Side by side
Active@ KillDisk vs nwipe
Both stand on data destruction software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
KillDisk offers multiple erase methods and reporting features, but several controls are reserved for paid editions. Personal Professional is listed at $64.95, paid once, with other license prices varying by edition and scope.
Visit Active@ KillDisk Free plan LinuxSelf-hosted
nwipe provides several erasure methods and interfaces for Linux, with parallel wiping and certificate output. Note that hardware sanitize cannot be included in automated multi-drive commands, and legacy ATA Secure Erase is not supported.
Visit nwipeThe facts
| Active@ KillDisk | nwipe | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Personal Professional: $64.95, paid once | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 22 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | killdisk.com | github.com |
| On data destruction software | #2 of 19 | #6 of 19 |
Active@ KillDisk: what it does well
- Supports Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- Lists more than 25 sanitization standards.
- Paid editions include verification and erase certificates.
- Some editions include SSD Secure Erase.
What to know first
- Freeware uses only One Pass Zeros.
- Freeware lacks erase verification and batch scripting.
- Freeware allows two parallel erases.
nwipe: what it does well
- Erases one drive or multiple disks in parallel
- Offers command-line and ncurses interfaces
- Includes verification passes and multiple erase methods
- Can produce a three-page PDF certificate
What to know first
- Requires hdparm at runtime
- Hardware sanitize is GUI-only and cannot be batched
- Legacy ATA Secure Erase is unsupported
Alternatives to Active@ KillDisk Alternatives to nwipe The whole list