Hex Fiend
MacFast and Flexible Hex Editor for Mac
Overview
Hex Fiend is a lightweight, open-source hex editor tailored for macOS. It excels at handling large files efficiently, avoiding excessive memory usage—perfect for developers, reverse engineers, or anyone working with binary data. Key capabilities include syntax highlighting for hex/ASCII, regex-powered search/replace, binary diffing, and editing files larger than system RAM. It integrates seamlessly with macOS workflows: drag-and-drop, Quick Look previews, and AppleScript automation. The clean interface balances functionality and usability, making it accessible to beginners while offering advanced tools for pros. Free and open-source, it’s a reliable choice for binary file inspection and modification.
Key Features
- Handles large files without high memory usage
- Syntax highlighting for hex and ASCII
- Regex search and replace
- Binary file diffing
- macOS-native integration (drag-and-drop, Quick Look, AppleScript)
Top Alternatives
Tool Info
Pros
- ⊕ Lightweight and fast performance
- ⊕ Open-source and completely free
- ⊕ Seamless macOS workflow integration
- ⊕ Supports files larger than system RAM
Cons
- ⊖ Lacks advanced features like built-in debugging tools
- ⊖ Occasional minor bugs with very complex regex searches