btop review
A free, open-source terminal monitor with detailed local process controls.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
btop is an open-source, terminal-based resource monitor for Linux, macOS, and BSD systems. It is designed for people who want a detailed view of system resources and processes directly in a terminal interface. The monitor covers processor, memory, disk, network, GPU, battery, and process information, while its interactive, mouse-supported layout keeps those views available in one local tool. Its Apache License 2.0 distribution also supports compiling from source or installing through supported system package managers.
Process inspection is btop’s strongest area. Users can select processes to view detailed statistics, filter and sort process lists, switch to a process tree view, pause the process list, and send signals to selected processes. Configurable themes and presets allow the interface to be adjusted to different terminal preferences, while debug mode adds further logs and metrics. This combination gives Unix system administrators, developers, and technically minded users granular control over how local process and resource information is displayed.
The trade-off is its narrow operating model. btop is a local terminal monitor, so it does not provide alerting, remote monitoring, integrations, or verified history. That makes it a strong fit for interactive inspection and process management on supported Unix systems, but a weaker choice for teams that need centralized visibility, connected workflows, or historical monitoring. Choose btop when terminal control, open-source licensing, and broad local resource coverage matter most; choose another process monitoring option when remote access, alerts, or integrations are required.
btop pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Monitors processor, memory, disk, network, GPU, battery, and processes
- Filters, sorts, pauses, and displays processes in a tree view
- Offers configurable themes, presets, mouse support, and debug metrics
- Where it doesn't
- Does not provide alerting or remote monitoring
- Has no integrations
- Focuses on local terminal monitoring rather than verified history
btop fact sheet, pricing and score →
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