Alternatives to OpenZFS
An open-source filesystem and volume manager with built-in native encryption for datasets. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
OpenZFS
An open-source filesystem and volume manager with built-in native encryption for datasets.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as OpenZFS.
cryptsetup and LUKS
The standard Linux full-disk encryption layer.
cryptsetup and LUKS is the standard Linux full-disk encryption layer with multiple key slots, but it encrypts block devices and leaves filesystem and volume management to other tools.
fscrypt
A command-line tool, written in Go, for managing native Linux filesystem encryption on ext4 and F2FS.
fscrypt encrypts individual directories on existing ext4 or F2FS filesystems using kernel encryption, without the storage pool and volume management OpenZFS provides.
VeraCrypt
Disk encryption that creates encrypted containers, encrypts whole partitions, and can encrypt the drive Windows boots from.
VeraCrypt adds Windows and macOS support with encrypted containers and full partitions, but it offers no pooled storage or dataset management.
Tomb
A minimalist Linux command-line tool that creates and manages encrypted LUKS volumes called tombs.
Tomb creates scriptable LUKS-based encrypted containers on Linux with separate key files, a narrower tool than a full filesystem and volume manager.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Tahoe-LAFS
A decentralized storage system that spreads encrypted files across multiple servers you control.
Plakar
An open-source encrypted, deduplicating backup tool with snapshots and a web interface for browsing restores.
Shufflecake
A Linux tool for creating multiple hidden encrypted volumes that offer plausible deniability.
zuluCrypt
A Linux GUI and command-line tool for creating, opening and managing encrypted volumes and files.
gocryptfs
An encrypted overlay filesystem for Linux that encrypts each file individually, so cloud sync and backups only move what changed.
