VeraCrypt is the successor to TrueCrypt and remains the reference tool for full-disk and container encryption. It can turn a single file into a mounted encrypted drive, encrypt a whole partition, or protect a system drive with pre-boot authentication and it supports hidden volumes for plausible deniability. The code is open source and was independently audited by QuarksLab (via OSTIF) in 2016, with the findings fixed in the following release; development continues and version 1.26.27 added Argon2id hashing in 2025. It is powerful rather than gentle: the many options reward care and can punish mistakes so read the docs before you encrypt anything important. Choose it when you want serious, battle-tested encryption for the data that lives on your own machine.
VeraCrypt
Full-disk and container encryption for your own machine.
veracrypt.fr
FreeOpen SourceE2E EncryptedAccepts CryptoWindowsmacOSLinuxFrance
Pricing Free and open source; the project accepts donations, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Strengths
- Full-disk, partition and container encryption
- Independently audited (QuarksLab/OSTIF)
- Hidden volumes for plausible deniability
- Actively maintained and cross-platform
Considerations
- Steep learning curve; easy to misconfigure
- No mobile apps
- Not built for cloud sync
Listed in File Encryption
