Comparison · Oct 2026
DiskWise vs DaisyDisk
We lose on the map. The disagreement is deletion: by design it bypasses the Trash, and the Trash is the only path we have.
DaisyDisk's ring is the benchmark for looking at a disk, and it's nicer for that. DiskWise is free and open source and answers the next question — "can I delete this row, and what does it cost" — with a deletion model that cannot permanently delete.
Is there a free alternative to DaisyDisk?
DiskWise is free and open source (Apache-2.0), has its own ring overview, and adds cache semantics plus a cleanup flow on top. The decisive difference is documented by DaisyDisk itself: its guide states it does not move files to the system Trash "because in that case, no disk space would actually be recovered", so removals can't be undone. DiskWise's only deletion path is the Trash, undoable until you empty it — and the cost is that space returns only when you do.
Side by side
| DiskWise | DaisyDisk | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, every feature unlocked | $9.99 one-time (not a subscription) |
| Deletion model | The only exit is a move to the Trash; every row undoable for the session; emptying is your call | Its guide: files are not moved to the system Trash, they are removed from disk, so undelete isn't possible |
| Why they chose it | A cleaner that misjudges shouldn't be irreversible, so the last step stays with the human | Their stated reason: a file parked in Trash on the same volume frees nothing |
| When space is actually freed | After you empty the Trash | The instant you delete |
| Does it answer "safe to delete?" | 65 shipped knowledge entries: what it is, what it costs, how it grows back | Shows size and hierarchy; you judge what's safe |
| Visualisation | Ring overview plus ledger-style in-place drill-down | Years of polish; preview, grouping and filtering are smoother |
| How bytes are counted | Real on-disk usage (st_blocks × 512), so sparse files and APFS clones can't overstate what you'd reclaim | File-size view |
| Source | Apache-2.0, fully open; the App Store build declares no network entitlement | Closed source |
October 2026 · DaisyDisk official guide · Deleting files ↗DaisyDisk official guide · Undeleting files ↗
Where they part ways
A cleaner that structurally can't delete
There is no permanent-delete call in DiskWise's code. DaisyDisk's own guide says removals skip the system Trash, so a mistake leaves data recovery as the only exit.
From "see it" to "dare to act"
Knowing a folder is 28 GB and knowing whether those 28 GB are safe to remove — and how long they take to grow back — are different questions. DiskWise ships the second answer as data.
The numbers reconcile
Measured on-disk usage rather than apparent size, so APFS clones and sparse files don't report space you can't actually reclaim. Segments sum to the whole disk.
Free and auditable
Open source, SHA-256 per release, no network permission in the store build. You don't need to believe any of this.
Where DaisyDisk genuinely is stronger
The map is better
Ring, preview, grouping and filtering have had years of polish. If all you want is to see a disk, DaisyDisk is the more comfortable tool.
Deletions take effect at once
It skips the Trash, so space comes back immediately. DiskWise routes through the Trash, so you do one more step — and genuinely get to change your mind. That's a trade, not an oversight.
One-time purchase
$9.99 for life, not a subscription. For commercial software that's fair; DiskWise is just $0.
Use both, or move over
DaisyDisk is a one-time purchase, so there's no "paying for a subscription I'm not using" problem. Running both is reasonable.
- 1Side by side: DaisyDisk to look, DiskWise to act. Neither takes over the system.
- 2Anything already removed with DaisyDisk is gone. For the next sweep, run it through DiskWise's Trash first and empty it once you're satisfied.
- 3DiskWise's ring is segmented by bytes measured in this scan, summing to the whole disk — you can reconcile it against DaisyDisk's reading.
- 4Duplicates, uninstall leftovers, node_modules / DerivedData / Docker: the parts DaisyDisk doesn't judge for safety are the rows DiskWise carries semantics for.
Questions
Does DaisyDisk permanently delete?
Yes, by design. Its guide states it doesn't move files to the system Trash because that would free no space, and that removed items cannot be undeleted — its recovery advice is to stop using the Mac immediately to avoid overwriting, or hire a data-recovery service.
Why doesn't DiskWise do the same?
Because when "free up space" and "don't lose a file" conflict, we pick the second — and we print the cost: until you empty the Trash, the space isn't back.
Whose ring is more accurate?
Different measurement. DiskWise counts real on-disk usage (st_blocks × 512), so sparse files and APFS clones can't overstate the reclaimable amount; every arc is bytes measured in the current scan and the segments sum to the whole disk.
Can DiskWise be a free DaisyDisk?
For looking at a disk, yes, and it leans developer: node_modules, DerivedData, Docker usage, build artefacts and WeChat/DingTalk-style caches are all in the semantic list. Its map interaction is less polished than DaisyDisk's, and we won't pretend otherwise.
Install
Three ways to install, all free
macOS 13+ · one ~5MB universal DMG for Apple Silicon and Intel
Homebrew
One command, then brew upgrade --cask keeps it fresh.
Mac App Store
Apple-reviewed, auto-updating from the store, completely free.
Get it on the Mac App StoreEvery App Store release has to clear Apple's review first, so the store build can sit behind GitHub Releases for a while. For the newest version, use Homebrew or the DMG above.
Star & Feedback
Found it helpful? Leave a star
DiskWise is an independently maintained open-source project. If it freed tens of GB for you, consider leaving a star on GitHub — the more stars it has, the easier the next person crushed by "Your disk is almost full" can find it.
I'd love to hear from you — what works, what doesn't, what's missing. Every message gets read, and the app keeps improving:
English, Chinese, Japanese or Korean are all fine — or just open an issue.
DiskWise is an independent open-source project. It is not affiliated with, authorised by, or sponsored by the developers of DaisyDisk. The DaisyDisk name and marks belong to their owner and are used here only to describe how the two products differ; statements about how it removes files come from its own official guide (linked below). Pricing and features may have changed, and the two tools work fine side by side — this page is not a pitch to give yours up.