Compare software

hexyl vs fq: catalog facts
hexyl	fq
Screenshots	Screenshots
Best for: Inspect file bytes in a color-coded terminal hex view	Best for: Queries binary file formats with jq syntax and a structural hex viewer
Free The open-source application is available without a license fee.	Free The software is free under its open-source licence. Hosting, hardware and external services are separate.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Color separates different byte categories	It decodes nested formats and shows the byte ranges behind each field, so you can navigate a binary the way jq navigates JSON.
It is a viewer rather than a binary editor.	It assumes jq knowledge, and the decoder coverage is good but not exhaustive for unusual formats.
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: MIT
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for hexyl github.com/sharkdp/hexyl Catalog checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for fq github.com/wader/fq Catalog checked September 22, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.

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