# File manager vs ES file explorer

The clearest difference is rating: File manager at 4.5 against ES file explorer's 1.8. File manager also leads on review sentiment (30% vs 0%) and ratings volume (720 vs 10). ES file explorer's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. File manager sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: File manager has 720 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of File manager's written reviews are positive against 0% of ES file explorer's.

File manager ships an update every 3 months, ES file explorer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | File manager | ES file explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (720 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-document-editor/id1498297596/reviews)** | [1.8 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/es-file-explorer/id1620305556/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **720** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **29.5% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 107 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Bhalala Hiren Bharatbai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1438302804) | [alkesh dudhat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1599434938) |

## What reviewers say

### File manager

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-document-editor/id1498297596)

Easily manage all files and folders on your device, including internal storage and cloud services. Browse by category, perform essential file actions, and analyze storage usage. Includes bonus process and backup managers.

**Highlights:** File and folder management, Cloud storage integration, Storage analysis, Internal media viewers, Dual-pane interface, File compression/decompression

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| File Manager Pro - Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| File Manager Pro - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| File Manager Pro - Annual | $14.99 | per year |
| File Manager - Remove Ads | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Perfekter File Manager
- 👍 Good app
- 👍 Video recording

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on startup
- 🐛 Crashes when browsing files
- 🔋 High battery consumption due to ads
- 🚫 Useless, doesn't work
- 🚫 No access to local folders

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when searching for music files
- Deletes all photos, even unselected ones
- Closes automatically when opening
- Doesn't work on iPhone 13 Pro Max

**Requested features**

- Add search option
- Improve file management capabilities


### 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 free?

File manager 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 or ES file explorer?

File manager is rated higher. File manager averages 4.5 out of 5 from 720 ratings, while ES file explorer averages 1.8 from 10 ratings.

### Do File manager or ES file explorer have ads?

Both File manager and ES file explorer show ads.

### Which is updated more often, File manager or ES file explorer?

File manager ships an update every 3 months, and ES file explorer every 2 weeks. Most recently, File manager was updated on September 29, 2026 and ES file explorer on September 24, 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.*