VeraCrypt review

VeraCrypt is the most complete free file encryption tool on this list. Its main trick is a container: a single file that VeraCrypt mounts as a drive letter, so anything you save there is encrypted on the fly and the encrypted file can sit on a laptop, a USB stick or a backup disk. It can also encrypt an entire partition, a USB flash drive or the partition where Windows is installed, with a password prompt before Windows boots. VeraCrypt raised the key derivation work over TrueCrypt, using 500,000 iterations by default for standard containers, and version 1.26.29 added Argon2id for non-system volumes. Hidden volumes and a hidden operating system cover the case where someone forces you to reveal a password. The trade-off is that VeraCrypt thinks in volumes, not single files, so sending one encrypted document to a colleague takes more steps than in AxCrypt or 7-Zip. Updates are frequent: 1.26.30 and 1.26.31 both shipped in the last month.

Who it is for

people who want free encryption for drives and file containers

Price

Free and open source.

VeraCrypt is a free open source disk encryption software for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 14, 2026.

Key features

• Creates a virtual encrypted disk inside a file and mounts it as a real drive
• Encrypts a whole partition or a storage device such as a USB flash drive
• Encrypts the Windows system partition with pre-boot authentication
• Hidden volumes and a hidden operating system for plausible deniability
• Argon2id key derivation for non-system volumes since version 1.26.29

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free on Windows, macOS and Linux with no paid tier
• Strength: Uses 500,000 PBKDF2 iterations by default for standard containers, versus at most 2,000 in TrueCrypt
• Strength: Actively maintained: version 1.26.31 shipped on November 2, 2026
• Weakness: You work with volumes and mount points rather than dragging single files
• Weakness: Hidden volumes and PIM settings need careful reading of the documentation
• Weakness: No cloud sync or file sharing features of its own

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
• Encrypts: File containers, partitions, USB drives, Windows system drive
• Latest release: 1.26.31, November 2, 2026

Where it ranks

VeraCrypt is No. 1 in our Best File Encryption Software verdict.