Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

AES Crypt VS VeraCrypt

Compare AES Crypt VS VeraCrypt and see what are their differences

AES Crypt logo AES Crypt

AES Crypt is an advanced file encryption utility that integrates with the Windows shell or runs from the Linux command prompt to provide a simple, yet powerful, tool for encrypting files using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

VeraCrypt logo VeraCrypt

VeraCrypt is a free open source disk encryption software for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux.
  • AES Crypt Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-27
  • VeraCrypt Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29

AES Crypt features and specs

  • Strong Encryption
    AES Crypt uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which is known for its high level of security and efficiency.
  • Cross-Platform
    AES Crypt is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, making it versatile and accessible across different operating systems.
  • Open Source
    The software is open source, allowing users to review the code for security vulnerabilities and ensure transparency.
  • Ease of Use
    AES Crypt offers a simple, user-friendly interface, making it accessible even to those who are not technically inclined.
  • No Cost
    AES Crypt is free to download and use, making it an economical choice for secure file encryption.

Possible disadvantages of AES Crypt

  • Limited Features
    AES Crypt focuses primarily on file encryption and lacks additional features such as folder encryption, password management, or cloud integration.
  • Manual Key Management
    Users have to manually handle encryption keys, which could be inconvenient and potentially less secure if not managed properly.
  • No Native Mobile Support
    While an Android version exists, there is no native iOS application, limiting usability for iPhone and iPad users.
  • No Integrated Key Recovery
    There is no built-in key recovery or backup feature, so if a user loses their key, their encrypted data may be irretrievable.
  • Potential for User Error
    Given that the process involves manual steps such as key management, there is a risk of user error, which could compromise security.

VeraCrypt features and specs

  • Open Source
    VeraCrypt is open source, meaning its source code is publicly available. This allows for transparency, community review, and auditing by security experts.
  • Strong Encryption
    VeraCrypt supports a variety of strong encryption algorithms such as AES, Serpent, and Twofish, providing robust protection for your data.
  • Cross-Platform
    VeraCrypt is available for multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring compatibility across different desktop environments.
  • Hidden Volumes
    VeraCrypt allows the creation of hidden volumes within an encrypted container, providing an additional layer of plausible deniability.
  • No Backdoors
    As an open-source project, VeraCrypt has no hidden backdoors, ensuring that no unauthorized parties can access your encrypted data.

Possible disadvantages of VeraCrypt

  • Performance Overhead
    Encrypting and decrypting data on-the-fly can introduce performance overhead, potentially slowing down system performance, especially on less powerful hardware.
  • Complexity
    VeraCrypt's advanced features and settings can be overwhelming for novice users, requiring a certain level of technical knowledge to use effectively.
  • Lack of Cloud Integration
    VeraCrypt does not offer built-in cloud storage integration, making it less convenient for users who rely on cloud services for data storage.
  • Limited Support
    Being an open-source project, VeraCrypt's support is limited to community forums and documentation, lacking the professional support options available with commercial encryption solutions.
  • No Mobile App
    VeraCrypt does not have a dedicated mobile application, limiting its usability to desktop and laptop environments.

AES Crypt videos

Using AES Crypt

More videos:

  • Review - AES Crypt file encryption for Windows, MAC, Android
  • Tutorial - how to encrypt a file with AES crypt

VeraCrypt videos

The Complete VeraCrypt Encryption Tutorial

More videos:

  • Review - Veracrypt Get Started Guide: Encryption Made Easy
  • Review - FLOSS Weekly 340: VeraCrypt

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AES Crypt and VeraCrypt)
Security & Privacy
30 30%
70% 70
File Encryption
39 39%
61% 61
Encryption
28 28%
72% 72
Security Tools
22 22%
78% 78

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare AES Crypt and VeraCrypt

AES Crypt Reviews

5 Best TrueCrypt Alternatives - Open source encryption apps
AES Crypt is a free open source (FOSS) cross-platform per-file encryption app which secures files using the AES-256 cipher. As a per-file encryption app, it allows you to manual encrypt individual files. Batch file encryption is not supported, although this limitation can be overcome somewhat by creating zip files out of folders, and then encrypting the zip file with AES Crypt.
Source: proprivacy.com

VeraCrypt Reviews

6 TrueCrypt Alternatives for Reliable Data Encryption
VeraCrypt owners built the tool from an earlier TrueCrypt fork, but more recent releases broke with the TrueCrypt volume format, which means the encryption software cannot open existing TrueCrypt encrypted files. Built with the same features and interface as TrueCrypt—which significantly reduces onboarding time—the software was improved with increased iterations per...
Best encryption software of 2020 : Free, paid and business tools and services
Best encryption software tools(Image credit: Folder Lock)1. Folder LockVISIT WEBSITEFree to download basic versionEffective personal encryptionMainly mobile oriented(Image credit: AxCrypt)2. AxCryptVISIT WEBSITEStrong encryption for personal useFree version availableMainly mobile-oriented(Image credit: CryptoExpert)3. CryptoExpertVISIT WEBSITEUses multiple encryption...
Best Disk Encryption Software – the 5 top tools to secure your data
VeraCrypt is a fork of TrueCrypt and is widely considered its successor. It performs all of the same functions as TrueCrypt and then some. VeraCrypt adds security to the algorithms used for system and partitions encryption. These improvements make it immune to new developments in brute-force attacks, according to developers. You can find a full list of improvements and...
5 Best TrueCrypt Alternatives - Open source encryption apps
A notable feature of VeraCrypt is that any file, for example, an innocent-looking photo file, can be used as the container for a VeraCrypt volume. Even more notable is its hidden volume feature which provides plausible deniability. It does this by hiding an encrypted volume inside another VeraCrypt volume in such a way that, if the correct precautions are taken, it is...
Source: proprivacy.com

What are some alternatives?

When comparing AES Crypt and VeraCrypt, you can also consider the following products

Axcrypt - AxCrypt - Password Protect Files With Strong Encryption. AxCrypt is the leading open source file encryption software for Windows.

Cryptomator - When it comes to saving your files on a cloud server, it is important to ensure the security of those files. Keeping your delicate files out of the wrong hands can save you a lot of time and hassle. Read more about Cryptomator.

Windows BitLocker - This topic provides a high-level overview of BitLocker, including a list of system requirements, practical applications, and deprecated features.

Microsoft BitLocker - BitLocker is a full disk encryption feature included with Windows Vista and later.

File Lock PEA - Password-encryption of files and directories. File PEA encrypts files and folders with authenticated encryption to protect confidentiality and integrity. The program uses memory-hard key derivation functions to prevent custom hardware attacks.

GnuPG - GnuPG is a complete and free implementation of the OpenPGP standard as defined by RFC4880 (also known as PGP).