Comparison

FileBrowserGO vs ES File Explorer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FileBrowserGO

Access and manage files across your computers, network drives, and cloud storage from your iOS device. Organize, edit, and share files with features like multi-tabbed browsing, in-place editing, and media streaming.

Highlights
  • Connect to computers, NAS, and cloud storage
  • Multi-tabbed browsing and split-screen support
  • Edit files in-place from network locations
  • Stream media with AirPlay and Chromecast
  • View and annotate PDFs and images
  • Automatic folder syncing and backup
  • Create custom file operation tasks
Features
Read full description

Try FileBrowserGO and let it change the way you use your iPad or iPhone to connect to your home computers, network drives and cloud storage. *** FileBrowser's setup varies for every device, and the automatic wizards work super-well. Charlie Sorrel - Cult of Mac *** Ultra-fast browsing of your computers. Faster than Windows Explorer or Mac Finder and our users agree! GET ORGANIZED FileBrowserGO gives you everything you need to keep your files effortlessly organized: Move, edit, delete, rename, copy, zip and unzip. Download files from the web and paste them wherever you choose. MULTI-TABBED BROWSING Our FileBrowser apps were the first file management apps to support multiple tabs. Connect to many of your locations at once and switch between them with ease. Use iPadOS split-screen mode to drag & drop between multiple windows. CONNECT TO Windows, Mac, Linux, Time Capsule, NAS drives, portable WiFi drives, SMB, Samba. Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, pCloud, WebDAV, FTP, SFTP, BackBlaze B2, Amazon S3, Digital Ocean, FileBase S3, iDrive Cloud S3, Wasabi S3. Link to the same cloud storage with multiple accounts, if you have more than one Dropbox account, for example. EXTEND THE FILES APP FileBrowserGO allows you to access all your connections from the iOS Files app and other apps. EDIT IN-PLACE No more duplicate documents in apps. Launch an app to edit a network document in-place, such as Word or Pages. Changes are saved to the original document automatically. PHOTO VIEWER Browse your photos wherever they are stored and display them on your TV or projector using AirPlay or Chromecast. Easily flick through holiday snaps or use the built-in slideshow feature. STREAM YOUR MOVIES / MUSIC Stream movie files or listen to music, both with AirPlay™ and Chromecast support. Use our built-in viewers or stream video to other apps. DOCUMENT VIEWER View Microsoft Office, Apple Pages, Numbers, KeyNote, PDF, text files, source code, HTML, and many more using the built-in viewers. ANNOTATE PDFS AND IMAGES Use the built-in annotation tools for PDFs and images, or use the iOS annotation tools to add notes, drawings or highlight text. SYNC FOLDERS AUTOMATICALLY Keep copies of selected network folders available offline. Edit a file and sync the change back to your computer or cloud. BACKUP FOLDERS Backup folders, such as the Camera Roll to a network or cloud folder. Changes are automatically uploaded. SECURITY AND ENCRYPTION FileBrowserGO securely stores your passwords in the iOS keychain and uses iOS file encryption features. CUSTOM TASKS Create custom tasks to perform complex sequences of file & folder operations, saving you time on frequent tasks. CONNECT ANYWHERE Connect to your Mac or PC when away from home. See our website for details: https://www.stratospherix.com/setupvpn TOO MANY FEATURES TO LIST FileBrowserGO has many features that we would like to tell you about. Find details at https://www.stratospherix.com/products/filebrowsergo. You’ll be amazed! When you start your first in-app subscription, you get a 14 day FREE trial period so that you can try all the features. If you cancel your subscription during this 2 week period you won't be charged anything. FIRST CLASS SUPPORT User manuals and help are available at stratospherix.com/support with how-to articles and videos. Email us for fast, friendly support.

About

ES File Explorer

Manage local and network files with this comprehensive tool. It offers file transfer, compression, built-in media players, cloud storage integration, and editing capabilities for various document and code formats.

Highlights
  • File management and sorting
  • WiFi and face-to-face file transfer
  • ZIP, RAR, 7Z compression/decompression
  • Built-in audio/video player
  • Cloud storage aggregation
  • Remote service access (SMB, FTP, WebDAV)
  • PDF and code editor
Features
Read full description

ES File Explorer is a local and network file management tool that can help you manage files easily. 【The main function】 -File management You can create new directories, rename, move, delete files, etc. Support file sorting by name, date, size The iPad version supports features such as split screen, picture-in-picture, and drag-and-drop operations between apps - file transfer WiFi transmission function: support the transfer of files between the mobile terminal and the computer terminal Face-to-face fast transfer function: support for transferring files between mobile phones -Compress and decompress Support the compression and decompression of ZIP, RAR, 7Z format files Support Chinese password -Built-in audio and video player Support functions: double-speed playback (0.5~2.0), background playback, small window playback, etc. Can directly play audio and video resources in the network disk, local area, and local area network -Netdisk aggregation No need to download, you can access and use the files in the network disk Support simultaneous login with multiple accounts on the same network disk Support mainstream network disks such as Baidu network disk, google drive, OneDrive, dropbox, etc. -Remote service access: SMB, FTP, WebDAV -Built-in PDF editor Support PDF file browsing PDF file editing: supports highlight, underline, strikethrough, pen and other functions -Built-in novel reader Support TXT, EPUB format, continuous optimization -Built-in code editor Supports browsing and editing of 47 code formats such as json, js, log, java, php, swift, xml, net, etc. Support code theme switching, font size adjustment, encoding format adjustment -Other functions Automatic backup function: support incremental backup of system albums and ES local files to Baidu network disk, SMB, FTP, WebDAV Recycle bin function: support ES local files to be temporarily stored in the ES recycle bin after deletion to prevent file loss Browser: Support web browsing Application lock: protect user privacy and safety ES PRO - When you purchase ES PRO, you will Unlock all premium features. - ES PRO is billed monthly or annually at the rate corresponding to the selected plan. - Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. - According to the Apple Store policy, your subscription will be automatically renewed after the free trial ends. - Subscriptions will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of current period. - Your account will be charged according to your plan for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or turn off auto-renew in your Apple ID account settings at any time after purchase. Terms of Service: http://esfile.do-global.com/h5/user_manual.html Privacy Policy: http://www.estrongs.com/privacyStatement/en/index.htm Email: esfileexplorerfeedback@outlook.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialESFileExplorer/ YouTube: https://goo.gl/YVXXV3

Screenshots

FileBrowserGO4 screens
ES File Explorer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ES File Explorer at 64% against FileBrowserGO's 46%. ES File Explorer also leads on ratings volume (15K vs 708) and rating (4.6 vs 4.4). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. FileBrowserGO sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and ES File Explorer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ES File Explorer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ES File Explorer has 15K ratings behind it against 708, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of FileBrowserGO's written reviews are positive against 64% of ES File Explorer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FileBrowserGO ships an update monthly, ES File Explorer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
FileBrowserGO versus ES File Explorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFileBrowserGOES File Explorer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (708 ratings)4.6 (15K ratings) — better
Positive reviews46.5% of reviews63.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings70815K — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB263 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperStratospherix LtdBeijing Xiaoxiong Bowang Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

FileBrowserGO

All ratings708 ratings
Positive86.0%
Neutral3.4%
Negative10.6%
Written reviews310 reviews
Positive46.5%
Neutral8.1%
Negative45.5%

ES File Explorer

All ratings15,195 ratings
Positive89.9%
Neutral3.0%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews1,153 reviews
Positive63.7%
Neutral8.8%
Negative27.5%

User reviews

FileBrowserGO

From 708 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient file management
  • 🔒 Secure access to network drives
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Seamless integration with cloud storage
  • 👍 Helpful and responsive customer support

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Subscription-based model
  • 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
  • 🐛 Compatibility problems with certain file types
  • 🔒 Limited functionality in free version
  • 🐛 Buggy behavior after updates

ES File Explorer

From 15K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful file management
  • 📁 Extensive file format support
  • 🔒 Secure folder access
  • 🎵 Excellent built-in media player
  • 🔗 Seamless network connectivity

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🔍 Search functionality issues
  • 🔇 Music playback problems
  • 🔌 Connectivity issues with FTP/SFTP

Bugs and requests

FileBrowserGO

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent disconnections from network drives
  • Inability to access certain folders on network shares
  • Thumbnails not loading for some file types
  • Crashes when trying to open large files

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to move and copy multiple files at once
  • Improved photo and video browsing experience
  • Support for more video and audio codecs
  • Integration with iOS Files app
  • Automatic file upload/sync to cloud storage

ES File Explorer

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Deleted all user files after update
  • Unable to connect to SMB servers
  • Video playback issues with certain file types
  • Inconsistent behavior when using VPN

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved file compression tools
  • More customization options
  • Better integration with Apple ecosystem
  • Enhanced audio/video playback controls

In-app purchases

3 purchases

FileBrowserGO

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly14 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • 6 Monthly14 Days trial$3.996 Months
  • Yearly14 Days trial$5.991 Year
7 purchases

ES File Explorer

Subscriptions4
  • ES Pro(1 month)7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • ES Pro(1 month)$6.991 Month
  • ES Pro(1 year)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • ES Pro(1 year)$29.991 Year
One-time3
  • ES remove ads$1.99
  • ES lifetime vip$4.99
  • ES lifetime vip$6.99

Questions

Is FileBrowserGO free?
FileBrowserGO 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, FileBrowserGO or ES File Explorer?
ES File Explorer is rated higher. FileBrowserGO averages 4.4 out of 5 from 708 ratings, while ES File Explorer averages 4.6 from 15K ratings.
Do FileBrowserGO or ES File Explorer have ads?
Neither FileBrowserGO nor ES File Explorer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FileBrowserGO or ES File Explorer?
FileBrowserGO ships an update monthly, and ES File Explorer every 3 weeks. Most recently, FileBrowserGO was updated on October 18, 2026 and ES File Explorer on October 21, 2026.

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