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FileVault vs VeraCrypt: catalog facts
FileVault	VeraCrypt
Free Included with macOS at no extra cost.	Free Free and open source, funded by donations.
macOS	Windows, macOS, Linux
Built into macOS with nothing to install Protects the whole startup disk	Encrypted container files that mount like an ordinary drive Full partition and full system encryption, with pre-boot authentication on Windows
Mac only Covers the startup disk rather than individual files for sharing	Mounting a volume needs administrator rights and a driver on every platform Forget the password or lose the header backup and the data is gone
Operating system	Downloadable app
Closed source	Open source
License not stated	License: Apache-2.0 and TrueCrypt-3.0
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.