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Utilities · head to head

HWiNFO vs Magnet

HWiNFO logo

HWiNFO

Utilities

Windows hardware information and sensor monitoring tool, free for personal use only

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Magnet logo

Magnet

Utilities

Mac App Store window manager sold as a one-time paid app, with no free tier

From
$4.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HWiNFO has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HWiNFO the free build is licensed for personal use only, so an IT department running it on employee machines is out of compliance and needs the paid edition.; Magnet there is no free tier at all, so a user cannot try before buying beyond the Mac App Store return window.
  • They diverge on capability: HWiNFO covers Sensor coverage, Magnet covers Keyboard shortcuts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HWiNFO and Magnet actually diverge.

Attributes where HWiNFO and Magnet differ
AttributeHWiNFOMagnet
Starting priceFree$4.99/one-time
Pricing modelquoteOne-time purchase
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindowsMac

Identical on both: 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 HWiNFO

  • Sensor coverage
  • Hardware inventory
  • Logging
  • Shared memory interface
  • Alerts
  • Portable build

Only in Magnet

  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Drag to snap
  • Multi-display support
  • Mac App Store distribution
  • Menu bar access
  • Third display layouts

What people use each for

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

HWiNFO

  • Diagnosing thermal throttling or power limits on a laptop or workstation under real workloadsnot Magnet
  • Validating that a new cooler, thermal paste or fan curve changed anything measurablenot Magnet
  • Logging sensor data across a long stress test to identify what preceded a crashnot Magnet
  • Confirming exactly which hardware revision is inside a machine before ordering more of themnot Magnet

Magnet

  • A user who wants the App Store handling licensing, family sharing and updates automaticallynot HWiNFO
  • Someone who prefers paying a small one-time fee up front over evaluating a free tool firstnot HWiNFO
  • A less technical user who does not want to install from GitHub or Homebrewnot HWiNFO
  • A family sharing one Apple ID that wants one purchase to cover multiple Macs in the householdnot HWiNFO

Where each one falls short

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

HWiNFO

  • The free build is licensed for personal use only, so an IT department running it on employee machines is out of compliance and needs the paid edition.
  • It is Windows only, so mixed estates need a separate tool for macOS and Linux hardware diagnostics.
  • It reports single machines rather than fleets, with no central console, so it answers a diagnostic question instead of monitoring an estate.
  • The volume of sensors displayed is overwhelming without hardware knowledge, and readings with similar names measure genuinely different things, which leads to wrong conclusions.
  • Sensor access requires a kernel-level driver and administrator rights, which anti-cheat systems and some hardened endpoint configurations block outright.

Magnet

  • There is no free tier at all, so a user cannot try before buying beyond the Mac App Store return window.
  • It offers fewer customisation options than Rectangle, such as fewer configurable snap zones and less granular per-app behaviour.
  • Update cadence has historically been slower than the actively developed open source Rectangle project.
  • It is Mac only and App Store only, so it cannot be scripted, redistributed internally by a company, or installed outside Apple normal channels.
  • Being a small independent app, support depends on the developer responding to App Store reviews or email rather than a dedicated support team.

Pricing, plan by plan

HWiNFO

Free
  • HWiNFO PersonalFree
    • Full sensor and hardware detail
    • Logging and alerts
    • Personal, non-commercial use only
  • HWiNFO Pro$undefined/year
    • Licence required for any business or commercial use
    • Per-seat licensing
    • Priority support

Magnet

$4.99/one-time
  • Magnet$4.99/one-time
    • Full app unlocked immediately, no trial gating
    • Mac App Store purchase and family sharing
    • Free updates through the App Store

Which should you pick?

Choose HWiNFO if

  • You need sensor coverage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want hardware inventory.
HWiNFO review

Choose Magnet if

  • You need keyboard shortcuts.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want drag to snap.
Magnet review

Questions people ask

Is HWiNFO or Magnet better?
Neither clearly leads. HWiNFO starts at Free and Magnet at $4.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HWiNFO or Magnet?
HWiNFO has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HWiNFO and $4.99/one-time for Magnet.
Does HWiNFO or Magnet run on more platforms?
HWiNFO runs on Windows. Magnet runs on Mac.
Can I use HWiNFO for free?
Yes. HWiNFO has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Magnet starts at $4.99/one-time.
What is HWiNFO best used for?
HWiNFO is most often used for diagnosing thermal throttling or power limits on a laptop or workstation under real workloads, validating that a new cooler, thermal paste or fan curve changed anything measurable, logging sensor data across a long stress test to identify what preceded a crash, confirming exactly which hardware revision is inside a machine before ordering more of them. Of those, diagnosing thermal throttling or power limits on a laptop or workstation under real workloads and validating that a new cooler, thermal paste or fan curve changed anything measurable are not what Magnet is typically brought in for.
What can HWiNFO do that Magnet cannot?
HWiNFO covers Sensor coverage, Hardware inventory, Logging, Shared memory interface. Magnet covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Mac App Store distribution.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HWiNFO: Can I use the free version at work?

No. Free use is personal only. Any business use, including internal IT diagnostics, requires the paid licence.

Magnet: Does Magnet have a free version?

No. It has always been a paid Mac App Store purchase with no free tier.

HWiNFO: Does it run on macOS or Linux?

No. It is Windows only; the older DOS builds are discontinued.

Magnet: Can I share one purchase across my family Macs?

Yes, through Apple Family Sharing on the Mac App Store, the same as any other App Store app.

HWiNFO: Why do temperatures differ from the motherboard utility?

Because vendor tools usually show one averaged figure while HWiNFO reports each sensor separately. The difference is labelling and selection, not accuracy.

Magnet: How is it different from Rectangle?

Magnet is a paid App Store app from the start; Rectangle is free and open source, with paid Pro features sold as a separate app.

HWiNFO: Is it safe to run alongside other monitoring tools?

Usually, but several tools polling the same sensors through their own drivers can cause conflicts and bad readings. Run one at a time when the numbers look wrong.

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