CDEmu vs ExpanDrive

CDEmu emulates optical drives and discs on Linux, including CD-ROM and DVD-ROM media. Its kernel module provides a virtual SCSI host adapter that connects the Linux kernel with a userspace daemon, while libMirage gives access to many optical image formats, including MDS, CUE, BIN, ISO, NRG, UDF, DMG, CSO, GZ, DAA, and ISZ. Emulated media can be mounted in Linux, with automounting available. The project also describes experimental CD-R and DVD+R recording emulation, allowing blank virtual discs to be written with disc-burning software. Users can load and unload devices, check device status, and manage debug masks through command-line or GTK clients. The daemon exposes methods over D-BUS and can register on the session or system bus. System-bus use needs special permissions; session-bus use requires read and write access to the VHBA control device. CDEmu is free under the GNU GPL version 2 or later. The project lists official source tarballs and Linux distribution packages; third-party packages are not verified or formally supported.

ExpanDrive mounts cloud storage and protocol endpoints as desktop drives, letting you access files through Finder, Explorer, and other applications. Files stream on demand rather than syncing folders, with local caching and an option to pin files for offline access. Listed connections include Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, Nextcloud, FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, and others. It runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Server Edition can operate as a headless service on Windows Server and Linux, expose mounted storage as a Windows SMB share, and includes a command line for managing mounts and connections. ExpanDrive says connections use TLS and credentials are kept in the local operating system credential store. Plain FTP sends credentials and file contents in the clear; FTPS or SFTP is recommended for sensitive connections. The Free plan is free, billed forever. Business is $29 a month, billed monthly; Enterprise pricing is custom.