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Head-to-head · Disk Health Monitoring Software

smartmontools vs DiskMaster

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score smartmontools #2 in Disk Health Monitoring Software 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit smartmontools
DiskMaster #4 in Disk Health Monitoring Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit DiskMaster

smartmontools leads on 0 checks, DiskMaster on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoresmartmontools · 9.2/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresDiskMaster · 4 of 5

smartmontools scores higher on our rubric for disk health monitoring software: 9.2 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #4.

smartmontools is the better fit for technical users needing broad device support. DiskMaster is the better fit for open-source desktop diagnostics.

  • smartmontools fits best

    Technical users needing broad device support

  • DiskMaster fits best

    Open-source desktop diagnostics

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Side by side

Feature smartmontools 9.2/10 Visit ↗ DiskMaster 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.8
Ranking #2 in Disk Health Monitoring Software #4 in Disk Health Monitoring Software
Best for Technical users needing broad device support Open-source desktop diagnostics
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features smartmontools 3/5 · DiskMaster 4/5
SMART monitoring ✓ ✓
SSD wear tracking Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Temperature alerts ✓ ✓
Failure warnings ✓ ✓
Remote monitoring Not checked yet —
Specs
Drives on cheapest plan Not checked yet Not checked yet
Supported platforms Darwin (Mac OS X), Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris, OS/2, Cygwin, QNX, eComStation, Windows Windows, Linux, macOS
Our review
Pros
  • Supports ATA/SATA, SCSI/SAS, and NVMe devices
  • SMART polling, self-tests, logs, alerts, and temperature tracking
  • Free, open source, and available across many operating systems
  • Explained health scores combine SMART readings with itemized deductions.
  • Tracks temperature, wear, and counters in SQLite history with charts.
  • Supports scans, alerts, exports, and command-line health exit codes.
Cons
  • Command-line focus is less accessible for nontechnical users
  • Configuration uses tools such as smartctl and smartd
  • No graphical monitoring interface is listed
  • Remote monitoring is not documented for broader fleet deployments.
  • SMART reading is limited to supported SATA and USB drives.
  • Repair tools are optional and can modify sectors or filesystems.
Our verdict

smartmontools is an open-source package for monitoring and controlling storage-device health through SMART data. It combines smartctl, a command-line inspection and device-control utility, with smartd, a daemon that periodically polls…

Read the review →

DiskMaster is an open-source desktop application for monitoring drive health across Windows, Linux, and macOS. It is aimed at users who want detailed local diagnostics rather than a remote fleet console. The application reads SMART data…

Read the review →
  1. smartmontoolsDisk Health Monitoring Software 9.2Free plan
  2. DiskMasterDisk Health Monitoring Software 8.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • smartmontools — where it wins

    • Supports ATA/SATA, SCSI/SAS, and NVMe devices
    • SMART polling, self-tests, logs, alerts, and temperature tracking
    • Free, open source, and available across many operating systems

    Where it doesn't

    • Command-line focus is less accessible for nontechnical users
    • Configuration uses tools such as smartctl and smartd
    • No graphical monitoring interface is listed

  • DiskMaster — where it wins

    • Explained health scores combine SMART readings with itemized deductions.
    • Tracks temperature, wear, and counters in SQLite history with charts.
    • Supports scans, alerts, exports, and command-line health exit codes.

    Where it doesn't

    • Remote monitoring is not documented for broader fleet deployments.
    • SMART reading is limited to supported SATA and USB drives.
    • Repair tools are optional and can modify sectors or filesystems.

More comparisons

All disk health monitoring software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update