File Magic vs HFSExplorer
File Magic
filemagic.comHFSExplorer
catacombae.orgSide by side
| Figure | File Magic | HFSExplorer |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $3.33/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · File Viewer Software | 8.0 (#8) | 7.8 (#13) |
| Support | Technical support is available by email, with tickets answered within one business day, and by phone from 8 AM to 5 PM PST. | The page directs bug reports to GitHub issue tracking and discussions to GitHub discussion forums. |
Plans
In their own words
File Magic
File Magic has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
HFSExplorer
HFSExplorer is a free, read-only desktop program for browsing Mac-formatted hard disks and disk images on Linux, macOS, and Windows. It supports HFS, HFS+, and HFSX file systems. Its graphical browser can show volume information and extract files, and the program can create disk images. It reads most Mac.dmg and.sparsebundle images, including zlib- or bzip2-compressed images and AES-128- or AES-256-encrypted images. Supported partition schemes are Master Boot Record, GUID Partition Table, and Apple Partition Map. The listed price is free, and the software is released under GPL version 3 with no warranties. HFSExplorer requires Java SE Runtime Environment version 5.0 or later; its page says OpenJDK works. Accessing physical disks requires administrator or equivalent privileges. The page also describes a separate minimal text-mode program as unmaintained and limited to HFS+. Bug reports and discussion are directed to GitHub. The listed latest version is 2026.4.9, dated April 9, 2026.