Best Disk Diagnostic Software in 2026
Updated
In short: smartmontools is ranked #1 of 25 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Hard Disk Sentinel and DiskMaster. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Hard Disk Sentinel. The lowest first paid tier on this page is BatteryMon at $21/mo.
When checking a drive or investigating a storage concern, compare diagnostic tools by the tests and operating details shown for each. SMART tests, bad-sector scans, surface scans, and read/write testing describe different parts of the listed coverage. Bootable media, platform, and maximum drive size can help you assess whether an option fits the drive and workflow you have in mind. Free-plan availability and the paid-from price add cost context. The ranking begins with smartmontools, DiskMaster, and Hard Disk Sentinel; Victoria HDD/SSD and HDAT2 follow. Consider the order alongside the listed checks and compatibility details when comparing tools for disk assessment.
25 disk diagnostic software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
#1 smartmontools Top pick · 7.3 Free plan · Free
#2 Hard Disk Sentinel Runner-up · 7.1 Free plan · Free
#3 DiskMaster Also great · 7.0 Free plan · Free- Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free planFree trial LinuxWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Paid from
- 22 one-time
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree About nvmVisit site - Free plan Windows
- Bad-sector scan
- Yes
- Read/write testing
- Yes
- Surface scan
- Yes
- Bootable media
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Bad-sector scan
- Yes
- Read/write testing
- Yes
- Bootable media
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Bad-sector scan
- Yes
- Read/write testing
- Yes
- Surface scan
- Yes
- Bootable media
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Bad-sector scan
- Yes
- Read/write testing
- No
- Surface scan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan Linux
- Free plan
- Yes
- Bad-sector scan
- Yes
- Read/write testing
- Yes
- Surface scan
- Yes
- Bootable media
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree About MHDDVisit site - Free trial LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Paid from
- 49.99 one-time
- Bad-sector scan
- Yes
- Surface scan
- Yes
- Bootable media
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - apiLinuxWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Bad-sector scan
- Yes
- Read/write testing
- Yes
- Surface scan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- No
- Paid from
- 89 one-time
- Bad-sector scan
- Yes
- Read/write testing
- Yes
- Surface scan
- Yes
- Bootable media
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - self-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Bad-sector scan
- Yes
- Read/write testing
- Yes
- Surface scan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$21/mofirst paid tier About BatteryMonVisit site - Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Bad-sector scan
- Yes
- Surface scan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- No
- Paid from
- 29.95 one-time
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$29.95/mofirst paid tier About HD Tune ProVisit site - Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Read/write testing
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- No
- Paid from
- 14.95 one-time
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOS
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - macOS
- Free plan
- No
- Paid from
- 24.99 one-time
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- No
- Paid from
- 29.95 one-time
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which disk diagnostic software is ranked first on Everything Xiaomi?
smartmontools is ranked #1 of 25 with a score of 7.3. Hard Disk Sentinel is second and DiskMaster third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, BatteryMon has the lowest first paid tier we found: $21/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes: documentation depth, a free tier and the platforms it runs on. Paid placements never change a rank.