Software Alternatives & Startups

Process Explorer VS Security Task Manager

Compare Process Explorer VS Security Task Manager and see what are their differences

Process Explorer logo Process Explorer

The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you'l…

Security Task Manager logo Security Task Manager

Advanced process viewer that provides detailed information about programs and processes running on the computer (e.g. file name, directory path, description, security risk rating).
  • Process Explorer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-21
  • Security Task Manager Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-05

Process Explorer features and specs

  • Detailed System Information
    Process Explorer provides in-depth information about system processes, including detailed CPU and memory usage stats.
  • Hierarchical View
    It shows processes in a tree structure, making it easy to understand parent-child relationships between processes.
  • Advanced Diagnostic Capabilities
    The tool offers advanced features like DLL and handle viewing, allowing detailed investigation of system issues.
  • Real-Time Monitoring
    It allows real-time monitoring of system performance, including CPU, GPU, and I/O activity, which is critical for diagnosing performance bottlenecks.
  • Integration with VirusTotal
    Process Explorer can integrate with VirusTotal to check the safety of running processes, adding an extra layer of security.
  • Free to Use
    Process Explorer is part of the Sysinternals suite, which is freely available for use, making it accessible for both individual users and organizations.

Possible disadvantages of Process Explorer

  • Complexity
    The extensive features and detailed information can be overwhelming for novice users who may find the interface complex to navigate.
  • Resource Intensive
    While generally lightweight, the comprehensive monitoring features can consume a noticeable amount of system resources, which might affect performance on older or less powerful systems.
  • Windows Only
    Process Explorer is designed specifically for Windows operating systems, limiting its use for those who work in cross-platform environments.
  • No Built-In Reporting
    The tool does not offer built-in reporting capabilities, requiring users to manually capture and document information.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its advanced features and detailed information, new users might face a steep learning curve before being able to fully utilize all its capabilities.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there are some resources available, the documentation can be sparse, making it difficult for users to find solutions to specific problems.

Security Task Manager features and specs

  • Comprehensive Process Analysis
    Security Task Manager provides detailed information about all running processes on a computer, including potential security risks, allowing users to identify and manage suspicious activities.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software features a clear and straightforward interface, making it accessible for non-technical users to effectively monitor and understand system processes.
  • Risk Rating System
    It offers a unique risk rating system that helps users quickly assess which processes might be dangerous based on behavior, making it easier to prioritize attention.
  • Integration with VirusTotal
    Users can optionally link to VirusTotal, allowing for a more comprehensive malware check by cross-referencing their processes against a large database.

Possible disadvantages of Security Task Manager

  • Limited Free Version
    The free version of Security Task Manager offers limited features, which may not be sufficient for users who need in-depth analysis and control without purchasing the full version.
  • Manual Analysis Required
    Although it provides risk ratings, users still need to manually analyze and determine the necessary actions to take, which might require some level of expertise.
  • Potential False Positives
    The risk rating system can sometimes give false positives, indicating safe processes as threats, which can lead to unnecessary concern or interventions.
  • Limited to Windows
    Security Task Manager is only available for Windows operating systems, which excludes users on MacOS and Linux platforms from using the software.

Analysis of Process Explorer

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Process Explorer is generally regarded as a good and reliable tool by both system administrators and other IT professionals. It is frequently recommended for its depth of features, ease of use, and the detailed process information it provides.

Why this product is good

  • Process Explorer is considered a valuable tool because it offers comprehensive insights into system processes, threads, and resource usage. It provides detailed information about which files and directories individual processes have open, the DLLs they have loaded, and more. Its ability to offer real-time data and powerful searching capabilities makes it invaluable for troubleshooting and performance monitoring.

Recommended for

  • System administrators
  • IT professionals
  • Software developers
  • Anyone interested in detailed system diagnostics
  • Users troubleshooting application issues

Process Explorer videos

Sysinternals Process Explorer Review + download link and method

More videos:

  • Review - Scan for Malware Using Process Explorer and Virus Total
  • Review - What Is?: Process Explorer?

Security Task Manager videos

No Security Task Manager videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Process Explorer and Security Task Manager)
Monitoring Tools
97 97%
3% 3
Command Line Tools
97 97%
3% 3
Performance Monitoring
Log Management
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Process Explorer seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 289 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Process Explorer mentions (289)

  • Stats – macOS system monitor in your menu bar
    Unclear what you mean by programmable, but https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer is the bee's knees and you can set an option to have it take over taskmon.exe, launch on login, and put as many of the widgets in the taskbar as you fancy. I love it I've heard about running them directly from SMB but have never been the kind of person to try out such a stunt... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: What tools do you recommend for working on Windows?
    Always put all your portable programs in the "A:\MyPC\Programs\" folder. Always put all your documents in the "A:\MyPC\Documents\" folder. Put driver files and runtime libraries in the "A:\MyPC\Install\" folder. For all three, feel free to create subfolders as needed, either per topic, per group, or however your brain envisions data trees. You can find plenty of portable windows software in the links provided... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Hidden dependencies in Linux binaries.
    On windows, this is Dependency Walker versus ProcExp. Similar eye-goggling results. https://www.dependencywalker.com/ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Windows Explorer and Desktop Window Manager high RAM usage
    If you run Process Explorer (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer) and enable process tree view, you can see what processes are running under explorer.exe. That should give you a better idea of what's consuming that memory if you're genuinely concerned about this. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Roblox doesn't launch for months on PC
    If you have any suspicious processes running onto your computer, close them IMMEDIATELY. I suggest using Process Explorer, as it has a Virustotal which submits all Executables to virustotal under 70+ antiviruses. If any of the processes have 3+ detections, Close them down as anticheats will detect it and stop you from running Roblox. Source: almost 3 years ago
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Security Task Manager mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Security Task Manager yet. Tracking of Security Task Manager recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Process Explorer and Security Task Manager, you can also consider the following products

Process Monitor - Monitor file system, Registry, process, thread and DLL activity in real-time.

LockHunter - It is a free tool to delete files blocked by something you do not know.

htop - htop - an interactive process viewer for Unix. This is htop, an interactive process viewer for Unix systems. It is a text-mode application (for console or X terminals) and requires ncurses. Latest release: htop 2.

FileASSASSIN - FileASSASSIN is an application that can delete any type of locked files that are on your computer.

Autoruns - See what programs are configured to startup automatically when your system boots and you login.

EMCO UnLock IT - Unlock file or folder, locked by the system or by an application