# File Explorer & Player vs Catch Control

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Catch Control at none against File Explorer & Player's 4. Catch Control also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. File Explorer & Player sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Catch Control asks for nothing beyond the download.

File Explorer & Player ships an update every 3 weeks, Catch Control every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | File Explorer & Player | Catch Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (124 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-and-player/id1113281296/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **124** | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 84 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Remote Sunrise LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/619088610) | [Wytze Sligting](https://appshunter.io/developer/1659284115) |

## What reviewers say

### File Explorer & Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-and-player/id1113281296)

Access and stream files from your Mac wirelessly on your iPhone or iPad. View photos, documents, and play videos directly from your computer. Transfer files and even use your iOS device as a portable drive.

**Highlights:** Stream video from Mac, View photos and documents, Transfer files to iOS, Use iOS as a drive, Wireless Mac access

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Pro Version - 1M | $1.99 | per month |
| Upgrade to Pro Version | $9.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads | $19.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to PRO | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and understand
- 🚀 Fast streaming of files
- 👍 Seamless connection across devices
- 👍 Works well on Apple devices (iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro)
- 💰 Inexpensive and good value

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Free version is limited/useless
- 🐛 Does not work for PC
- 🐛 No external access (from outside home network)
- 🐛 Paid version download issues reported
- 🐛 Lack of clear instructions for new features

**Reported bugs**

- Paid version download issues reported
- Free version does nothing
- Poor support response to feature inquiries

**Requested features**

- Add NAS support
- Enable external access (remote access from outside home network)
- Add Chinese language option
- Allow file renaming
- Improve PC compatibility


### Catch Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catch-control/id6501985898)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is File Explorer & Player free?

File Explorer & Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Catch Control free?

Catch Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do File Explorer & Player or Catch Control have ads?

File Explorer & Player shows ads; Catch Control does not.

### Which is updated more often, File Explorer & Player or Catch Control?

File Explorer & Player ships an update every 3 weeks, and Catch Control every 4 days. Most recently, File Explorer & Player was updated on October 24, 2026 and Catch Control on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*