What is VeraCrypt used for?

VeraCrypt is open-source disk encryption software derived from TrueCrypt 7.1a, adding security improvements for encrypted volumes and partitions. It is a good fit for encrypting external drives and USB sticks, and protecting sensitive files in encrypted containers.

Is VeraCrypt open source?

Yes. VeraCrypt is open source under a custom licence. Its source code is on GitHub at veracrypt/VeraCrypt and is written mainly in C.

Yes. VeraCrypt is open source, so the software itself is free to use under the terms of its own licence.

Can I self-host VeraCrypt?

Yes. VeraCrypt can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What are some alternatives to VeraCrypt?

Similar open-source tools in the Security category include Cryptomator, Password Pusher and Onetime Secret. SaaS products in the same category include Aura, DeleteMe and Incogni.

Is VeraCrypt actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to VeraCrypt was on 30 September 2026. The project has 12k stars on GitHub.

VeraCrypt: open-source security

About VeraCrypt

VeraCrypt is disk encryption software based on the original TrueCrypt 7.1a, extended with security enhancements and other modifications. It is used to protect data on drives and in encrypted containers so that files remain unreadable without the correct credentials.

The repository holds the source code, with build instructions for Windows, Linux and macOS, and FreeBSD and OpenBSD. On Windows the driver must be digitally signed, so official binaries are signed with the certificate of IDRIX, the developer, which is why self-built binaries differ slightly in size. Documentation covers building, contributing and legal information for third-party developers.

The source may be used only under the terms of the License.txt file in the archive, which includes a rule that derived works must not be called TrueCrypt or VeraCrypt. The project is written mainly in C and has its own website and download pages. It is free to use, but the custom licensing means it is not a standard SPDX-listed open-source license.

Key features

Disk and volume encryption
Based on TrueCrypt 7.1a with security fixes
Builds for Windows, Linux, macOS and BSD
Digitally signed Windows drivers
Documentation for building from source

Good fit for

→Encrypting external drives and USB sticks
→Protecting sensitive files in encrypted containers

Built with: C
Tags: encryption; disk-encryption; security; truecrypt; privacy; cross-platform; volumes

VeraCrypt: questions and answers

What is VeraCrypt used for?: VeraCrypt is open-source disk encryption software derived from TrueCrypt 7.1a, adding security improvements for encrypted volumes and partitions. It is a good fit for encrypting external drives and USB sticks, and protecting sensitive files in encrypted containers.
Is VeraCrypt open source?: Yes. VeraCrypt is open source under a custom licence. Its source code is on GitHub at veracrypt/VeraCrypt and is written mainly in C.
Is VeraCrypt free?: Yes. VeraCrypt is open source, so the software itself is free to use under the terms of its own licence.
Can I self-host VeraCrypt?: Yes. VeraCrypt can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What are some alternatives to VeraCrypt?: Similar open-source tools in the Security category include Cryptomator, Password Pusher and Onetime Secret. SaaS products in the same category include Aura, DeleteMe and Incogni.
Is VeraCrypt actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to VeraCrypt was on 30 September 2026. The project has 12k stars on GitHub.