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Utilities · head to head

qBittorrent vs TreeSize

qBittorrent logo

qBittorrent

Utilities

Free open source BitTorrent client with a built in search tab and no thin-client remote mode

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TreeSize logo

TreeSize

Utilities

Windows disk space analyser whose free edition may be used commercially, with paid tiers for scheduled reporting

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: qBittorrent it lacks true thin-client remote operation, so controlling a qBittorrent instance running on another machine is less seamless than with Deluge without relying on third party tools.; TreeSize it traverses directories rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a local drive scan takes noticeably longer than the fastest alternatives.
  • They diverge on capability: qBittorrent covers Built in search, TreeSize covers Free edition licensed for business.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which qBittorrent and TreeSize actually diverge.

Attributes where qBittorrent and TreeSize differ
AttributeqBittorrentTreeSize
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
PlatformsMac, Windows, LinuxWindows

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 qBittorrent

  • Built in search
  • Sequential downloading
  • RSS automatic downloading
  • Bandwidth scheduling
  • Web UI
  • Category and tag organisation

Only in TreeSize

  • Free edition licensed for business
  • Network share scanning
  • Reports by age and owner
  • Duplicate file search
  • Scheduled scans
  • Exports

What people use each for

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

qBittorrent

  • A user who wants to search for torrents from inside the client rather than a separate browser tabnot TreeSize
  • Someone who wants a fuller desktop feature set, including RSS automation and bandwidth scheduling, at no costnot TreeSize
  • A user managing a moderate number of active torrents, comfortably a few hundred, on a desktop machinenot TreeSize
  • Anyone replacing a paid or ad-supported torrent client with a free, ad-free alternativenot TreeSize

TreeSize

  • Deploying one free disk analyser across a company without a personal-use licence problemnot qBittorrent
  • Reporting on a file server by owner and file age before an archiving or quota decisionnot qBittorrent
  • Finding duplicate files spread across departmental network sharesnot qBittorrent
  • Producing a storage report for someone who will read a PDF but not run a scannot qBittorrent

Where each one falls short

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

qBittorrent

  • It lacks true thin-client remote operation, so controlling a qBittorrent instance running on another machine is less seamless than with Deluge without relying on third party tools.
  • The web UI can start to lag once active torrent counts climb past roughly a thousand, which matters for a heavy seedbox user.
  • It generally uses more resources than Transmission for the same workload, which matters on a low powered NAS or always-on server.
  • As with any torrent client, legal use depends entirely on what content is being downloaded, and the app itself has no content moderation.
  • Its default interface, while functional, is denser and less minimal than Transmission simple design, which some users find harder to learn at first.

TreeSize

  • It traverses directories rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a local drive scan takes noticeably longer than the fastest alternatives.
  • It is Windows only, so file servers running Linux or a NAS appliance need a different tool or a share mounted from a Windows machine.
  • Useful features are spread across three paid tiers, so the single capability a buyer needs frequently sits two tiers above the one they were considering.
  • Scanning large network shares generates significant traffic and takes hours, which means it has to be scheduled rather than run when someone asks the question.
  • Pricing is per licence with separate maintenance, so an accurate total for a team requires a quote rather than a figure from the website.

Pricing, plan by plan

qBittorrent

Free
  • qBittorrentFree
    • Free and open source, no account needed
    • Built in search tab included
    • Web UI for remote access

TreeSize

Free
  • TreeSize FreeFree
    • Folder size analysis and treemap
    • Licensed for private and commercial use
    • Basic exports
  • TreeSize Personal, Professional and Enterprise$undefined/year
    • File search, duplicate detection and full exports
    • Network share and file server scanning
    • Scheduled unattended scans and stored reports

Which should you pick?

Choose qBittorrent if

  • You need built in search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want sequential downloading.
qBittorrent review

Choose TreeSize if

  • You need free edition licensed for business.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want network share scanning.
TreeSize review

Questions people ask

Is qBittorrent or TreeSize better?
Neither clearly leads. qBittorrent starts at Free and TreeSize at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, qBittorrent or TreeSize?
qBittorrent starts at Free and TreeSize at Free.
Does qBittorrent or TreeSize run on more platforms?
qBittorrent runs on Mac, Windows, Linux. TreeSize runs on Windows.
Can I use qBittorrent for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is qBittorrent best used for?
qBittorrent is most often used for a user who wants to search for torrents from inside the client rather than a separate browser tab, someone who wants a fuller desktop feature set, including rss automation and bandwidth scheduling, at no cost, a user managing a moderate number of active torrents, comfortably a few hundred, on a desktop machine, anyone replacing a paid or ad-supported torrent client with a free, ad-free alternative. Of those, a user who wants to search for torrents from inside the client rather than a separate browser tab and someone who wants a fuller desktop feature set, including rss automation and bandwidth scheduling, at no cost are not what TreeSize is typically brought in for.
What can qBittorrent do that TreeSize cannot?
qBittorrent covers Built in search, Sequential downloading, RSS automatic downloading, Bandwidth scheduling. TreeSize covers Free edition licensed for business, Network share scanning, Reports by age and owner, Duplicate file search.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

qBittorrent: Is qBittorrent free?

Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier or ads.

TreeSize: Is TreeSize Free really free for business use?

Yes. JAM Software licenses the free edition for private and commercial use, which is the main reason it appears on corporate machines where other free analysers are not permitted.

qBittorrent: Does qBittorrent have built in search?

Yes, a search tab queries multiple torrent search engines directly inside the app, which Transmission and Deluge do not offer by default.

TreeSize: Why is it slower than WizTree?

Method. WizTree reads the NTFS master file table; TreeSize walks the directory tree, which is slower but works on network shares and non-NTFS volumes.

qBittorrent: Can I run qBittorrent headless on a server?

Yes, via its web UI, though Deluge specific thin-client mode gives more complete remote control for a dedicated daemon setup.

TreeSize: Can it scan a NAS or Linux file server?

It scans them as network shares over SMB, with the speed penalty that implies. There is no agent that runs on the server itself.

TreeSize: What does the Enterprise tier add?

Scheduled unattended scans, stored historical results and reporting across servers, which is the difference between a cleanup tool and a storage reporting system.

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