Several times faster than traditional user-space tools,
at near kernel-level speed
Many NTFS and Ext4 tools run in "user space": every read and write gets passed back and forth between the macOS kernel and an ordinary program. The new-generation CrossDriver hands the disk to native Linux kernel drivers, then delivers it to Finder through a fast channel built into macOS — no kernel extension, yet near kernel-level speed. For maximum speed, there's also CrossDriver Kernel Edition.
NTFS · Ext4 · XFSSequential read/write · Small filesOpen test methodology
Same drive, three ways to read and write
Same Mac, same USB 3.2 SSD, tested with a traditional user-space tool, CrossDriver New Generation and CrossDriver Kernel Edition.
NTFS
Ext4
XFS
Test setup (illustrative, TBD): MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, macOS 15), Samsung T7 Shield 1 TB (USB 3.2 Gen 2). Sequential read/write uses a single 10 GB file; the small-file test uses 10,000 files of 100 KB each. Each test is run 5 times and the median is reported, with caches cleared beforehand.
View data table
| Formats | Metric | Traditional user-space tools | CrossDriver New Generation | CrossDriver Kernel Edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NTFS | Sequential read (MB/s) | 420 | 880 | 960 |
| NTFS | Sequential write (MB/s) | 180 | 760 | 880 |
| NTFS | Small-file writes (files/s) | 150 | 900 | 1,150 |
| Ext4 | Sequential read (MB/s) | 380 | 900 | 980 |
| Ext4 | Sequential write (MB/s) | 150 | 820 | 920 |
| Ext4 | Small-file writes (files/s) | 120 | 1,050 | 1,300 |
| XFS | Sequential read (MB/s) | — | 910 | 990 |
| XFS | Sequential write (MB/s) | — | 850 | 930 |
| XFS | Small-file writes (files/s) | — | 980 | 1,200 |
The difference is the path your data takes
All three show the disk in Finder, but each read and write travels a completely different path.
User-space translation
- Finder / your apps
- macOS kernel (file request forwarding layer)
- User-space program translates NTFS / Ext4
- macOS kernel (in and out again)
- Disk
- Some options don't require lowering system security
- Every read and write makes multiple round trips between the kernel and an ordinary program
- Translation programs are mostly single-threaded, so large-file writes and small-file copies are slowest
- Almost no mature options for Ext4 writes or XFS read/write
Native Linux drivers + built-in fast path
- Finder / your apps
- macOS kernel's built-in network file system client (with caching)
- Isolated engine: native Linux kernel NTFS / Ext4 / XFS drivers
- Disk (whole-disk passthrough to the engine)
- File systems handled by Linux's own drivers, with decades of optimization and multithreaded writeback
- Large sequential transfers, with system caching on both ends
- No kernel extension, no lowered security
- Engine errors affect only the engine; your Mac keeps running
Direct reads and writes in the macOS kernel
- Finder / your apps
- CrossDriver kernel extension
- Disk
- Shortest path, fastest speed
- Apple silicon Macs must lower security in Recovery Mode and allow kernel extensions
- May need to wait for an update after major macOS upgrades
- A driver error can restart the whole Mac
Four ways a Mac can read and write other disk formats
Products on the market fall roughly into these four generations. CrossDriver offers both the fourth (New Generation) and the second (Kernel Edition, the classic version on crossdriver.com).
| User-space frameworks (FUSE-type) | Kernel extension | Apple FSKit | Virtualization engine (CrossDriver New Generation) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who implements the file system | Third-party rewrite (e.g. ntfs-3g) | Third-party kernel driver | Third-party user-space implementation | Native Linux kernel drivers |
| Requires a kernel extension | Some do | Required | Not required | Not required |
| Requires lowering Mac security | Some do | Required (Apple silicon) | Not required | Not required |
| Speed | Slow | Fastest | To be measured | Near kernel-level |
| Impact of errors | That program quits | May restart the whole Mac | That extension quits | Engine only |
| System requirements | Depends on the solution | Updated with each macOS version | Recent macOS | macOS 12 or later |
| Formats it can support | Depends on whether a user-space implementation exists | Developed one by one | Developed one by one | Anything Linux supports can be added |
Performance within each generation varies by product; we'll include FSKit-based tools in our formal testing.
Three modes — pick what fits your needs
For most people, New Generation is all you need: fast, secure and ready right after install. Consider Kernel Edition only if you need every last bit of speed and can accept lower security.
| Traditional user-space tools | CrossDriver New Generation | CrossDriver Kernel Edition (classic) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sequential read/write speed | Slow | Fast (near kernel-level) | Fastest |
| Small-file copying | Very slow | Fast | Fastest |
| Requires lowering Mac security settings | Depends on the solution | Not required | Required (Apple silicon) |
| Restart after install | Depends on the solution | Not required | Required |
| After macOS upgrades | May stop working | Usually keeps working | May need to wait for an update |
| Impact of driver errors | That program quits | Engine only; your Mac is unaffected | May restart the whole Mac |
| File system implementation | Third-party rewrite | Native Linux kernel drivers | CrossDriver kernel driver |
| Best for | Occasionally reading files | Everyday read/write, large files, development and NAS data | Pros who want maximum throughput |
| Price (NTFS / Ext4 · XFS, lifetime license) | Varies by product | US$19.95 / US$39.95 | US$29.95 / US$59.95 |
"Traditional user-space tools" refers to tools on the market built on user-space frameworks such as FUSE; performance varies by product.
Why New Generation gets close to kernel-level speed
Native drivers
NTFS, Ext4 and XFS are handled by the Linux kernel's own drivers — the same code used on Linux PCs and servers.
Large transfers
Finder reads and writes through the macOS kernel's built-in network file system client, in large sequential chunks with caching on both ends.
Whole-disk passthrough
The entire disk is handed to the engine with no file emulation layer in between; Linux merges writes before committing them to disk.
Lightweight engine
The engine starts in seconds, works only for the current disk and runs no unnecessary services.
How we measured
Before release, we'll publish the full test scripts and raw data so anyone can reproduce the results.
Test environment (TBD)
- Mac
- MacBook Pro M3 Pro · 36 GB memory
- System
- macOS 15
- Disk
- Samsung T7 Shield 1 TB · USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Compared
- Commercial FUSE-type tools, CrossDriver New Generation, CrossDriver Kernel Edition (the classic version on crossdriver.com)
Tests
- Sequential read / write
- Single 10 GB file, 1 MB blocks
- Small-file writes
- 10,000 files of 100 KB each
- Runs
- 5 runs per test, median reported
- Cache
- Disk ejected and reconnected before each run
The figures currently on this page are estimates for layout purposes.
Q&A
Why not just build New Generation as a kernel extension?
On Apple silicon Macs, kernel extensions require lowering security in Recovery Mode, and they may stop working after each major macOS upgrade. New Generation uses the Virtualization framework built into macOS, so it works right after install, at near kernel-level speed.
Where can I buy Kernel Edition?
Kernel Edition is the classic version already available on crossdriver.com: NTFS For Mac, Ext4 For MAC, XFS For MAC.
How do I install Kernel Edition?
On Apple silicon Macs, open Startup Security Utility in Recovery Mode, choose "Reduced Security," allow kernel extensions, then restart. On Intel Macs, allow it in Privacy & Security. New Generation needs none of these steps.
Why is there no data for traditional user-space tools with XFS?
We couldn't find a mature user-space XFS tool with read-write support, so we compare only New Generation and Kernel Edition.
Will my disk be this fast?
Top speed depends on your disk and connection. With hard drives, the disk itself is the bottleneck (typically 100–200 MB/s), so sequential speeds differ little across the three methods, though small-file copying still shows a clear gap; the same goes for USB flash drives and USB 2.0. The gap is biggest on USB 3.2 and faster SSDs.
Plug in a drive and test the speed yourself
All versions are free to download, with free browsing and preview.
Choose an edition and download