TreeSize Free vs WinDirStat
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
TreeSize Free, by JAM Software, is a free disk space analyzer for Windows that shows which folders and files are consuming storage. It presents a treemap visualization of disk usage and can generate PDF reports, making it easy to spot what is taking up space on a drive.
WinDirStat is a free, open-source disk usage analyzer for Microsoft Windows that scans drives and folders and shows how disk space is distributed across the file system. It uses multithreaded scanning with direct NTFS support and presents results as sortable lists, extension statistics, a Largest Files view, and an interactive treemap that makes it easy to visually spot which folders and file types are consuming the most space. Beyond basic scanning, WinDirStat can detect duplicate files by content, inspect file permissions, and analyze storage tiers, and it supports file operations like opening, moving, or deleting items directly from the results view. It also offers dark mode, Windows Explorer integration, file-system change monitoring, and scan export, and is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2 (GPLv2) with source code hosted on GitHub.
- Completely free for personal use
- Fast scanning even on large drives
- Visual treemap makes large folders easy to spot at a glance
- No cloud connection required, data stays local
- Completely free and open source under GPLv2
- Interactive treemap makes large files easy to spot visually
- Built-in duplicate file detection by content
- Source code is publicly available on GitHub for transparency
- Free edition is licensed for non-commercial use only
- Not compatible with Windows Servers, unlike the paid Professional edition
- Lacks advanced features like duplicate detection found in the paid version
- Windows-only, no Mac or Linux version
- Interface is more utilitarian than modern, polished commercial tools
- No cloud storage scanning support mentioned on the site
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to TreeSize Free
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Scan an entire Windows drive in seconds and see exactly what is eating your disk space.
Free, open-source treemap visualizer that shows exactly what is filling up your Mac's disk space.
Alternatives to WinDirStat
View all →Scan an entire Windows drive in seconds and see exactly what is eating your disk space.
Free, open-source treemap visualizer that shows exactly what is filling up your Mac's disk space.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataBoth tools are free Windows disk analyzers, but TreeSize Free is limited to personal, non‑commercial use and lacks duplicate detection, while WinDirStat is open‑source, includes built‑in duplicate finding, and offers more community support.
Key differences
- •TreeSize Free is licensed for non‑commercial personal use only; WinDirStat has no such restriction.
- •WinDirStat can detect duplicate files by content; TreeSize Free does not.
- •WinDirStat is open‑source with community GitHub support; TreeSize Free is proprietary with no listed support channel.
- •TreeSize Free mentions automatic detection of removable volumes; WinDirStat’s volume handling is not specified.
- •WinDirStat includes Windows Explorer integration; TreeSize Free does not mention any integration.
Pricing & value
Both are free; TreeSize Free limited to personal use, WinDirStat free for any use.
Ease of use / learning curve
TreeSize Free highlights a simple treemap view; WinDirStat’s interface described as more utilitarian.
Features & depth
WinDirStat offers duplicate detection, file‑permission view, and direct file operations; TreeSize Free lacks these.
Integrations & ecosystem
WinDirStat provides Windows Explorer integration; TreeSize Free lists no integrations.
Support
WinDirStat has community support via GitHub; TreeSize Free provides no support details.
Security & privacy
TreeSize Free runs entirely on‑premises with no cloud connection; WinDirStat does not mention cloud usage either, but TreeSize explicitly states local‑only.
Scalability / commercial suitability
WinDirStat has no commercial license restriction; TreeSize Free is non‑commercial only.
Choose TreeSize Free if…
Personal Windows users needing a quick visual scan without duplicate detection.
Choose WinDirStat if…
Anyone (including IT admins) needing duplicate detection, integration, and open‑source transparency.
Common questions
Can I use TreeSize Free at work?
No; it is licensed for non‑commercial personal use only.
Does either tool find duplicate files?
WinDirStat does, by comparing file content; TreeSize Free does not include duplicate detection.
What support is available if I run into issues?
WinDirStat offers community support via GitHub issues; TreeSize Free provides no listed support channel.