Beszel vs Glances
Glances is a terminal-based monitoring tool with deep system metrics. Beszel is a web-based dashboard for multi-server and Docker monitoring. Different approaches for different workflows.
Beszel vs Glances: The Verdict
Beszel is a web-based multi-server monitoring tool with Docker container metrics and historical data. Glances is a terminal-based system monitoring tool with deeper per-process metrics and plugin extensibility. Choose Beszel for multi-server monitoring with a web dashboard. Choose Glances for deep single-server diagnostics from the terminal.
Last updated: 2026-04-07Quick Comparison
| Feature | Glances | Beszel |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Terminal (curses) + optional web UI | Web dashboard |
| Starting Price | Free (open source) | $3/mo (hosted on InstaPods) |
| Multi-Server | Client/server mode (limited) | Built-in multi-server dashboard |
| Docker Monitoring | Container list with basic stats | Per-container CPU, memory, network |
| Process Monitoring | Yes (detailed per-process stats) | No (server-level only) |
| Historical Data | Requires InfluxDB/Prometheus export | Built-in (days/weeks/months) |
| Alerting | Basic threshold alerts | Threshold alerts with notifications |
| RAM Usage | ~50-100MB | <10MB per agent |
| Sensor Data | Yes (temperature, fan speed, voltage) | Temperature and GPU |
| Source Code | LGPL v3 | MIT license |
Where Glances Gets Expensive
Trade-offs to weigh before committing.
Terminal-First Design
Glances is built for the terminal. The web UI exists but is basic. You can't share a monitoring dashboard with non-technical team members or check server status from your phone.
No Built-In Historical Data
Glances shows real-time metrics only. To store and view historical data, you need to set up export to InfluxDB, Prometheus, or another time-series database.
Limited Multi-Server Support
Glances has a client/server mode, but there's no unified multi-server dashboard. You connect to one server at a time. Beszel shows all servers in a single view.
Higher Resource Usage
Glances uses 50-100MB RAM compared to Beszel's <10MB per agent. On resource-constrained systems, this difference matters.
Why Self-Host with Beszel?
What you get when you pick this stack.
Web Dashboard for All Servers
See all your servers in one web dashboard. Share access with team members. Check from any device with a browser.
Built-In Historical Data
Beszel stores metrics automatically. View trends over days, weeks, and months without setting up a separate time-series database.
Docker-Native Monitoring
Dedicated per-container CPU, memory, and network tracking. More detailed Docker metrics than Glances provides.
Ultra-Lightweight
<10MB RAM per agent. Beszel's Go binary is significantly lighter than Glances's Python runtime.
Real Cost Comparison
Monitoring 3 servers with Docker containers, accessible from a browser.
- Glances: free on each server
- Web UI: basic, one server at a time
- Historical data: needs InfluxDB ($0 self-hosted, RAM cost)
- Multi-server view: not available
- InstaPods Launch plan: $3/mo (Beszel hub)
- Beszel agents: free on all 3 servers
- Web dashboard with all servers
- Historical data built-in
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glances better than Beszel?
Different tools for different needs. Glances excels at deep single-server diagnostics from the terminal (per-process stats, sensors, disk I/O details). Beszel excels at multi-server monitoring with a web dashboard and Docker container metrics. Many self-hosters use Glances for ad-hoc debugging and Beszel for ongoing monitoring.
Does Glances have a web interface?
Yes, Glances has an optional web UI mode (glances -w). However, it's a basic rendering of the terminal interface in a browser. It doesn't have the polish, multi-server views, or historical charts that Beszel's web dashboard provides.
Can I use Glances and Beszel together?
Yes, and it's a solid combination. Use Beszel for always-on multi-server monitoring with historical data and alerts. Use Glances when you need to SSH into a specific server and diagnose per-process issues.
What is the lightest server monitoring tool?
Beszel is one of the lightest, using <10MB RAM per agent. Glances uses 50-100MB. Netdata uses 200-500MB. For resource-constrained environments like Raspberry Pis or cheap VPS instances, Beszel has the smallest footprint.
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