Nexus vs FanControl: Fan Curves Compared
Published 2026-10-15, last verified 2026-10-22
FanControl is a free Windows app built for one job: fan curves, with a deep set of tuning controls. Nexus is one free app for cooling, lighting, monitoring and device screens on Windows, macOS and Linux.
First, a thank you: FanControl is a great app, and Rémi Mercier built it and keeps it free. We love the community of people who build PC tools, and FanControl is one of the most commonly used of those tools. If you enjoy using it, get it from getfancontrol.com and consider a donation to Rémi.
At a glance
| Nexus | FanControl | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free, supported by donations |
| Curve types | Fixed, Linear, Multi Point, Mix, Trigger, Sync, Auto | Flat, Linear, Graph, Mix, Trigger, Sync, Auto |
| Fan tuning | Response time per curve, Calibrate, CPU thermal guard, presets | Hysteresis, step limits, start, stop and minimum speed, RPM mode, calibration |
| USB coolers and hubs | Built in: HYTE, Lian Li, Corsair iCUE LINK, NZXT Kraken, Tryx and more | Through community plugins |
| Beyond fans | Lighting, device screens, monitoring history, phone remote | Fans only |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows 10 and 11 |
| Source | AGPL-3.0, build your own | Closed source. Free for personal, non-commercial use |
Curves
Both apps have the same seven kinds of curve. A Multi Point (Graph) curve maps one temperature to a fan speed, Mix combines curves with max, min, average, sum or subtract, Trigger holds an idle and a load speed, Sync follows another fan, and Auto looks for the lowest speed that holds a target temperature.
Both update the fans once per second: FanControl by default, Nexus always. In Nexus each curve has a response time that limits how fast the speed can change. If FanControl is installed, Nexus offers on first launch to import its curves and the fans they drive.
Performance
We measured Nexus 3.1.5 and FanControl V284 on one PC. Both drove the same four motherboard fan headers from the CPU temperature with the same curve, and Nexus ran for cooling only, with its other features switched off in its settings.
FanControl is lighter while it runs, with less CPU, memory and power use. With the window closed the difference is small: FanControl used 0.06% of the whole CPU and 70 MB of memory, Nexus 0.09% and 96 MB, and neither raised CPU power measurably above an idle PC. With the window open, FanControl used 0.14% of the CPU, 88 MB and 24.4 W, against 0.68%, 269 MB and 26.5 W for the Nexus dashboard. Nexus starts faster: ready in 1.4 s against 2.8 s, or 2.2 s against 3.7 s with a cold file cache.
Size depends on what you count. FanControl's own files are smaller: its installer is 21 MB and installs 61 MB, against 46 MB and 184 MB for Nexus. Its .NET 10 build needs the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime, which Windows does not include. Counting that runtime, FanControl is an 81 MB download and 242 MB installed. Nexus needs no separate runtime and uses the WebView2 runtime that ships with Windows 11. FanControl also offers a 14 MB installer for the .NET Framework 4.8 that ships with Windows.
Where FanControl goes further
FanControl has more knobs per fan and per curve:
- Hysteresis on every curve, set separately for rising and falling temperatures. In Nexus, only the Auto curve has hysteresis.
- Step up and step down limits, start, stop and minimum speed for each fan.
- RPM mode: a calibrated fan can follow a target RPM instead of a percentage.
- Custom sensors (time average, mix, file, offset) and a plugin system that adds sensors and devices, such as HWiNFO data, Corsair Commander controllers and Thermaltake hubs.
- Temperature icons in the tray, themes, and a second build for .NET Framework 4.8.
Where Nexus goes further
Safety. The CPU thermal guard is on by default. Near the CPU's limit it raises fan speeds whatever your curves say. Calibrate measures each fan's real speed range.
Coolers and hubs built in. HYTE, Lian Li (including wireless fans), Corsair iCUE LINK, NZXT Kraken, Tryx and Asiahorse coolers work without plugins, alongside motherboard and GPU fans, including AMD GPU fans.
More than fans. The same app covers lighting, AIO and fan screens, monitoring history, diagnostics and a phone remote. If you only want fan curves, every one of those can be switched off, which is how we measured it above.
Platforms. Nexus runs on Windows, macOS on Apple Silicon and Linux. On Linux it controls fans through the kernel's hardware monitoring and liquidctl. On a Mac it shows the built-in fans, leaves their speed to macOS, and controls supported USB coolers and hubs. FanControl supports Windows 10 and 11, and its FAQ says laptops mostly do not work.
Source. Nexus is open source under AGPL-3.0, so anyone can build their own copy. FanControl is closed source, and its license allows personal, non-commercial use.