# File Manager & Documents vs ES file explorer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: File Manager & Documents at 52% against ES file explorer's 0%. File Manager & Documents also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.8) and ads (none vs shown). ES file explorer's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 weeks). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. File Manager & Documents sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and ES file explorer sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

File Manager & Documents holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: File Manager & Documents has 4.8K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of File Manager & Documents's written reviews are positive against 0% of ES file explorer's.

File Manager & Documents ships an update every 4 weeks, ES file explorer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | File Manager & Documents | ES file explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-and-documents/id1478159954/reviews)** | [1.8 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/es-file-explorer/id1620305556/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.8K** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **52.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 88 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Giant Brains](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475947964) | [alkesh dudhat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1599434938) |

## What reviewers say

### File Manager & Documents

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-and-documents/id1478159954)

Organize and manage your downloaded files and documents conveniently on your iPhone or iPad. Create folders, store files in the cloud to save space, and use the built-in browser for direct downloads. Sort files by various criteria for easy access.

**Highlights:** Manage downloads, Create folders, Cloud storage, Built-in browser, Direct downloads, Sort files

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 💡 Innovative features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔒 Security and privacy concerns
- 💰 Expensive subscription model

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with newer iOS versions
- Download issues

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved file management capabilities
- Better integration with other apps


### ES file explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/es-file-explorer/id1620305556)

This app helps you organize and manage all files on your device. It allows you to view images, videos, audio, and documents, and sorts them into categories for easy access. Quickly find recently opened files and analyze your storage usage.

**Highlights:** Built-in viewers and players for various file types, Quick browsing by file type, downloads, recent, and large files, Storage usage analysis dashboard, Search photos by date, size, and creation/open dates, Multiple selection and sorting support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Premium Access | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is File Manager & Documents free?

File Manager & Documents is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ES file explorer free?

ES file explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, File Manager & Documents or ES file explorer?

File Manager & Documents is rated higher. File Manager & Documents averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4.8K ratings, while ES file explorer averages 1.8 from 10 ratings.

### Do File Manager & Documents or ES file explorer have ads?

ES file explorer shows ads; File Manager & Documents does not.

### Which is updated more often, File Manager & Documents or ES file explorer?

File Manager & Documents ships an update every 4 weeks, and ES file explorer every 2 weeks. Most recently, File Manager & Documents was updated on September 27, 2026 and ES file explorer on September 8, 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.*