Paragon Software
Paragon Software Group is a privately held German-founded technology company that develops cross-platform file system drivers, storage management, and data protection software for consumers, businesses, OEMs, and embedded systems in 150+ countries since 1994.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Paragon Software does
Paragon Software Group is a privately held technology company founded in 1994 and headquartered in Freiburg, Germany (Paragon Technologie GmbH), with regional operations in the United States (Irvine, CA), Japan (Tokyo), and Russia (Moscow-Dolgoprudny). The company is controlled by founder and CEO Konstantin Komarov and operates without disclosed external institutional backing beyond a $14M round in 1999. Paragon specializes in file system drivers, storage management, and data protection software, unified by its proprietary Universal File System Driver (UFSD) technology engine that enables cross-platform interoperability across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and QNX environments. Its portfolio spans consumer products (Hard Disk Manager for Windows, Microsoft NTFS for Mac, APFS for Windows, exFAT/NTFS for Android), business solutions (Hard Disk Manager Business, Backup & Recovery Business, Protect & Restore, VM Backup for ESX with VMware vSphere 6.0–8.0 support), and a technology/embedded segment that licenses drivers and SDKs to OEMs and embedded-systems developers in automotive (IVI), networking (routers), and set-top box verticals.
The company monetizes through a mix of one-time perpetual consumer licenses ($9.95–$79.95 tier), volume and site licenses for SMBs and enterprises, multi-year enterprise subscriptions, professional services, and OEM/embedded licensing royalties to hardware manufacturers. Go-to-market combines self-serve e-commerce with 30-day trials and freemium offerings (free partition manager, free Mac backup recovery), an enterprise field-sales motion in four regions, a certified reseller and partner program, and direct OEM co-development. The OEM customer base includes ASUS, Western Digital, D-Link, Belkin, Seagate, HP, Intel, Microsoft, Netgear, Nvidia, Siemens, Technicolor, Telechips, and Wyplay, with Paragon's NTFS3 driver donated to the Linux kernel in 2021. The company sells in 150+ countries with localization across 30+ languages and has accumulated 310+ industry awards. In October 2025, Paragon discontinued more than a dozen legacy products and consolidated around its Windows Hard Disk Manager flagship, signaling a portfolio rationalization rather than withdrawal.
Paragon Software firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Paragon Software
- Legal name
- Paragon Technologie GmbH
- Website
- https://paragon-software.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Paragon Software Group is a privately held German-founded technology company that develops cross-platform file system drivers, storage management, and data protection software for consumers, businesses, OEMs, and embedded systems in 150+ countries since 1994.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Paragon Software industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Storage Management and File System Driver Software
- NAICS
- Computer Storage Device Manufacturing (334112), Software Publishers (5132), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- SIC
- Computer Storage Devices (3572), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Storage & Fabric Adapters (Fibre Channel/FCoE/iSCSI HBAs) (HDAFAEAC)
Keywords
Where Paragon Software is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Paragon Software business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licenses: One-time perpetual license sales for desktop and business products. Revenue from individual product purchases with optional upgrade paths.
- Volume and Site Licenses: Multi-seat licensing for businesses with tiered pricing based on number of installations. Includes enterprise and site licenses for unlimited deployments within location.
- OEM Licensing: Technology licensing to OEMs for embedding file system drivers in hardware products including routers, NAS devices, smartphones, and consumer electronics.
- Support and Maintenance: Upgrade assurance, extended support, and per-incident support services. Enterprise support with 4-hour response time and on-demand support with 2-hour response.
- Professional Services: Technical support services including TeamViewer-assisted sessions, implementation support, and custom integration services for enterprise customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Hard Disk Manager for Mac - single license |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Linux File Systems for Windows |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Hard Disk Manager for Windows - Advanced functionality |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | exFAT/NTFS for USB Android App |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Site License |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Unlimited License |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Technician License |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Volume Licenses |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Educational Licenses |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Products |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Paragon Software product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Paragon Software develops and sells proprietary file system drivers and storage management software that enable cross-platform read/write interoperability across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and embedded operating systems. The company offers consumer utilities (Hard Disk Manager, NTFS for Mac, APFS for Windows, exFAT/NTFS for Android), business backup and recovery solutions (VM Backup for ESX, Protect & Restore, Backup & Recovery Business), and licensed file system technology for OEM hardware embedding.
Product overview
Paragon Software is a technology company specializing in file system drivers, storage management, and data protection solutions. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products organized across consumer, business, and technology/embedded segments. Core consumer offerings include Hard Disk Manager for Windows and Mac, alongside file system drivers enabling cross-platform interoperability (Microsoft NTFS for Mac, APFS for Windows/Linux, Microsoft exFAT/NTFS for Android, extFS for Mac, HFS+ for Windows, Linux File Systems for Windows). Business solutions encompass Hard Disk Manager Business, Backup & Recovery Business, Protect & Restore, VM Backup for ESX (integrating with VMware vSphere/ESXi), and deployment tools. The technology/embedded segment provides UFSD (Universal File System Driver) SDKs, specialized drivers for automotive (IVI), routers, and QNX systems, plus forensic tools like Image Mounter and ReFS drivers. The portfolio is unified by the Paragon File System platform technology and delivered through the Paragon Licensing Center for license management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hard Disk Manager: Comprehensive disk management, backup and recovery solution for Windows and Mac
- NTFS for Mac
- APFS for Windows
- VM Backup
- Protect & Restore
Products and services
- Hard Disk Manager for Windows All-in-one consumer Windows utility for partitioning, boot correction, file and image backup, disk copying, secure data wiping, and recovery. Supports Windows Server 2012/2016/2019/2022/2025.
- Hard Disk Manager Business Business-grade version of Hard Disk Manager for corporate Windows endpoint backup, OS migration, partition management, and data sanitization with 10 industry-grade algorithms.
- Hard Disk Manager Technician License
Quantifiable outcome
- 61.5% of Android users accessing external storage use NTFS format (2018 study of 50,000 users)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Paragon Software
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Paragon Software technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature7 records
Paragon Software partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- ASUScoreASUS uses Paragon Microsoft NTFS driver in their entire line of network wireless products. ASUS engineers have verified the added value of Paragon's NTFS driver technology, considering it one of the highest performance and most reliable system driver solutions available.
- Western DigitalcoreWestern Digital leverages Paragon UFSD technology for their storage solutions and product lines. Paragon's technology creates perfect interoperability between clients' platforms and improves connectivity for WD products.
- D-LinkcoreD-Link signed agreement with Paragon Software for UFSD for Linux technology. Paragon UFSD for Linux expands storage and file sharing capabilities for D-Link product lines including ATHENA-R2 AC2600 router.
- BelkinmajorBelkin is listed among global business partners using Paragon technology solutions.
- IntelmajorIntel is listed among global business partners for Paragon technology solutions.
- MicrosoftcoreMicrosoft is a global business partner. Paragon holds Microsoft partnership for NTFS and exFAT technologies. Products branded as Microsoft NTFS for Mac and Microsoft exFAT/NTFS for USB.
- SeagatemajorSeagate is listed among global business partners for Paragon technology solutions.
- HPmajorHP is listed among global business partners for Paragon technology solutions.
- NetgearmajorNetgear is listed among global business partners for Paragon technology solutions.
- NvidiamajorNvidia is listed among global business partners for Paragon technology solutions.
- SiemensmajorSiemens is listed among global business partners for Paragon technology solutions in embedded systems.
- TechnicolormajorTechnicolor is listed among global business partners, likely for set-top box and entertainment device integration.
- TelechipsminorTelechips is listed among global business partners for Paragon technology solutions in embedded systems.
- WyplayminorWyplay is listed among global business partners, likely for set-top box integration.
- Amped WirelessminorAmped Wireless case study: Paragon UFSD for Linux expands storage and file sharing capabilities for Amped Wireless product lines including ATHENA-R2 AC2600 router with MU-MIMO.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Paragon Software competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Paragon Software social profiles
Digital presenceParagon Software financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Paragon Software leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Paragon Software subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Paragon Software funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Paragon Software M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Paragon Software
What does Paragon Software do?
Paragon Software develops and sells proprietary file system drivers and storage management software that enable cross-platform read/write interoperability across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and embedded operating systems. The company offers consumer utilities (Hard Disk Manager, NTFS for Mac, APFS for Windows, exFAT/NTFS for Android), business backup and recovery solutions (VM Backup for ESX, Protect & Restore, Backup & Recovery Business), and licensed file system technology for OEM hardware embedding.
Is Paragon Software a public or private company?
Paragon Software is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Paragon Software founded?
Paragon Software was founded in 1994. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Paragon Software based?
Paragon Software is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does Paragon Software make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses are the primary driver. The others are volume and Site Licenses, OEM Licensing, support and Maintenance and professional Services.
Does Paragon Software have an API?
No public API is recorded for Paragon Software.
What industry is Paragon Software in?
Paragon Software's product category is Storage Management and File System Driver Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAFAEAC, Storage & Fabric Adapters (Fibre Channel/FCoE/iSCSI HBAs). Its NAICS code is 334112 and its SIC code is 3572.