Flare Scan
Flare Scan: A free Mac analyzer for visual storage breakdowns, duplicates, large files, and scan changes. Ranked #18 of 104 in Disk Space Analyzers by our editors (7.0/10); pricing: Free plan; best for mac users wanting free duplicate analysis.
At a glance
- Editor score7.0 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forMac users wanting free duplicate analysis
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Desktop platformsmacos
- Facts checked22 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Sunburst and Treemap views make storage usage easy to inspect
- SHA-256 duplicate detection supports exact file matching
- Exports JSON and CSV reports and moves verified items to Trash
Where it doesn't
- Runs only on macOS, limiting cross-platform use
- Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or newer on Apple Silicon
- Cleanup moves items to macOS Trash rather than permanently deleting them
Our verdict on Flare Scan
Flare Scan is an open-source disk space analyzer for macOS users who want to inspect selected folders or volumes without accounts, telemetry, cloud services, or third-party runtime dependencies. Its free plan focuses on local storage analysis, combining visual maps with file-type categories, large-file discovery, duplicate detection, and recoverable cleanup through macOS Trash. It is suited to Mac users who want a detailed view of where storage is going, especially when duplicate files are a priority.
The standout feature set is the combination of interactive Sunburst and Treemap visualizations with exact duplicate detection using SHA-256. Flare Scan can identify the largest files and old large files, while local scan baselines allow users to compare storage changes over time. JSON and CSV exports support reporting outside the application, and external drive scanning broadens the locations it can inspect. A menu-bar memory monitor adds application memory tracking alongside disk analysis.
Platform fit is the main constraint: the product is built for macOS, with the checked-in artifact requiring macOS 14 Sonoma or newer and Apple Silicon. Its cleanup workflow is deliberately recoverable, moving verified items to macOS Trash rather than permanently deleting them. Choose Flare Scan if you want free, local, open-source analysis with strong visualization, duplicate matching, scan comparisons, and exports. Users needing a Windows or Linux tool, or a different hardware and operating-system combination, should choose another disk space analyzer.
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Flare Scan pricing
Flare Scan fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Desktop platforms | macos |
| Treemap view | Yes |
| Application sizes | Not verified |
| File-type breakdown | Yes |
| External drive scans | Yes |
| Exportable reports | Yes |
| Scan scope | Files_folders |
| Deployment | Desktop |
| Platforms | macOS |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | github.com |
| Facts checked | 22 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Flare Scan
- TreeSizeA broad Windows analyzer with strong free features and tiered automation tools.9.3
- WinDirStatA classic Windows analyzer with treemaps, file breakdowns, duplicate detection, and CSV export.9.1
- FilelightA free, open-source disk analyzer with strong KDE integrations and ring-based visuals.9.0
See all Flare Scan alternatives →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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