MacDrive vs Paragon: Mac drives on Windows
MacDrive and Paragon are the two established file system drivers that make Mac drives appear in File Explorer, for reading and writing. MacDrive's own page has a "Switch and save from Paragon" offer, so they compete directly. Facts are from OWC's MacDrive page, its release notes, and Paragon's APFS and HFS+ pages, checked October 30, 2026.
| MacDrive 12 | Paragon APFS for Windows | Paragon HFS+ for Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.99 | $24.95 home, $49.95 business | $19.95 home |
| Trial | "fully functional 5-day trial"; 30-day money-back guarantee | Not stated on the product page | Ten days free, then "locked until you activate a purchased license" |
| Formats | HFS+, APFS and encrypted APFS in one product | APFS only | HFS+ only |
| Encrypted APFS | "Full read/write access for encrypted APFS volumes with password authentication" | "Detects volumes encrypted by FileVault"; T2 volumes "aren't supported" | Not applicable |
| Time Machine | "Browse Time Machine backups and restore individual files" | Snapshot volumes "mounted in read-only mode" | "Time Machine volumes are not supported" |
| Stated limits | "MacDrive currently does not support ARM-based systems" | "Supports APFS volumes created in macOS 12 Monterey"; single physical store only | Disable Fast Startup "to avoid possible file system corruption" |
| Windows | Windows 11/10, Windows Server 2025/2022/2019 | Windows 11 (64-bit) back to Windows 7 SP1 | Windows 11 (64-bit) and earlier |
In short
- Both formats, encrypted drives or Time Machine: MacDrive states support for all three in one product.
- One format, lowest price: Paragon's single-format drivers cost less, and the Mac ToolBox bundle ($54.99) includes both.
- Windows on ARM: MacDrive states it does not support ARM; Paragon's system list shows no ARM version.
More detail: MacDrive compared with Diskferry, Paragon compared with Diskferry.
When you need neither
A driver is for working from a Mac drive on Windows over time. If you only need the files off once, a read-only app does that without installing a driver and without any chance of changing the drive. Diskferry reads APFS and HFS+ in one app, is free to browse and preview, and costs $14.99 once to copy, with every copy verified by SHA-256.
Facts about other products were checked on October 30, 2026 on the pages linked above. Products change; check their current pages before buying. Names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to compare.
Questions
Can I install MacDrive and Paragon together?
Neither page we checked addresses running both at once. Both install file system drivers for the same formats; using one at a time is the cautious choice.
Last updated October 30, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell support.
Other comparisons
- MacDrive alternative: Diskferry vs MacDrive 12Read-write driver at $59.99 vs a read-only copy-out app
- Paragon APFS and HFS+ for Windows alternativeTwo read-write drivers ($24.95 and $19.95) vs one read-only app for both formats
- TransMac alternative: Diskferry vs TransMacBoth open Mac drives in their own window; $59.00 with a 15-day trial vs free browsing
- HFSExplorer alternative for APFS: Diskferry vs HFSExplorerFree and open source for HFS+, but no APFS
- UFS Explorer alternative for Mac drives on WindowsA many-file-system read-only tool vs one made for Mac drives
- DiskInternals Linux Reader vs Diskferry for APFSA free multi-format reader; encrypted APFS is preview only unless you buy Pro
- Free ways to read APFS on Windows: 7-Zip and Linux7-Zip, a Linux USB stick with apfs-fuse, and what can go wrong
- GuidesHow to open, unlock and copy from Mac drives on Windows