Comparison

FileBrowserGO vs HLS Player

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

HLS Player

Features
Read full description

『 Experience Flawless Live & VOD Streaming 』 Are you tired of buffering and low-quality playback when trying to watch your favorite HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) content or M3U8 video streams? The HLS Player app is your ultimate solution for smooth, high-quality video playback on your device. Designed for both live streams and Video-on-Demand (VOD), our powerful adaptive video player ensures you get the best viewing experience, regardless of your network conditions. 『 Key Features & Benefits 』 ① Comprehensive HLS & M3U8 Compatibility - Plays all types of HLS streams seamlessly, from basic .m3u8 playlists to complex multi-bitrate adaptive streams. - Fully supports M3U8 playlist files, allowing you to stream content from various sources, including network URLs, local files, and web links. - Compatible with standard video codecs (H.264, H.265/HEVC) and audio codecs (AAC, MP3). ② Smooth & Adaptive Streaming Technology - Adaptive Bitrate Streaming: Our intelligent player automatically adjusts the video quality in real-time based on your internet speed, minimizing buffering and ensuring uninterrupted playback for all your HLS and M3U8 videos. - Rapid Loading: Experience fast stream initialization and quick content loading, so you can jump straight into watching your desired video streams without frustrating delays. - Hardware Acceleration: Leverages your device's hardware for efficient video decoding, resulting in smoother performance and reduced battery consumption, even for high-resolution HLS streams. ③ Flexible Content Input & Management - Direct URL Playback: Simply paste any HLS M3U8 URL or other network video link to start streaming instantly. - Recent History: Automatically saves your recently played HLS and M3U8 streams for quick access. - Custom Playlists: Create and organize your own custom lists of favorite HLS streams for personalized access. ④ Intuitive User Interface & Advanced Controls - Clean and User-Friendly Design: Enjoy a simple and intuitive interface that makes navigating and controlling your HLS videos effortless for everyone. - Full-Screen Immersion: Immerse yourself in your streaming content with a dedicated full-screen viewing mode. - Playback Speed Adjustment: Customize your viewing experience by controlling the playback speed of your HLS M3U8 streams. ⑤ Secure & Reliable Connection - HTTPS Support: Our player supports secure HTTPS connections, ensuring your video streams are protected. - Proxy Compatibility: If your network setup requires it, our player can connect via a proxy server. 『 Must-Have for 』 • Users who frequently watch live HLS streams (e.g., IPTV, sports events, news channels). • Anyone needing a dedicated and reliable M3U8 player for various online video content. • Developers or quality assurance testers who need to efficiently check HLS stream functionality. • Individuals looking for a versatile and high-performance video player that excels in adaptive streaming. • Users experiencing constant buffering issues with other standard video players. Download the HLS Player now and transform your mobile video watching experience. Enjoy flawless HLS and M3U8 playback with ultimate smoothness, speed, and quality!

Screenshots

FileBrowserGO4 screens
HLS Player4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HLS Player at none against FileBrowserGO's 3. HLS Player also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). FileBrowserGO's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support 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. HLS Player asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FileBrowserGO ships an update every 4 weeks, HLS Player every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
FileBrowserGO versus HLS Player: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFileBrowserGOHLS Player
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (709 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews46.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings709 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB77 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStratospherix LtdCHANG DEOK KIM

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

HLS Player

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
None

HLS Player

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FileBrowserGO free?
FileBrowserGO is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HLS Player free?
HLS Player is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FileBrowserGO or HLS Player have ads?
HLS Player shows ads; FileBrowserGO does not.
Which is updated more often, FileBrowserGO or HLS Player?
FileBrowserGO ships an update every 4 weeks, and HLS Player every 6 weeks. Most recently, FileBrowserGO was updated on November 6, 2026 and HLS Player on October 30, 2026.

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