When comparing EncFS vs AxCrypt, the Slant community recommends EncFS for most people. In the question“What are the best file encryption tools?” EncFS is ranked 5th while AxCrypt is ranked 6th. The most important reason people chose EncFS is:
This makes it suitable for using with Dropbox or similar cloud storage platforms.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Encrypts on per-file basis
This makes it suitable for using with Dropbox or similar cloud storage platforms.
Pro Cross-platform
Works on Linux, OS X and experimentally on Windows.
Pro Configuration is stored in the working directory
The configuration for EncFS is in the form of a dotfile (.encfs6.xml) and it's stored in the working directory. This way you only have to remember the passphrase because all the other metadata is stored in the configuration file.
Pro Easy to use
Integrates with right-click menu for easy access.
Pro Self-extracting archives
AxCrypt can create encrypted archives that extract without requiring AxCrypt on the computer. So you can send a file to someone safely, they just need the password.
Pro Easy to share encrypted files
AxCrypt has a build in key sharing.
Cons
Con Not up to speed with modern cryptography practices
From some audits in the past, EncFS has had some issues with being up-to-date as far as cryptography practices go. For example, it uses the same key for encryption and authentication or file holes not being authenticated.