# WinDirStat vs WizTree (2026)

By Noah — last updated & pricing verified October 23, 2026.

> **Verdict:** Choose WinDirStat if you want a free, open-source (GPL v3) analyzer you can use at work without a license, with sunburst and flame-graph views, hardlink deduplication, CSV and JSON export and deleted-file recovery. Choose WizTree if you need a macOS version or want the tool its vendor bills as up to 46x faster than WinDirStat, and you are a home user or can buy a one-time commercial license. The deciding factor is licensing: WinDirStat is free for any use, while WizTree charges businesses $100 to $1,800 one-time by staff count.

**Choose WinDirStat if:** You use it at work: WinDirStat is free for commercial use under the GPL v3, while WizTree charges businesses from $100 one-time for up to 5 staff; You want open-source code, with 4,300+ GitHub stars and no paid edition, license key or account; You want sunburst and flame-graph charts, saved scan snapshots and file-system change monitoring alongside the treemap; You want cleanup beyond deleting: NTFS compression, hardlink deduplication and recovery of deleted files on NTFS, exFAT and FAT drives; You script disk audits, since WinDirStat runs command-line scans with CSV and JSON reports

**Choose WizTree if:** You need a Mac version: WizTree runs on Windows and macOS, while WinDirStat is Windows-only; You want the tool built around direct Master File Table reads, which its vendor claims make scans up to 46x faster than WinDirStat; You are a home user who wants a free treemap, sortable file list and duplicate finder for personal use; Your company wants a perpetual commercial license with priority support, included on WizTree Enterprise licenses from $750 one-time

## At a glance

|  | WinDirStat | WizTree |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing | Free | Free tier · paid from $25 one-time |
| License | Open source | Freemium |
| Best for | Finding which folders and files are filling a Windows drive or file server before deciding what to delete, archive or compress | Windows and macOS users who need to quickly find and clear large files or folders eating up local disk space, especially on NTFS drives. |
| Ratings | — | — |

## Feature comparison

| Feature | WinDirStat | WizTree |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starting price | Yes (free, no paid edition) | Yes (free for personal use; $25 one-time supporter code (Individual)) |
| Free tier | Yes (full product free for any use) | Partial (personal use only, with a donate button) |
| Commercial use | Yes (free under the GPL v3 or later) | Partial (one-time license from $100 (up to 5 staff) to $1,800 (multi-site)) |
| Platforms | Partial (Windows only (7 to 11, Server 2008 R2 to 2025)) | Partial (Windows and macOS) |
| License | Yes (open source, GPL v3 or later) | No (closed-source, free personal use plus paid licenses) |
| Direct MFT scanning | Partial (when run as administrator on a local NTFS drive) | Yes (core design; vendor claims up to 46x faster than WinDirStat) |
| Non-NTFS and network scans | Partial (network shares, phones and non-NTFS volumes scan folder by folder) | Partial (FAT, network, USB and macOS scans lose the MFT shortcut) |
| Treemap | Yes (every file a rectangle, colored by type) | Yes (visual treemap plus sortable file-size list) |
| Sunburst and flame-graph views | Yes (included in 2.x) | Unknown |
| Duplicate finder | Yes (by content hash, with hardlink replacement) | Yes (duplicate-file finder) |
| Cleanup actions | Yes (Recycle Bin, Disk Cleanup, NTFS compression, hardlinks) | Partial (locate and delete large files) |
| Deleted-file recovery | Yes (NTFS, exFAT and FAT drives) | Unknown |
| Export and command line | Yes (CSV and JSON export, command-line scans) | Unknown |
| Install options | Yes (MSI, Microsoft Store, winget, Chocolatey, Scoop, portable ZIP; x64, x86, ARM64) | Unknown |
| Upgrades | Yes (every release free) | Partial (supporter code covers 1 year of free upgrades) |
| Support | Unknown | Yes (priority support on Enterprise licenses (from $750)) |

## Is WinDirStat or WizTree faster?

WizTree is built around speed and its vendor claims scans up to 46x faster than WinDirStat, but WinDirStat 2.x also reads the NTFS Master File Table directly when run as administrator, so both use the same shortcut on local NTFS drives.

Neither tool gets the shortcut everywhere. WinDirStat falls back to slower folder-by-folder enumeration on network shares, phones and non-NTFS volumes, or when it runs without administrator rights. WizTree's macOS version and its scans of FAT, network and USB drives also miss the direct MFT read. The 46x figure is WizTree's own claim.

## WinDirStat vs WizTree pricing: which costs less?

WinDirStat costs less for any business, because it is free for personal and commercial use under the GPL v3, while WizTree is free only for personal use and charges a one-time license from $100 for up to 5 staff.

WizTree's commercial licenses are priced by staff count at one site: $100 for up to 5, $200 for up to 20, $350 for up to 50 and $500 for up to 100, with unlimited staff at $750 for one site or $1,800 for multiple sites, both with priority support. A $25 Individual supporter code removes the donate button. Every WizTree license is perpetual but includes free upgrades only for versions released within one year. WinDirStat has no paid edition, license key or account.

## Which has more features, WinDirStat or WizTree?

WinDirStat has the broader feature set, adding sunburst and flame-graph views, search by owner, saved snapshots, change monitoring, CSV and JSON export, NTFS compression, hardlink deduplication and deleted-file recovery to the treemap and duplicate finder both tools share.

WinDirStat 2.x also inspects permissions, estimates storage costs and runs command-line scans that write CSV or JSON reports, which suits scripted audits of file servers. WizTree keeps to a treemap, a sortable file-size list and a duplicate-file finder, and its listing describes the interface as utilitarian rather than aimed at less technical users. WinDirStat has no one-click junk scan, so every deletion is chosen by hand.

## Does WinDirStat or WizTree work on a Mac?

WizTree works on a Mac and WinDirStat does not: WizTree runs on Windows and macOS, while WinDirStat is Windows-only and its project points Mac and Linux users to GrandPerspective and QDirStat.

WizTree's macOS version does not get the direct MFT read that makes its Windows scans fast on NTFS drives. Neither WinDirStat nor WizTree has a Linux version.

## Strengths and weaknesses

### WinDirStat

- Pro: Free and open source under the GNU GPL v3 or later, for personal and commercial use.
- Pro: Treemap, sunburst and flame-graph views make large files and folders obvious at a glance.
- Pro: Accelerated scanning reads the NTFS Master File Table directly when run as administrator.
- Pro: Finds duplicates by content hash and can replace them with hardlinks or shrink files with NTFS compression.
- Pro: Portable ZIP plus winget, Chocolatey, Scoop and Microsoft Store installs for x64, x86 and ARM64.
- Con: Windows only; the project points Mac and Linux users to GrandPerspective and QDirStat.
- Con: Fast MFT scanning requires admin rights and a local NTFS drive; network shares and phones scan more slowly.
- Con: No automatic junk detection or scheduled cleaning; every deletion is chosen by hand.

### WizTree

- Pro: Scans large NTFS drives in seconds by reading the Master File Table directly
- Pro: Free for personal use with no time limit
- Pro: Visual treemap plus sortable file list makes large files easy to spot
- Pro: Perpetual one-time license for commercial use instead of a recurring subscription
- Con: Commercial use of any kind requires a paid supporter code, priced by staff count
- Con: Supporter codes only include free upgrades for versions released within one year of purchase
- Con: No Linux version
- Con: Interface is utilitarian, not aimed at less technical users

## Which fits your use case?

| Use case | Pick | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| IT team auditing company file servers | WinDirStat | WinDirStat is free for commercial use, scans network shares, supports Windows Server 2008 R2 through 2025 and writes CSV or JSON reports from the command line. |
| Home user clearing space on a full Windows laptop | Tie | WinDirStat and WizTree are both free for personal use, rate low on learning curve and show a treemap that makes large files obvious. |
| Mac user hunting for large files | WizTree | WizTree runs on macOS, while WinDirStat is Windows-only. |
| Company that wants a paid license with priority support | WizTree | WizTree sells perpetual commercial licenses by staff count, and its Enterprise licenses ($750 single site, $1,800 multi-site) include priority support. |
| Power user reclaiming space from duplicate files without losing them | WinDirStat | WinDirStat finds duplicates by content hash and can replace them with hardlinks or shrink files with NTFS compression. |
| User who needs to recover an accidentally deleted file | WinDirStat | WinDirStat 2.x can recover deleted files on NTFS, exFAT and FAT drives. |

## Migration FAQ

### Should I use WinDirStat or WizTree?

Use WinDirStat if you want a free, open-source analyzer you can also use at work, with extra views, export and cleanup tools; use WizTree if you need a macOS version or prefer its speed-first design and are a personal user or will buy a license.

### Is WinDirStat cheaper than WizTree?

Yes for business use: WinDirStat is free for personal and commercial use, while WizTree needs a one-time commercial license from $100 for up to 5 staff. For home use both are free, though WizTree shows a donate button unless you buy a $25 supporter code.

### Can WizTree replace WinDirStat?

Yes for finding and deleting large files on Windows, since WizTree offers a treemap, a sortable file list and a duplicate finder. WizTree's listing does not include WinDirStat's sunburst and flame-graph views, CSV and JSON export or deleted-file recovery, and commercial users must buy a license.

### Is WizTree really faster than WinDirStat?

WizTree's vendor claims scans up to 46x faster than WinDirStat, but WinDirStat 2.x also reads the NTFS Master File Table directly when run as administrator. On network drives, USB drives and other non-NTFS volumes, neither tool gets that shortcut.

### Is WinDirStat free for commercial use?

Yes — WinDirStat is free for personal and commercial use under the GNU GPL v3 or later, with no paid edition, license key or account.

## Neither a match?

- 5 alternatives to WinDirStat: https://findalternative.to/windirstat
- 5 alternatives to WizTree: https://findalternative.to/wiztree

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