When comparing EncFS vs dm-crypt via LUKS, the Slant community recommends EncFS for most people. In the question“What are the best file encryption tools?” EncFS is ranked 5th while dm-crypt via LUKS is ranked 8th. 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 Flexible
Encrypt whole disks, removable media, software RAID, partitions, files and logical volumes.
Pro Native Linux support
It offers the best integration and ease of use on Linux.
Pro Free and open-source
Open-source for cryptography is a requirement, not just a bonus.
Pro Support for multiple keys/passwords
If several people should be able to decrypt a volume, each one can have their own password/key.
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.
Con Requires advanced command line knowledge
In order to use dm-crypt you need to have advanced knowledge of Linux and of the command line, as well as the Linux filesystem.
However, most distros support easy creation of LUKS-encrypted drives when installing Linux transparently.