in 2026
We researched process monitoring software through official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings reflect each product’s fit for the core job, value for money, and verified features for viewing processes, resource use, services, and activity.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
Glances#1 of 269.4/10A broad, free monitoring toolkit for cross-platform and self-hosted infrastructure.
Free plan
-
Runner-up
PM2#2 of 269.2/10A capable Node.js process manager with deeper monitoring in paid tiers.
Free plan
-
Top-ranked free plan
Monit#3 of 269.1/10A focused self-hosted monitor for service health, system checks, and automatic recovery.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 26 tools, best first
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Best forCross-platform and remote infrastructure monitoring
A broad, free monitoring toolkit for cross-platform and self-hosted infrastructure.
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Glances -
Best forNode.js application process operations
A capable Node.js process manager with deeper monitoring in paid tiers.
- Remote monitoring
- Process alerting
- Activity logs
9.2/10★★★★★Visit PM2 -
Best forSelf-hosted service health and auto-recovery
A focused self-hosted monitor for service health, system checks, and automatic recovery.
- Service monitoring
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Monit -
Best forSelf-hosted process supervision with APIs
A focused open-source supervisor for restarting, grouping, logging, and controlling processes.
- Remote monitoring
- Process alerting
- Activity logs
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Supervisor -
Best forWindows users needing automated process control
A Windows-focused controller for automated process rules, monitoring, and resource management.
- Activity logs
- Process controls
Free plan · 30-day trial Our Process Lasso verdict → Visit Process LassoFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #5 · $59/mo →8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Process Lasso -
Best forFree Windows monitoring with controls and alerts
Free Windows monitoring with three-day history, alerts, and application controls.
- Process alerting
- Service monitoring
- Activity logs
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit AppControl -
Best forLinux administrators needing historical process data
A focused open-source monitor for detailed Linux process history and analysis.
- Activity logs
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Atoptool.nl -
Best forDeep Windows and Linux process inspection
Deep live process inspection for technical users, without alerting, history, or remote monitoring.
- Service monitoring
- Process controls
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit TaskExplorer -
Best forWindows developers tracking performance regressions
A focused Windows tool for finding performance regressions across development runs.
- Process alerting
- Activity logs
- Process controls
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Ambih Monitor -
Best forWindows users needing detailed system inspection
A free, open-source Windows utility for detailed process, resource, disk, and network inspection.
- Service monitoring
- Process controls
8.4/10★★★★☆Try System Informer -
Best forRemote Windows process operations
A focused remote operations tool for monitoring, controlling, and recovering Windows processes.
- Remote monitoring
- Process alerting
- Activity logs
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Owlette -
Best forLightweight Unix service supervision
A focused, free Unix service supervisor for availability, control, and logs—not broad analytics.
- Service monitoring
- Activity logs
- Process controls
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit runit -
Best forMinimal POSIX daemon supervision
A focused self-hosted toolkit for supervising long-running POSIX services.
- Service monitoring
- Activity logs
- Process controls
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit skarnet.org -
Best forLinux process and systemd inspection
A focused Linux desktop monitor for processes, resources, charts, and systemd services.
- Service monitoring
- Process controls
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit rproc -
Best forFree cross-platform interactive system monitoring
A free, open-source monitor for interactive local system and process visibility.
- Process controls
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit bottom -
Best forCustomizable terminal monitoring on Unix systems
A free, open-source terminal monitor with detailed local process controls.
- Process controls
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit btop -
Best forMature, simple terminal process monitoring
A free, open-source terminal monitor for inspecting and managing live processes.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit htop -
Best forLinux performance measurement and reporting
A focused, free Linux monitor for collecting and analyzing system performance data.
- Activity logs
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit nmon -
Best forWindows investigations with recording and comparisons
A focused terminal monitor for recording, comparing, and inspecting Windows processes.
- Activity logs
- Process controls
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit TX230 -
Best forFree Windows remote process administration
A focused Windows utility for free local and remote process administration.
- Remote monitoring
- Process controls
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit LizardSystems -
Best forFree Windows remote process administration
A focused free tool for inspecting and ending processes across Windows computers.
- Remote monitoring
- Process controls
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit ManageEngine -
Best forWindows event-level process diagnostics
Detailed Windows event diagnostics with filtering, process trees, PML analysis, and MCP support.
- Activity logs
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit OpenProcMon -
Best forLinux system-call tracing
A focused, open-source terminal tool for tracing Linux processes and system calls.
- Activity logs
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Microsoft -
Best forWindows startup and autorun investigation
A focused, free Windows utility for detailed startup and autorun investigation.
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Autoruns -
Best forGPU and accelerator process monitoring
A focused, open-source terminal monitor for GPU and accelerator telemetry.
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit NVTOP -
Best forLinux administrators focused on process I/O
A focused, free Linux utility for diagnosing local process and thread I/O load.
- Activity logs
- Process controls
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit iotop
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glances | Yes | Free | 9.4 | |
| 2 | PM2 | Yes | Linux, macOS, Windows, web dashboard | 9.2 | |
| 3 | Monit | Yes | Free | 9.1 | |
| 4 | Supervisor | Yes | Free | Linux, macOS, self-hosted Unix-like systems, web interface, XML-RPC API | 9.0 |
| 5 | Process Lasso | Yes | $24.95/device/yr | Windows 7, 8, 10, 11; Windows Server 2012-2025 | 8.9 |
| 6 | AppControl | Yes | Free | Windows | 8.8 |
| 7 | atop | Yes | Free | linux | 8.7 |
| 8 | TaskExplorer | Free | Windows, Linux | 8.6 | |
| 9 | Ambih Monitor | Yes | $65/yr | Windows | 8.5 |
| 10 | System Informer | Yes | Free | Windows | 8.4 |
| 11 | Owlette | No | $20/device/mo | Windows | 8.3 |
| 12 | runit | Yes | Free | GNU/Linux, *BSD, MacOSX, Solaris, other adaptable Unix systems | 8.2 |
| 13 | s6 | Free | POSIX-compliant systems | 8.1 | |
| 14 | rproc | Free | Linux (X11 or Wayland) | 8.0 | |
| 15 | bottom (btm) | Yes | Free | Linux, macOS, Windows | 7.9 |
| 16 | btop | Yes | Free | Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD | 7.8 |
| 17 | htop | Yes | Free | 7.7 | |
| 18 | nmon | Yes | Free | Linux on POWER, x86, x86_64, mainframe, and ARM | 7.6 |
| 19 | winproc-tui | Free | Windows 11 x64 | 7.5 | |
| 20 | Remote Process Explorer | Yes | $149.95/device one-time | Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 10, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022, Windows 11, Windows Server 2025 | 7.4 |
| 21 | ManageEngine Free Process Manager | Yes | Free | Windows | 7.3 |
| 22 | OpenProcMon | Yes | Free | Windows | 7.2 |
| 23 | Process Monitor for Linux | Yes | Free | linux | 7.1 |
| 24 | Autoruns | Yes | Free | 7.0 | |
| 25 | NVTOP | Yes | Free | Linux; Apple systems (limited, build-specific support) | 6.8 |
| 26 | iotop | Yes | Free | Linux | 6.7 |
Head-to-head All 28 comparisons →
- Glances vs PM2
- Glances vs Monit
- Glances vs Supervisor
- Glances vs Process Lasso
- Glances vs AppControl
- Glances vs atop
- Glances vs TaskExplorer
- PM2 vs Monit
- PM2 vs Supervisor
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How we rank process monitoring software
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update