DiskHalo
vs WinDirStat
WinDirStat suits Windows users who want a free, open-source analyser with rich visualisations and admin tools. DiskHalo suits developers and power users on Mac and Windows who want guided cleanup of developer and AI caches, remote storage analysis and one licence across both platforms.
All comparisonsKey differences.
Mac and Windows.
DiskHalo runs on both, with one licence for up to 3 personal devices. WinDirStat is a Windows app.
Cleanup rules for developer tools.
DiskHalo includes 158 cleanup rules and 12 AI model stores, covering Xcode, Docker, Node.js and more. WinDirStat launches Windows’ own cleanup tools and runs cleanup commands you define.
Remote storage in the same view.
DiskHalo analyses Amazon S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Drive, SharePoint, Outlook mailboxes, WebDAV and SSH/SFTP alongside your local drives, read-only.
Side by side.
Every WinDirStat fact comes from the vendor’s own pages and official listings, checked on 14 November 2026. Prices as listed on 14 November 2026.
| Feature | DiskHalo | WinDirStat |
|---|---|---|
| Mac app | Yes: Apple silicon and Intel | No: Windows only |
| Windows app | Yes: 64-bit Windows | Yes: Windows 7 to 11, on x86, x64 and ARM64 |
| How you pay | One-time licence for Mac and Windows | Free and open source, for personal and commercial use |
| Devices per licence | Up to 3 personal Mac or Windows devices | No usage restrictions |
| Free edition | No: No free edition. Every purchase has a 30-day money-back guarantee. | Yes: The whole app is free |
| Feature | DiskHalo | WinDirStat |
|---|---|---|
| Visual maps | Yes: Storage Orbit, Sunburst, Treemap, Pie and Bars, plus breakdowns by file type, age and owner. Save scans and compare them over time. | Yes: Treemap, sunburst and flame graph, plus file-type and file-age views |
| Network drives and NAS | Yes: Mapped drives and network shares, and NAS folders over WebDAV | Yes: Network shares, UNC paths and mapped drives |
| Cloud and remote sources | Yes: Amazon S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Drive, SharePoint, Outlook mailboxes, WebDAV and SSH/SFTP. Read-only, names and sizes only, up to eight locations at once. | No: Not in the current release (2.9.3) |
| Phones and disk images | Partly: On Windows: phones and cameras over MTP, and VHD/VHDX images attached read-only | Partly: Portable devices over MTP. Disk image scanning not listed by the vendor. |
| Large-file finder | Yes: Large File Cleanup, filtered by size and category | Yes: Largest Files tab |
| Duplicate detection | Yes: Exact content, confirmed with a full-file hash. Finds identical folders too. | Yes: Content hash after a size match, with a choice of MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512 or xxHash |
| Feature | DiskHalo | WinDirStat |
|---|---|---|
| Cache and junk cleanup | Yes: 158 cleanup rules for system, browser and app caches (119 on Mac, 87 on Windows), each explained before you decide | Partly: Empties the Recycle Bin, runs Windows Disk Cleanup and runs cleanup commands you define |
| Developer tool caches | Yes: Xcode on Mac, plus Docker, Node.js, Rust, Python, Gradle and more, and project build output | Not listed by the vendor |
| AI model caches | Yes: 12 AI model stores, including Hugging Face, Ollama and LM Studio | Not listed by the vendor |
| App uninstaller with leftovers | Partly: On Mac, removes an app with its caches and leftovers. On Windows, runs each app’s own uninstaller, several at a time. | No: Opens Windows’ own Programs and Features instead |
| Startup items | Yes: Mac and Windows: review what starts with your computer and turn supported items off | Not listed by the vendor |
| How deletion works | Cleanup tools show each item for review and ask you to confirm, then delete permanently rather than to the Recycle Bin or Trash. File tools in Disk Space Analysis can also move items to the Recycle Bin or Trash. | Delete sends items to the Recycle Bin and Shift+Delete deletes permanently. Confirmation prompts list the targets. |
| Record of what was removed | Yes: Operation History keeps a local record of each cleanup: what was planned and what was removed | Not listed by the vendor |
| Feature | DiskHalo | WinDirStat |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled jobs | Partly: On Windows: scheduled scans, exports and reports, with a record of every run | Built-in scheduler not listed. The command line can run from an external scheduler. |
| Command line | No: Not included | Yes: Saves scans, duplicates and permissions as CSV or JSON |
| Exports | Yes: Excel, CSV, HTML, XML, SQLite and PDF. Email a report through your own mail server. | Yes: CSV and JSON |
| Feature | DiskHalo | WinDirStat |
|---|---|---|
| Where scanning happens | On your computer. Your files and scan results never leave it. | On your computer |
| Account needed | No account. Sign in with your purchase email and a 6-digit code. | None |
| In-app usage analytics | None in the app. Licence sign-in and update checks send only the few details listed in the privacy notice. | None stated. The source code is public. |
| Feature | DiskHalo | WinDirStat |
|---|---|---|
| Interface languages | English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese | 25 languages |
See it before you remove it. Nothing is deleted without your confirmation. Cleanup deletions are permanent.
Where WinDirStat is a good choice.
Free and open source.
It is free for personal and commercial use, its source is public, and it is available through the Microsoft Store and winget.
Rigorous duplicate checks.
It hashes file contents with a choice of algorithms, avoids triggering cloud placeholder downloads, and can replace duplicates with hard links.
Rich visual and admin tooling.
Treemap, sunburst and flame graph views, a permissions view, storage analytics, a file watcher and launchers for Windows cleanup tools, all under active development.
Why choose DiskHalo.
Mac and Windows, one licence.
A one-time licence covers up to 3 personal devices, Mac or Windows, so the same tool follows you between machines.
It speaks your tools’ language.
Review caches and build output from Xcode, Docker, Node.js, Rust and Python, plus 12 AI model stores such as Hugging Face, Ollama and LM Studio. Each item is explained before you decide.
Every angle on your storage.
Storage Orbit, Sunburst, Treemap, Pie and Bars, with breakdowns by file type, age and owner. Save a scan and compare it later to see what grew.
Cloud and server storage too.
Analyse Amazon S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Drive, SharePoint, Outlook mailboxes, WebDAV and SSH/SFTP alongside your drives, up to eight locations at once. DiskHalo reads names, sizes and dates only.
Your files stay yours.
Scans, cleanup and history run on your computer. No analytics in the app, and no account to create.
A few good questions.
Does DiskHalo run on Mac?
Yes. One DiskHalo licence covers up to 3 personal Mac or Windows devices. WinDirStat is a Windows app.
How is DiskHalo’s cleanup different?
DiskHalo has its own cleanup rules, 158 in total, plus 12 AI model stores, covering caches from Xcode, Docker, Node.js and more. Each item is explained before you decide. WinDirStat launches Windows’ own cleanup tools and can run cleanup commands you define.
Can DiskHalo analyse cloud and server storage?
Yes. DiskHalo reads names, sizes and dates from Amazon S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Drive, SharePoint, Outlook mailboxes, WebDAV and SSH/SFTP, up to eight locations at a time, and never downloads file contents.
Does DiskHalo use the Recycle Bin?
DiskHalo’s cleanup tools show each item for review and ask you to confirm, then delete permanently rather than to the Recycle Bin. The file tools in Disk Space Analysis can move files to the Recycle Bin instead.
Sources.
Read on 14 November 2026. Features and prices can change, so check the vendor’s page before you decide. “Not listed by the vendor” means we found no mention, not that the feature is missing. DiskHalo details describe the app as it stands on the same date.
- WinDirStat home page
- WinDirStat download
- WinDirStat README on GitHub
- WinDirStat 2.9.3 release
- WinDirStat 2.9.3 changelog
- WinDirStat wiki: cleaning up
- WinDirStat wiki: command line and CSV
- WinDirStat wiki: search filters and duplicates
- WinDirStat wiki: scanning
- WinDirStat wiki: reading results
- WinDirStat 2.9.3 language files
WinDirStat, and the other product names on this page, are trademarks of their respective owners. DiskHalo is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by them.
See DiskHalo for yourself.
Walk through the views and tools, or read what each feature does.