Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Process Monitoring Software

Glances vs TaskExplorer

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Glances #1 in Process Monitoring Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Glances
TaskExplorer #8 in Process Monitoring Software 8.6/10 Open source ✓ 2 of 5 features Visit TaskExplorer

Glances leads on 0 checks, TaskExplorer on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGlances · 9.4/10
  • Free planonly Glances
  • Most featuresTaskExplorer · 2 of 5

Glances scores higher on our rubric for process monitoring software: 9.4 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #8.

Glances is the better fit for cross-platform and remote infrastructure monitoring. TaskExplorer is the better fit for deep Windows and Linux process inspection.

  • Glances fits best

    Cross-platform and remote infrastructure monitoring

  • TaskExplorer fits best

    Deep Windows and Linux process inspection

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.

Side by side

Feature Glances 9.4/10 Visit ↗ TaskExplorer 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.6
Ranking #1 in Process Monitoring Software #8 in Process Monitoring Software
Best for Cross-platform and remote infrastructure monitoring Deep Windows and Linux process inspection
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Browser extension Desktop
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, Linux
Support Community, Docs Tickets, Community
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features Glances 0/5 · TaskExplorer 2/5
Remote monitoring Not checked yet Not checked yet
Service monitoring Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Process alerting Not checked yet Not checked yet
Process controls Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Activity logs Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Not checked yet Windows, Linux
History retention Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Monitors systems, processes, Docker, Podman, and containers
  • Combines terminal, web, remote, API, export, and discovery features
  • Runs across GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, OS X, and Windows
  • Detailed stacks, memory, handles, sockets, DLLs, and process panels
  • Performance graphs cover CPU, memory, disk I/O, network, and GPU
  • Includes service, driver, systemd, security, and control-group controls
Cons
  • Self-hosted deployment places setup and maintenance with the user
  • Terminal-first monitoring may not suit teams seeking a visual-only workflow
  • Broad coverage may be more than needed for simple process checks
  • No alerting for process or system conditions
  • No historical monitoring or trend views
  • No remote monitoring capabilities
Our verdict

Glances is an open-source, cross-platform system monitoring tool for users who need visibility into operating-system and server resources. It monitors CPU, memory, load, disk, network, filesystem, sensors, uptime, and running processes…

Read the review →

TaskExplorer is an open-source desktop task-management and system-monitoring application for developers, IT professionals, and power users. It supports Windows and Linux, combining real-time process data with resource graphs and detailed…

Read the review →
  1. GlancesProcess Monitoring Software 9.4Free plan
  2. TaskExplorerProcess Monitoring Software 8.6Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Glances — where it wins

    • Monitors systems, processes, Docker, Podman, and containers
    • Combines terminal, web, remote, API, export, and discovery features
    • Runs across GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, OS X, and Windows

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment places setup and maintenance with the user
    • Terminal-first monitoring may not suit teams seeking a visual-only workflow
    • Broad coverage may be more than needed for simple process checks

  • TaskExplorer — where it wins

    • Detailed stacks, memory, handles, sockets, DLLs, and process panels
    • Performance graphs cover CPU, memory, disk I/O, network, and GPU
    • Includes service, driver, systemd, security, and control-group controls

    Where it doesn't

    • No alerting for process or system conditions
    • No historical monitoring or trend views
    • No remote monitoring capabilities

More comparisons

All process monitoring software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update