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Hex Fiend

Hex Fiend is a free, open-source hex editor for macOS that lets users inspect and change binary data.

Place
#20 of 32
Score
5.9
Hex Fiend's website

What Hex Fiend is

Hex Fiend is a free, open-source hex editor for macOS that lets users inspect and change binary data. It supports inserting, deleting, rearranging, and overwriting bytes, as well as searching large files. Its binary comparison accounts for insertions and deletions. The editor does not load an entire file into memory, and smart saving avoids rewriting unchanged portions or requiring temporary disk space. The maker says it can handle files as large as users can create and reports tests on files up to 118 GB. A data inspector reads values as signed or unsigned integers and as floating-point numbers in big- or little-endian formats. Scripted binary templates can visualize file structure, and an embeddable framework provides hex and data views under a permissive BSD-style license. The official site lists version 2.18.1 and requires macOS 10.14.6 or later. The Mac App Store version collects no data and makes no network requests; the direct download checks for updates without collecting or storing user data. Hex Fiend is notarized for macOS 10.14 and later.

Good

  • Edits binary data without loading the whole file into memory.
  • Compares files while accounting for insertions and deletions.
  • Smart saving avoids rewriting unchanged portions.
  • Data inspector supports multiple numeric formats and byte orders.
  • Free and open source under a BSD-style license.

Watch out

  • Requires macOS 10.14.6 or later.
  • Available only for macOS.
  • The direct-download version checks for updates.

Who it suits

Hex Fiend suits macOS users who need to inspect, search, compare, or edit binary files. Its templates and embeddable framework may also suit people building scripted file views or applications with hex and data views.

Verdict

Hex Fiend offers binary editing, searching, comparison, and inspection tools for macOS, including for very large files. Check the listed macOS requirement before choosing it.

Plans and prices

From Hex Fiend's own pricing page, checked 1 Oct 2026.

All about pricing
PlanPriceWhat it gives you
Hex FiendFreemacOS only · open source · BSD-style license

The facts

Each one read from Hex Fiend's own pages, with the date it was checked.

What it does

Binary diff
It compares files while accounting for insertions and deletions.checked 1 Oct 2026
Binary templates
Binary templates visualize file structure through scripting.checked 1 Oct 2026
Current download
The official site lists Hex Fiend 2.18.1 and requires macOS 10.14.6 or later.checked 1 Oct 2026
Data inspector
The data inspector interprets values as signed or unsigned integers and floating-point numbers in big- or little-endian formats.checked 1 Oct 2026
Editing
It supports inserting, deleting, rearranging, and overwriting binary data.checked 1 Oct 2026
Embeddable framework
Hex Fiend's framework lets applications embed hex and data views under a permissive BSD-style license.checked 1 Oct 2026
Large files
Hex Fiend can handle files as large as the user can create, and has been tested on files up to 118 GB.checked 1 Oct 2026
Memory use
It does not keep files in memory and does not require the entire file to be loaded.checked 1 Oct 2026
Origin
The maker's 2006 announcement describes Hex Fiend as free and developed as an experiment in handling huge files.checked 1 Oct 2026
Privacy
The Mac App Store distribution collects no data and performs no network requests.checked 1 Oct 2026
Purpose
Hex Fiend is a fast, clever open-source hex editor for macOS.checked 1 Oct 2026
Saving
Smart saving avoids rewriting unchanged portions and does not require temporary disk space.checked 1 Oct 2026
Search
The editor provides fast searching through large files.checked 1 Oct 2026
Security
Hex Fiend has been notarized for added security on macOS 10.14 and later.checked 1 Oct 2026
Update checks
The direct-download distribution uses Sparkle to check for new versions without collecting or storing user data.checked 1 Oct 2026

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