DiskWave

Free plan Mac

What DiskWave is

DiskWave is a free Mac OS X utility that identifies which files and folders use the most disk space. It scans hard drives and external drives, calculates folder and subfolder sizes, and keeps results in memory for faster navigation. You can use the results to locate directories to delete and enable invisible-file display through a preference. The current version requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later and a 64-bit Intel CPU; the maker says it fully supports Mac OS X 10.10 Mavericks. DiskWave may be used and redistributed free of charge when unmodified. The maker describes it as usable but still under development, with some features missing. Time Machine scans may be slow and may report inaccurate top-level sizes because identical hard-linked folders can be counted repeatedly. With consent, an anonymous system report sends macOS and app versions, Mac model, CPU details, installed RAM, and preferred language. The latest listed release is version 0.4.0 from August 10, 2012.

Who it suits

DiskWave suits Mac users who want to inspect storage usage across files, folders, or external drives. It is also relevant to users comfortable with software still under development.

What it does well

Free to use and redistribute when unmodified
Scans files, folders, and external drives
Results stay in memory for navigation
Can display invisible files
Identifies directories for possible deletion

What to know first

Requires Mac OS X 10.6+ and 64-bit Intel
Time Machine totals may be inaccurate
Still under development with missing features
Support is not guaranteed

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Free	Mac OS X 10.6+ · 64-bit Intel CPU	Free

As diskwave.barthe.ph lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Verdict

DiskWave provides a free way to map storage usage on compatible Intel Macs. Its unfinished status and Time Machine counting limitation matter when interpreting scan results.

Facts from DiskWave's own pages

Anonymous system report: If the user consents, DiskWave transmits the macOS version, app version, Mac model, CPU details, installed RAM, and preferred language; the maker says the report is anonymous and cannot identify a user or machine. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
Cleanup actions: The maker says users can identify and delete useless directories. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
Development status: The maker describes DiskWave as under development, with some features still missing, while saying it is already usable. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
Distribution: The maker says DiskWave is not expected to be available on the App Store, partly because planned elevated-privilege disk scanning would not meet its restrictions. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
External drive scans: Yes · diskwave.barthe.ph, 22 Sept 2026
Free plan: Yes · diskwave.barthe.ph, 22 Sept 2026
How it works: It scans a hard drive to compute folder and subfolder sizes, then stores the results in memory for faster navigation. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
Invisible files: Users can enable display of invisible files through the Show invisible files preference. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
Latest listed release: The changelog lists version 0.4.0, released August 10, 2012. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
License: The software is free to use and redistribute as long as it is not modified. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
Desktop platforms: macos · diskwave.barthe.ph, 22 Sept 2026
Purpose: DiskWave is a free disk usage utility for Mac OS X that helps identify which files and folders use the most disk space. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
Requirements: The current version requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later and a 64-bit Intel CPU; the maker says it fully supports Mac OS X 10.10 Mavericks. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
Scan scope: files_folders · diskwave.barthe.ph, 22 Sept 2026
Support: The maker says support is not guaranteed and invites email feedback, advising users to allow a few days for a response. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026
Time Machine limitation: DiskWave can scan Time Machine drives, but it may count identical hard-linked folders multiple times, making scans slow and reported top-level sizes inaccurate. · diskwave.barthe.ph, 12 Oct 2026

Where DiskWave stands on Freedom251

Disk Space Analyzers#76 of 105