Alternate File Shredder vs east-tec DisposeSecure

Alternate File Shredder is a free Windows program for permanently deleting files and folders. It can also overwrite a drive’s free space to reduce the chance of recovering files that were previously deleted. For overwrite patterns, users can choose a specific value, random values, or file content. It does not wipe entire drives or schedule shredding tasks. The maker describes the program as freeware and open source. Its listed systems are Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10, 11, and Server;.NET Framework 2.0 is required, and the page says it has been included with Windows since Vista. The maker lists 20 languages, including English, German, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Japanese. The listed version is 3.100, dated 13.02.2026, and the freeware plan costs nothing. The maker warns that users run the program at their own risk and should take care when selecting files to delete. A contact form is available for messages.

east-tec DisposeSecure erases hard drives, selected partitions and connected external drives before computers are resold, donated or retired. The maker says its wiping methods meet and exceed the U.S. Department of Defense 5220.22-M disk-sanitizing standard, as well as other military, government and industrial standards. It can start from USB, CD, DVD, floppy or a local network, so erasure can run independently of the computer’s operating system. A Windows module handles detected non-system drives and partitions, including USB drives, memory cards and optical media. Over a local network, it can wipe multiple computers and send reports to a server; reports can also be saved locally for auditing or recordkeeping. The DisposeSecure Plan covers up to 10 PCs and includes one year of free updates and support. A fully functional 15-day trial is offered at no cost or obligation. Listed plan prices are $29.50 a month and $29.50 a year. For bootable disk use, the download page lists support for hard drives up to 1 TB.