The 15 Best Encryption Tools in 2026

Signal

Private, end-to-end encrypted messaging.

Free

Best for: Privacy-conscious individuals

AxCrypt

AES-256 file encryption with secure sharing for individuals and teams

Paid (Subscription)

Best for: Individuals or teams who want simple AES-256 file encryption integrated with existing cloud storage

Cryptomator

Open-source client-side encryption that locks individual files before they sync to any cloud drive.

Freemium

Best for: Anyone who wants to keep using Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive but encrypt files locally first.

OpenSSL

General purpose TLS and crypto library

Free

Best for: Experienced developers and security professionals

BestCrypt Container Encryption

Cross-platform encrypted containers from Jetico for protecting files on disk and in cloud storage.

Contact for Pricing

Best for: Users who sync sensitive files through Dropbox or similar services and want them encrypted before upload.

GnuPG

Free, complete implementation of the OpenPGP standard for encrypting and signing data.

Free

Best for: Technical users who want a free, auditable, open-source OpenPGP implementation for encryption and signing.

VeraCrypt

Free open-source disk encryption with strong security, successor to TrueCrypt.

Free

Best for: Users who want free, auditable, strong disk and file encryption without any subscription.

NordLocker

Zero-knowledge encrypted cloud storage from the makers of NordVPN

Freemium

Best for: Privacy-focused users who want zero-knowledge encrypted cloud storage from an established security company

Virtru

Data-centric encryption and access control for email, files, and SaaS apps.

Contact for Pricing

Best for: Regulated organizations that need to keep control over sensitive data even after it's shared externally.

Cryptee

End-to-end encrypted cloud storage for private notes, documents, and photos

Freemium

Best for: Privacy-focused users who want end-to-end encrypted notes and photo storage with no tracking.

GPG Suite

Mac toolset that brings OpenPGP encryption, key management, and Mail integration to macOS.

Freemium

Best for: Mac users who want native OpenPGP encryption with optional Apple Mail integration.

Folder Lock

Windows file, folder, and drive encryption with cloud backup and file shredding.

Freemium

Best for: Windows users who want simple file/folder encryption with a one-time license instead of a subscription.