bottom Review, Pricing & Features

bottom, run as btm, is a free open-source Rust terminal system monitor showing real-time CPU, memory, disk, and network graphs, cross-platform.

Category
DevOps
Pricing
open-source, from Free
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 19, 2026
Founded
2020

What Is bottom

bottom is a free, open-source terminal-based system resource monitor written in Rust, run from the command line using the btm binary. It was created by developer Clement Tsang as a cross-platform, customizable alternative to classic tools like top and htop, drawing direct inspiration from gotop, gtop, and htop.

Unlike many terminal monitoring tools that only support Unix-like systems, bottom runs natively on Linux, macOS, and Windows, making it a rare option for teams or individuals who need one consistent monitoring tool across mixed operating system environments.

The project is published under the MIT license and is available through Rust's cargo package manager as well as through many operating system package managers, and it has grown into one of the more widely adopted Rust-based command-line monitoring tools, with its GitHub repository surpassing 22,000 stars.

Key Features

bottom presents real-time, graphical widgets directly in the terminal for CPU usage per core and in aggregate, RAM and swap memory usage, and network input and output throughput, with support for zooming in and out on historical graph data to spot trends over time.

It also displays disk capacity and usage across mounted volumes, temperature sensor readings, and battery status where supported by the underlying hardware, giving a fuller picture of system health than a basic process list alone.

A searchable and sortable process list, similar in spirit to htop, lets users filter running processes, sort by resource usage, and terminate processes directly from within bottom's terminal interface, all while the tool's layout, colors, and visible widgets remain configurable through a user-editable configuration file.

Pricing

bottom is completely free and open source, released under the MIT license, with no paid tier, subscription, or licensing fee of any kind for individual or commercial use.

Installation is free through multiple channels, including Rust's cargo install bottom command and a wide range of system package managers across Linux, macOS, and Windows.

As a community-maintained open-source project, bottom has no company behind it charging for access; its ongoing development is sustained by its maintainer and open-source contributors rather than commercial licensing revenue.

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Completely free and open source under the MIT license
  • Runs natively on Linux, macOS, and Windows unlike many Unix-only monitors
  • Low memory footprint due to being written in Rust
  • Highly customizable layout, widgets, and color themes

Cons

  • Terminal-only interface with no graphical desktop application
  • Requires familiarity with command-line tools and configuration files for customization
  • Some advanced sensor features depend on hardware and OS support that can vary by system
  • No official commercial support channel since it is a community-maintained project

Frequently Asked Questions

What is bottom (btm)?

bottom is a free, open-source, cross-platform terminal system resource monitor written in Rust, run using the btm command.

Is bottom free to use?

Yes, bottom is fully free and open source under the MIT license with no paid tiers.

What platforms does bottom support?

bottom runs natively on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

How do I install bottom?

bottom can be installed via cargo install bottom or through many operating system package managers.

Who created bottom?

bottom was created and is maintained by developer Clement Tsang.

What is bottom similar to?

bottom is similar to htop, top, gotop, and gtop, offering a graphical terminal interface for system monitoring.

Can I customize bottom's appearance?

Yes, bottom supports configuration files that let users customize layout, colors, and which widgets are displayed.

Does bottom show battery and temperature information?

Yes, bottom can display temperature sensor readings and battery status where supported by the hardware.

Related Tools