---
id: comparisons.storage-profile-vs-system-information
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/comparisons/storage-profile-vs-system-information
category: "Comparisons & alternatives"
subcategory: "macOS's own storage tools"
question: "How is the Storage Profile different from macOS's System Information?"
alt_questions:
  - "system information storage vs storage studio"
  - "storage profile what does it show"
  - "about this mac system report storage"
  - "storage overview app mac"
  - "see storage across mac external drive and cloud"
short_answer: "System Information lists your drives and their specs. The Storage Profile shows how you use storage: your recently opened working set, categories, and the split across your Mac, external drive and cloud."
tags: ["storage profile", "system information", "overview"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/comparisons/storage-studio-vs-macos-storage-settings"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# How is the Storage Profile different from macOS's System Information?

**System Information** reports hardware facts: your drives, their capacity, format and connection. The **Storage Profile** is about how *you* use storage:

- a persona for this Mac (for example Developer or Media Keeper) and a suggested next step from Tuhi;
- your real **working set** — the files you've actually opened recently, out of everything stored;
- what's stored by category, and how it splits across this Mac, your external drive and the cloud, with cloud usage read from each provider;
- your free space over time, and Storage Studio's own footprint.

Everything is measured on your Mac from quick system signals, and nothing personal leaves it. Use System Information for "what hardware do I have?" and the Storage Profile for "what am I actually doing with it?" See [Charts](https://storagestudio.us/manual/charts).