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SoftRAID 9
1,010,723.710
TB Managed
- NEW RAID 6 and RAID 6+: Now you can protect your most critical data with RAID 6 and RAID 6+ dual drive failure protection.
- Blazing-Fast Performance: Engineered with the latest driver technology to deliver maximum RAID speeds on macOS and Windows.
- Versatile RAID Options: RAID 0/1/4/5/6/6+/10 – every level optimized to maximize the bandwidth of your drives and interface. (RAID 6/6+ requires macOS 27.)
- Proactive Disk Protection: SoftRAID Monitor detects and warns you of potential drive failures before they happen on HDDs, SSDs, and NVMe.
- Flexible Plans, Total Confidence: Free Standard and feature-packed Premium tiers ensure your data stays safe, accessible, and under your control.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Easily move Apple-formatted APFS and HFS+ volumes between Mac and Windows via built-in OWC MacDrive technology.
You shouldn't have to choose. Fast access. Safe data. Same array.
Quickly accessing your data with the right safeguards in place is a difficult balance. Whether you're enhancing multimedia production workflows, protecting critical business files, or ensuring uninterrupted access to valuable data, OWC's SoftRAID 9 is the ideal solution to manage your RAID arrays while delivering robust protection coupled with exceptional speed.
SoftRAID 9 is the most powerful version yet of the world's leading software RAID solution - now with RAID 6 and RAID 6+ dual-drive failure protection.
Where hardware RAID gives you a black box, SoftRAID 9 gives you complete visibility to volumes, each drive's health status, and performance metrics in real time. Your data stays intact even if two drives fail simultaneously. No other software RAID solution offers that.
NEW RAID 6 and RAID 6+ with Dual Drive Failure Protection
The most requested feature in SoftRAID history is here. RAID 6 delivers protection that RAID 5 simply cannot match. Your array survives the simultaneous failure of any two drives without losing a single file. For large arrays, long-term archives, and mission-critical workflows where a single point of failure is simply not acceptable, RAID 6 is the answer.
RAID 6+ goes even further, delivering the same dual-drive failure protection with additional performance headroom for the most demanding production environments.
SoftRAID 9 also adds full support for encrypted APFS volumes, making it the most secure way to access Mac-formatted disks on a Windows machine. Whether you're working in a mixed Mac and Windows environment, accessing Mac backups from a Windows workstation, or sharing encrypted drives across platforms, SoftRAID 9 handles it without compromising the encryption that protects your data.
RAID 6+ for Performance
Need dual-drive protection without sacrificing speed? RAID 6+ delivers the same failure tolerance as RAID 6 with additional performance optimization for high-throughput workflows.
The Most Secure Windows Access to Mac Disks
No other Windows solution supports encrypted APFS volumes. SoftRAID 9 is the only way to access password-protected Mac drives on Windows without removing their encryption.
Built for Large Arrays
As arrays grow larger, the statistical probability of a second drive failing during a RAID 5 rebuild increases significantly. RAID 6 eliminates that risk entirely.
Mission-Critical Confidence
Ideal for broadcast archives, legal data, financial records, medical imaging, and any workflow where data loss is not an option.
Survive Two Drive Failures
RAID 6's dual-parity architecture keeps your array fully operational even when two drives fail at the same time.
macOS 27 Required for RAID 6 and RAID 6+: RAID 6 and RAID 6+ are available exclusively on macOS 27 or later. RAID 0/1/4/5/10 will continue to work on all supported macOS versions and Windows, with no operating system upgrade required.
RAID 6 Is Perfect For…
Broadcast and Post-Production Archives
A documentary studio has spent years building an archive of completed projects and raw footage that simply cannot be recreated. When a drive fails during a rebuild, the window to recover can stretch 12 to 30 hours on large arrays. During that entire window, a second failure means everything is gone. The studio needs protection that survives that window entirely, keeping the archive intact no matter what fails and when, so the team can focus on finishing the next project instead of holding their breath through a rebuild.
Legal and Compliance Storage
A law firm's storage isn't just a convenience. Case files, depositions, and evidence are legally required to be preserved and accessible, and a failure that makes records unrecoverable isn't just an operational problem. It's a legal one. The stakes demand protection that doesn't leave anything to chance, keeping every record intact through multiple simultaneous hardware failures without exception.
Scientific Research Datasets
A climate research lab has spent years generating sensor data and modeling outputs that required thousands of compute hours to produce. None of it can be recollected. A storage failure at the wrong moment doesn't just lose data. It loses months of work that can never be fully recovered. When the cost of loss so far exceeds the cost of protection, there is only one reasonable answer.
High-Volume Production Studio
Six editing bays. One shared array. A broadcast deadline that doesn't move. A post-production facility running at full capacity cannot afford a rebuild that locks out editors while the clock runs down. The array needs to keep running through anything that goes wrong, editors keep working, and the delivery ships on time regardless of what happens in the background.
A Proven Foundation Gets Even Better
SoftRAID has proven itself as the creative professionals' trusted backbone for countless workflows where downtime is not an option. Over 20 years of continuous development has refined its stability, speed, and seamless macOS integration. Now, SoftRAID 9 builds on that foundation with RAID 6, its most significant feature addition yet.
Proactive Monitoring for Total Peace of Mind
SoftRAID Monitor keeps a constant watch on your drives, tracking disk health, SMART data, and usage to alert you to potential issues months before they become critical. The disk health monitoring extends beyond Thunderbolt to cover nearly all USB-connected drives. For SSDs and NVMe drives, SoftRAID Monitor goes even further, delivering both proactive and reactive health monitoring. It tracks total drive wear, overheating, and potential hardware failures and if an OWC NVMe blade shows a failure in SoftRAID Monitor, it's covered under warranty.
To keep you informed wherever you are, SoftRAID 9 also provides rich email notifications with RAID status updates, along with quick access to OWC Support when you need it most.
High Performance
SoftRAID 9 is built to get out of your way, so your drives run as fast as your hardware allows, and your workflow runs as fast as your drives
Whether you're editing 8K timelines, moving RAW files between shoots, or rebuilding a RAID array while a deadline looms, SoftRAID 9 is optimized to keep pace. Connect your array, choose your RAID level, and SoftRAID 9 handles the rest, including getting faster over time as new technology becomes available.
| Real World Speed | In Practice |
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Up to 26,000MB/s |
Stream 8K RAW from a multi-drive NVMe array without dropping a frame |
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Up to 3,639MB/s |
Move a full day's shoot, hundreds of GBs, in minutes, not hours |
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Up to 2,939MB/s |
Edit directly off your RAID without copying to local storage first |
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Up to 947MB/s |
Fast enough for 4K workflows and large photo libraries |
Delivering the RAID Tool of Choice for 20+ Years
See how SoftRAID benefits pro workflows across the globe:
"I prefer to be behind the camera when working. So, avoiding unnecessary time waiting behind the camera for my files and data is a win. I would say the performance of SoftRAID helps me get back behind the camera."
Nick Cahill / Filmmaker and Photographer
"SoftRAID gives me a lot of confidence in my workflow, because if I know my drives are good to go and healthy, I know I can continue on with my work — it's one less thing I need to think about."
Kimberly Sauer / DIT & Camera Operator / A24, Nat Geo
"Being able to have complete control of your workflow is of the utmost performance, relying on SoftRAID and OWC Drives has always been my go-to... it's just all thumbs up on my end."
Mehran Jabari / DIT + Colorist - I.A.T.S.E. Local 667
"I don't even think about SoftRAID anymore, because it just works."
Forest Berkdol Weil / Nature and Landscape Photographer
Why SoftRAID 9 Outperforms Hardware RAID
Hardware RAID controllers lock you in. SoftRAID 9 sets you free.
Most people assume hardware RAID is the professional choice. The reality is hardware RAID introduces dependencies, limitations, and failure points that software RAID eliminates entirely. Here's why SoftRAID 9 is the smarter choice for serious workflows.
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You own your data.
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Hardware RAID controllers hold your data hostage behind proprietary firmware. If the controller fails, goes obsolete, or is discontinued, your data may be inaccessible until you find an identical replacement...sometimes years after the controller was last manufactured. SoftRAID 9 volumes are portable, transparent, and recoverable across any compatible Mac or Windows system.
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You can see everything.
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Hardware RAID is a black box. You get a status light and hope for the best. SoftRAID 9 Monitor gives you full visibility into every drive's health, SMART data, temperature, wear level, and projected failure window months before a problem occurs. You're not reacting to failures. You're preventing them.
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You get better performance.
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SoftRAID 9 taps into today's powerful computers CPUs directly to match or outperform hardware RAID controllers, especially in RAID 5 and RAID 6.
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You're not locked in.
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Hardware RAID ties you to a specific controller, vendor, and firmware version. SoftRAID 9 runs on the hardware you already own, upgrades continuously with macOS and Windows, and gets better with every release. SoftRAID 9 is the same trusted platform you've always used and now feature RAID 6 protection that no hardware controller can match for the price.
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You pay dramatically less.
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Enterprise hardware RAID controllers can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars on top of your drives and enclosure, and that's before factoring in the cost of a controller replacement if it fails. SoftRAID 9 Premium is $149.99 first year, then $79.99 per year thereafter, or 3 years FREE with most OWC hardware.
| Hardware RAID | SoftRAID 9 |
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Tied to controller |
Works across any compatible system |
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Status light only |
Full health, SMART, wear monitoring |
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Controller-limited |
Full CPU + drive bandwidth |
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Expensive controllers required |
Included in SoftRAID Premium |
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Controller + drives + enclosure |
$149.99 first year, then $79.99 per year thereafter, or 3 years FREE with most OWC hardware. |
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Find identical controller |
Rebuild on any compatible system |
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Rarely |
Mac + Windows natively |
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Firmware only |
Continuous software improvements |
Move freely between Mac and Windows
Easily move Apple-formatted APFS and HFS+ volumes on Windows with OWC MacDrive. Enjoy full read and write access with consistent read/write performance, crash protection, and reliability across both platforms.
Choose Your RAID Level
Every RAID level strikes a different balance of speed, capacity, and protection. Use the calculator below to select your RAID level and configure your drives to see exactly how much usable space and protection you get before you commit.
| Minimum Drives | Redundancy Overhead | Survives Failure of | Best For | macOS Requirement |
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2 |
None |
None |
Maximum speed |
All supported versions |
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2 |
1 drive |
1 drive |
Simple mirroring, critical files |
All supported versions |
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3 |
1 drive |
1 drive |
Dedicated parity, read-heavy |
All supported versions |
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3 |
1 drive |
1 drive |
Dedicated parity, read-heavy |
All supported versions |
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3 |
1 drive |
1 drive |
Speed + protection balance |
All supported versions |
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4 |
1/mirror pair |
1/mirror pair |
High-speed redundancy |
All supported versions |
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4 |
2 drives |
2 drives simultaneously |
Large arrays, archives, mission-critical |
macOS 27 or later |
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4 |
2 drives |
2 drives simultaneously |
High-performance protection |
macOS 27 or later |
RAID 6 and RAID 6+ require macOS 27 or later. All other RAID levels work on all supported macOS versions and Windows.
Choose the Right SoftRAID 9 for You
SoftRAID 9 is available in two powerful versions – Standard and Premium. Both built on the same award-winning technology trusted by creative pros, IT managers, and power users worldwide. Whether you're a casual user who wants peace of mind or a professional managing mission-critical data, SoftRAID 9’s two tiers ensure that the access and integrity of your RAID arrays are maintained as you upgrade your computer, operating system, or move between systems.
SoftRAID 9 Standard
Full access to your existing SoftRAID 9 volumes anytime, anywhere. Includes all periodic compatibility updates, the ability to swap a drive in case of array failure, and access to your data at full speed. The perfect choice for users who want reliable, no-cost data access protection.
SoftRAID 9 Premium
The complete SoftRAID 9 experience. Create high-performance RAID 0/1/4/5/6/6+/10, arrays, monitor every drive with SoftRAID 9 Monitor's predictive health alerts, and access OWC's expert support team. Includes all Standard features plus everything you need to build, protect, and manage professional RAID arrays.
| SoftRAID 9 Standard | SoftRAID 9 Premium |
|---|---|
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Free |
$149.99 first year, then |
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Still on Apple RAID or hardware RAID?
Now's the time to switch – get the speed, flexibility, and resilience you've been missing.
Upgrading to macOS 27?
Make sure you're on SoftRAID 9 Premium for full RAID 6 support and maximum protection.
New to SoftRAID?
Try it risk-free for 30 days and see why professionals have trusted it for over 20 years.
Software RAID Myths
Software RAID Misconceptions – and the Fast That Set the Record Straight
Software RAID has come a long way and so has SoftRAID. But like many powerful tools, it's often misunderstood. Let's set the record straight on the most common myths we hear about SoftRAID and software RAID in general.
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Myth #1: "Software RAID is unreliable."
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Reality: SoftRAID has been trusted for over 20 years by creative professionals, IT teams, and power users worldwide. It offers advanced disk health monitoring, predictive failure alerts, and quick rebuilds to provide more insight and control than most hardware RAID systems ever could.
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Myth #2: "Software RAID is slow."
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Reality: SoftRAID is engineered for performance and often delivers faster speeds than hardware RAID – especially in RAID 0, RAID 5, and now RAID 6 configurations. It takes full advantage of your system's CPU and SSD/HDD throughput, making it ideal for video editing, media workflows, and data-intensive tasks. Peak performance reaches 26,000MB/s on PCIe arrays.
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Myth #3: "Software RAID eats up system resources."
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Reality: SoftRAID 9 runs up to 4x more efficiently on macOS than previous versions. Modern systems are more than capable of handling RAID tasks without noticeable performance impact, even during rebuilds and parity checks.
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Myth #4: "You can’t trust software RAID for professional use."
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Reality: SoftRAID has been powering creative professionals, IT teams, and enterprise workflows for over two decades. From video editors moving terabytes of 8K footage to researchers managing mission-critical lab data, professionals trust SoftRAID because it delivers speed, reliability, and proactive protection far beyond what basic hardware RAID or Apple RAID can offer. SoftRAID 9 with RAID 6 brings dual-drive failure protection to the same trusted platform.
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Myth #5: "SoftRAID is hard to use."
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Reality: With an intuitive interface, guided setup, and smart volume management, SoftRAID makes creating, managing, and monitoring RAID arrays simple, even for first-time users. If you need support along the way, SoftRAID Premium users get priority access to OWC's expert support team.
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Myth #6: "Hardware RAID is always better."
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Reality: Hardware RAID can be a black box. If your RAID controller fails, your data may be inaccessible until you find an identical replacement. SoftRAID volumes are portable, recoverable across systems, and include proactive monitoring tools that hardware RAID typically lacks entirely. And with RAID 6 now in SoftRAID 9, the protection story is stronger than ever – without the hardware controller cost.
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Myth #7: "You need SoftRAID installed to access your volumes."
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Reality: Not anymore. With the SoftRAID driver included, you can access your SoftRAID volumes on Macs where SoftRAID isn't installed, giving you flexibility and peace of mind when moving between systems.
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Myth #8: "SoftRAID doesn’t work with the latest macOS."
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Reality: SoftRAID is continuously updated to support the latest operating systems, including macOS 27. We prioritize compatibility so you can upgrade with confidence – and RAID 6/6+ support is built specifically for macOS 27. All other RAID levels continue to work on all supported older macOS versions.
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Myth #9: "Software RAID means less data protection."
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Reality: With support for RAID 1, 4, 5, 10, and now RAID 6 and RAID 6+ – offering dual-drive failure protection – SoftRAID 9 offers the most comprehensive data redundancy options of any software RAID solution available. Combined with real-time monitoring and alerts, it gives you tools to prevent failure, not just react to it.
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Myth #10: "SoftRAID is just for pros."
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Reality: Whether you're managing family photos, a growing content library, or 8K video footage, SoftRAID Standard is free and powerful enough for everyday use – while Premium is there when you need advanced protection, monitoring, and RAID 6 for your most critical data.
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Myth #11: "You need expensive hardware controllers for RAID 6 protection."
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Reality: SoftRAID 9 brings full RAID 6 and RAID 6+ support – dual-drive failure protection – entirely in software on macOS 27. No hardware controller required. No proprietary firmware. No vendor lock-in. Just double-parity protection on any compatible Mac running macOS 27, at SoftRAID Premium pricing.
Bundled with the Best
Select OWC DIY enclosures and solutions come with 3 years of SoftRAID Premium access – including full RAID 6 and RAID 6+ support on macOS 27 – providing ultra-fast speeds, proactive health monitoring, and OWC pro support right out of the box.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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How does SoftRAID 9 work?
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SoftRAID 9 enables you to create high-performance RAID volumes on macOS and Windows. SoftRAID leverages the capable processors in modern computers to manage the creation and ongoing maintenance of your volumes – resulting in faster speeds than typical hardware RAID solutions. SoftRAID Premium continuously monitors the health of your volumes and disks to notify you of potential issues before they arise.
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What's new in SoftRAID 9?
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SoftRAID 9 introduces RAID 6 and RAID 6+ – dual-drive failure protection that allows your array to survive the simultaneous failure of any two drives without data loss. RAID 6 and RAID 6+ require macOS 27 or later. All other RAID levels (0, 1, 4, 5, and 10) continue to work on all supported macOS versions and Windows without any operating system upgrade required.
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Do I need to upgrade to macOS 27 to use SoftRAID 9?
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No. SoftRAID 9 works on all supported macOS versions and Windows. The only feature that requires macOS 27 is RAID 6 and RAID 6+. If you're running an earlier macOS, every other RAID level (0/1/4/5/10) continues to work exactly as before with no OS upgrade required. When you're ready to upgrade to macOS 27, RAID 6 and RAID 6+ unlock automatically with your SoftRAID 9 Premium subscription.
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I'm already a SoftRAID Premium subscriber. Do I need to buy SoftRAID 9?
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No. SoftRAID 9 is included in your active SoftRAID Premium subscription at no additional cost, just download and install the latest version. Your existing RAID volumes are fully compatible and require no reformatting. To access the new RAID 6 and RAID 6+ features, you will need to upgrade to macOS 27.
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Does RAID 6 require macOS 27?
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Yes. RAID 6 and RAID 6+ volume creation and management require macOS 27 or later. If you are running an older version of macOS, all other SoftRAID RAID levels (0/1/4/5/10), continue to work exactly as before. Upgrading to macOS 27 unlocks RAID 6 and RAID 6+ for users on SoftRAID 9 Premium.
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How will my data be accessible and safe on SoftRAID volumes?
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SoftRAID takes the guess work out out of your data, even without a SoftRAID Premium subscription. SoftRAID Standard is available for free to access and use the data on your volumes, rebuild volumes in case of a drive failure, and is updated to stay compatible with your most recent operating system. SoftRAID volumes can also be accessed on macOS 13.3 or later, even without SoftRAID installed.
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Is SoftRAID a subscription?
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SoftRAID is offered in two tiers: SoftRAID Standard (free) and SoftRAID Premium (annual subscription). SoftRAID Standard allows you to access the data on your volumes, rebuild volumes, and stay compatible with the latest operating systems – at no cost. SoftRAID Premium is $149.99 for the first year, then $79.99 per year thereafter, or 3 years free with most OWC hardware, and includes volume creation, RAID 6/6+ support on macOS 27, SoftRAID Monitor, and OWC Pro Support. Premium users revert to Standard if a subscription is not renewed – your data always remains accessible.
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Can I add seats?
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Yes. SoftRAID Premium users can add seats for $39.99 per year. Visit the OWC Software License Management page to add seats to your SoftRAID license.
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Is SoftRAID available for enterprise deployments?
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Yes. Contact us for Enterprise pricing and deployment information.
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Can I upgrade from SoftRAID 8 to SoftRAID 9?
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Yes. Existing SoftRAID Premium subscribers receive SoftRAID 9 as part of their active subscription at no additional cost. Your existing RAID volumes are fully compatible with SoftRAID 9 – no reformatting required. To access RAID 6 and RAID 6+ you will need to upgrade to macOS 27.
- Performance benchmarks measured using macOS SoftRAID RAID 0 with the following hardware:
- PCIe: OWC Accelsior 8M2
- USB4: OWC Express 4M2
- Thunderbolt 3: OWC ThunderBlade X8
- USB 3.2: OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad
- SoftRAID volumes can be accessed on macOS 13.3 or later without SoftRAID installed.
- macOS performance improvements available on macOS 14.4 and later. Windows RAID 5 tests performed with OWC Accelsior 8M2, formatted with SoftRAID as RAID 5 NTFS with maximum stripe unit size. Tested with AJA System Test, 5120x2700 5K RED, 64GB, 16bit RGBa, single file, disk cache disabled.
- RAID 6 and RAID 6+ volume creation and management require macOS 27 or later. All other RAID levels are supported on all compatible macOS and Windows versions.