Everything vs HWMonitor

Everything: what it's good at

Everything indexes filenames on NTFS volumes almost instantly and returns matches as you type, making Windows Search feel unusable by comparison. It uses very little memory and is a permanent fixture on most power users' machines.

• Near-instant filename search
• Indexes an entire drive in seconds
• Very low resource usage
• Regex and advanced query syntax

HWMonitor: what it's good at

HWMonitor reads hardware sensors to report CPU and GPU temperatures, fan speeds, voltages and drive health. It is the first tool to reach for when a machine is throttling, running hot or unexpectedly noisy.

• CPU, GPU and drive temperature monitoring
• Fan speed and voltage readings
• Records minimum and maximum values
• Supports a very wide range of sensors

Which should you choose?

Both are free, so the honest answer is that you can install either and decide for yourself — that is the advantage of free software over a paid trial.

Both run on Windows.

We deliberately do not publish a star rating for either. We have no way to verify a rating that would be honest at scale, and an invented one would be worse than none — so we give you the facts and let you decide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Everything better than HWMonitor?

Neither is universally better. Everything instant filename search across your entire drive, while HWMonitor monitor temperatures, voltages and fan speeds. The right pick depends on your platform and workflow.

Are both really free?

Everything is free and HWMonitor is free. Both can be downloaded without paying.

Can I install both?

Yes. Since neither costs anything, installing both and comparing them on your own files is usually the fastest way to decide.