Activity Monitor has a decent set of features, but finding process information can be slow, and some details are simply not available.

ProcessSpy is a free app that provides additional data while also simplifying things to a certain extent. Most importantly, it displays full command-line arguments for all processes, and it makes it much easier to filter them.

Probably the app’s most important feature is its ability to show all the command-line arguments used by each process. This is invaluable for understanding exactly how a certain program or service is configured to run.

Of course, you also get all the other info you’d expect: process path, open files, open connections, and other essential details. The app’s layout makes everything available in the main window, which is an improvement over the built-in Activity Monitor.

The simple search function works as you’d expect, looking for keywords in process names or commands. However, you can also create permanent color highlights based on a search string, which greatly helps with identifying processes.

But what if you see something on your desktop but can’t find the owner process? Well, the blue button to the left of the search bar enables you to target windows on your desktop in order to quickly identify their process in the list.

The context menu lets you copy process paths and commands, as well as run an online search. I like that the search engine can be customized, along with the search query format.

A particularly useful feature allows you to automate certain actions by running a selected macOS Shortcut when a process starts or ends. Given how versatile Shortcuts is, there are numerous use cases for something like this.

There’s really nothing bad to be said about ProcessSpy. It works as advertised, providing a wealth of process information in an intuitive interface, with simple controls. It’s also free, so it’s a great option if you’re not happy with what Activity Monitor offers.