HFSExplorer vs ViewAnyFile.app

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.

ViewAnyFile.app is a browser-based viewer and converter for documents, spreadsheets, images, 3D models, CAD files, audio, video, code and databases. Its FAQ lists more than 200 supported formats and more than 40 conversion pairs. The product is described as a progressive web app for phones, tablets and desktops, with browser installation and offline support. Most processing happens in the browser, and client-side conversions have no limits. Legacy DOC, PPT and XLS conversions briefly use a server; server-side document conversions have a 25 MB limit. Client-side files are discarded when the tab closes, while server-processed files are purged within 60 seconds. The FAQ lists Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Brave and Opera, and recommends Chrome or Edge for formats that rely heavily on WebAssembly. The free core includes viewing, batch processing and client-side conversion without signup. A Pro plan is described as available soon at $9.99 a month. The service is not a certified HIPAA Business Associate.