# File Manager & Documents vs CX File Explorer & Manager

The clearest difference is monetization model: CX File Explorer & Manager at free with in-app purchases against File Manager & Documents's subscription. CX File Explorer & Manager also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). File Manager & Documents's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (52% vs 29%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases 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 CX File Explorer & Manager sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for File Manager & Documents against 4.5 for CX File Explorer & Manager. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: File Manager & Documents has 4.8K ratings behind it against 337, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of File Manager & Documents's written reviews are positive against 29% of CX File Explorer & Manager's.

File Manager & Documents ships an update every 4 weeks, CX File Explorer & Manager every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | File Manager & Documents | CX File Explorer & Manager |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-and-documents/id1478159954/reviews) | [4.5 (337 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cx-file-explorer-and-manager/id6511239421/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.8K** | 337 |
| Positive reviews | **52.2% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 88 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giant Brains](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475947964) | [Fatiha Badag](https://appshunter.io/developer/1720152607) |

## 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


### CX File Explorer & Manager

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cx-file-explorer-and-manager/id6511239421)

This app helps you organize, sort, search, and manage all your files, including documents, photos, and videos. It also supports extracting multiple archive file formats like ZIP, RAR, and 7-Zip.

**Highlights:** Manage device storage, Extract archive files (ZIP, RAR, 7z), Browse photos and videos, Transfer files via Wi-Fi, Quickly search for files, Delete, share, and rename files

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Lifetime Plan | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great on Android
- 👍 Hope it's similar
- 👍 Wonderful app on Android
- 👍 Brilliant Android app
- 👍 Best File Manager

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Not the same as Android
- 😞 Nothing for free
- 😞 It sucks
- 😞 Looks old
- 😞 Screen is too small

**Reported bugs**

- Email address for support doesn't work
- App asks to review immediately
- Can't get in contact with anyone about deleting account

**Requested features**

- How to get on game files
- How to open Device Storage on iPhone 13
- How to put files on there
- More sense in the app
- Make it not in English


## Frequently asked questions

### Is File Manager & Documents free?

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

### Is CX File Explorer & Manager free?

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

### Which has better reviews, File Manager & Documents or CX File Explorer & Manager?

File Manager & Documents and CX File Explorer & Manager are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4.8K and 337 ratings respectively.

### Do File Manager & Documents or CX File Explorer & Manager have ads?

CX File Explorer & Manager shows ads; File Manager & Documents does not.

### Which is updated more often, File Manager & Documents or CX File Explorer & Manager?

File Manager & Documents ships an update every 4 weeks, and CX File Explorer & Manager every 6 weeks. Most recently, File Manager & Documents was updated on October 17, 2026 and CX File Explorer & Manager on October 18, 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.*