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Utilities · head to head

CrystalDiskInfo vs PeaZip

CrystalDiskInfo logo

CrystalDiskInfo

Utilities

Free Windows tool that reads S.M.A.R.T. data from drives and warns before they fail

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PeaZip logo

PeaZip

Utilities

Open-source archive manager for Windows and Linux supporting more than two hundred formats

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CrystalDiskInfo many USB enclosures do not pass S.M.A.R.T. commands through, so external drives often report nothing at all and users read that as a healthy result.; PeaZip there is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • They diverge on capability: CrystalDiskInfo covers S.M.A.R.T. reporting, PeaZip covers Wide format support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CrystalDiskInfo and PeaZip actually diverge.

Attributes where CrystalDiskInfo and PeaZip differ
AttributeCrystalDiskInfoPeaZip
PlatformsWindowsWindows, Linux, BSD

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Utilities).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CrystalDiskInfo

  • S.M.A.R.T. reporting
  • NVMe support
  • Threshold alerts
  • Temperature monitoring
  • Standard and Shizuku editions
  • MIT licensed

Only in PeaZip

  • Wide format support
  • Strong encryption
  • Secure delete
  • Checksums and hashes
  • Split and join
  • Portable builds

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CrystalDiskInfo

  • Checking the true condition of a second-hand drive before trusting data to itnot PeaZip
  • Watching SSD endurance on write-heavy machines such as build servers and video workstationsnot PeaZip
  • Getting early warning of mechanical failure while a backup can still be takennot PeaZip
  • Auditing power-on hours and wear across a small fleet of machines one at a timenot PeaZip

PeaZip

  • Opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refusenot CrystalDiskInfo
  • Sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a passwordnot CrystalDiskInfo
  • Deploying one archiver across Windows and Linux desktops with the same interface and behaviournot CrystalDiskInfo
  • Running from a USB stick on machines where software cannot be installednot CrystalDiskInfo

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CrystalDiskInfo

  • Many USB enclosures do not pass S.M.A.R.T. commands through, so external drives often report nothing at all and users read that as a healthy result.
  • It is Windows only, and there is no central console, so checking a fleet means visiting each machine or scripting an alternative.
  • A good status is not a prediction: drives fail suddenly with clean attributes, and treating the summary as an assurance leads people to skip backups.
  • The Shizuku edition ships anime artwork and voice packs, which is unsuitable on company machines and is often downloaded by mistake because it is the more visible option.
  • Vendors define raw attribute values inconsistently, so the same number means different things on different drives and the detailed view needs interpretation to be useful.

PeaZip

  • There is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • It is effectively a single-maintainer project, and for software deployed to every desktop in a company that concentration of risk deserves an explicit decision.
  • The interface exposes a great many options at once and looks dated next to the system archiver, which generates support questions from non-technical users.
  • Bundled backend binaries sometimes trigger antivirus heuristics on managed Windows fleets, so deployment usually needs an allowlist entry prepared in advance.
  • Its own PEA and ARC formats are not readable by other tools, so using them for anything you send externally creates a dependency for the recipient.

Pricing, plan by plan

CrystalDiskInfo

Free
  • CrystalDiskInfoFree
    • MIT licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • All features in the free download

PeaZip

Free
  • PeaZipFree
    • LGPLv3 licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • All formats and encryption features included

Which should you pick?

Choose CrystalDiskInfo if

  • You need s.m.a.r.t. reporting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want nvme support.
CrystalDiskInfo review

Choose PeaZip if

  • You need wide format support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, BSD.
  • You also want strong encryption.
PeaZip review

Questions people ask

Is CrystalDiskInfo or PeaZip better?
Neither clearly leads. CrystalDiskInfo starts at Free and PeaZip at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CrystalDiskInfo or PeaZip?
CrystalDiskInfo starts at Free and PeaZip at Free.
Does CrystalDiskInfo or PeaZip run on more platforms?
CrystalDiskInfo runs on Windows. PeaZip runs on Windows, Linux, BSD.
Can I use CrystalDiskInfo for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CrystalDiskInfo best used for?
CrystalDiskInfo is most often used for checking the true condition of a second-hand drive before trusting data to it, watching ssd endurance on write-heavy machines such as build servers and video workstations, getting early warning of mechanical failure while a backup can still be taken, auditing power-on hours and wear across a small fleet of machines one at a time. Of those, checking the true condition of a second-hand drive before trusting data to it and watching ssd endurance on write-heavy machines such as build servers and video workstations are not what PeaZip is typically brought in for.
What can CrystalDiskInfo do that PeaZip cannot?
CrystalDiskInfo covers S.M.A.R.T. reporting, NVMe support, Threshold alerts, Temperature monitoring. PeaZip covers Wide format support, Strong encryption, Secure delete, Checksums and hashes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CrystalDiskInfo: Can I use it in a business?

Yes. It is MIT licensed with no personal-use restriction, which distinguishes it from several other free Windows utilities.

PeaZip: Is PeaZip free for business use?

Yes. It is LGPLv3 licensed with no personal-use restriction and no paid edition.

CrystalDiskInfo: Why does my external drive show no data?

Most USB bridge chips do not pass S.M.A.R.T. commands through. Connecting the drive directly by SATA or NVMe usually reveals the attributes.

PeaZip: Does it work on macOS?

No supported build is offered. Mac users need a different archiver.

CrystalDiskInfo: Does a caution status mean I should replace the drive immediately?

It means an attribute has crossed a vendor threshold, most often reallocated sectors. Back up now, then decide. It is a warning, not a countdown.

PeaZip: How does it differ from 7-Zip?

It uses similar backends but adds far wider format support, a password manager, keyfile two-factor encryption, secure deletion and a graphical front end that also runs on Linux.

CrystalDiskInfo: What is the difference between the editions?

Function is identical. The Shizuku edition adds themed artwork and voice packs; the standard edition is the plain one you want on a work machine.

PeaZip: Should I use the PEA format?

Only for your own storage. Nothing else reads it, so anything sent to another party should be 7z or ZIP with AES-256.

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