Alternatives to Tomb
A minimalist Linux command-line tool that creates and manages encrypted LUKS volumes called tombs. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Tomb
A minimalist Linux command-line tool that creates and manages encrypted LUKS volumes called tombs.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Tomb.
cryptsetup and LUKS
The standard Linux full-disk encryption layer.
cryptsetup is the underlying Linux LUKS layer that Tomb builds on, offering multiple key slots and full-disk use but longer, less memorable commands.
VeraCrypt
Disk encryption that creates encrypted containers, encrypts whole partitions, and can encrypt the drive Windows boots from.
VeraCrypt creates encrypted containers on Windows, macOS and Linux with a graphical interface and hidden volumes, but mounting needs administrator rights and a driver.
zuluCrypt
A Linux GUI and command-line tool for creating, opening and managing encrypted volumes and files.
zuluCrypt manages LUKS and other volume formats on Linux through both a GUI and command line, but lacks Tomb's separate key file workflow.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Tomb as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
BestCrypt
Commercial encryption software from Jetico for protecting hard drives, files and folders.
Tomb is free and open source, creating LUKS volumes with separate key files through short commands, but it is Linux only with no graphical interface.
fscrypt
A command-line tool, written in Go, for managing native Linux filesystem encryption on ext4 and F2FS.
Tomb creates LUKS-based encrypted container volumes with separate key files instead of encrypting existing directories, and remains Linux and command line only.
OpenZFS
An open-source filesystem and volume manager with built-in native encryption for datasets.
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.
Shufflecake
A Linux tool for creating multiple hidden encrypted volumes that offer plausible deniability.
gocryptfs
An encrypted overlay filesystem for Linux that encrypts each file individually, so cloud sync and backups only move what changed.
