# FileBrowserGO vs FileMate

The clearest difference is ads: FileBrowserGO at none against FileMate's shown. FileMate's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 47%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FileBrowserGO sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and FileMate sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

FileMate holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 700 and 378 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of FileBrowserGO's written reviews are positive against 75% of FileMate's.

FileBrowserGO ships an update monthly, FileMate every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FileBrowserGO | FileMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (700 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filebrowsergo-file-manager/id335493278/reviews) | **[4.6 (378 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filemate/id983467956/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **700** | 378 |
| Positive reviews | 46.6% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 80 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stratospherix Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/323133606) | [JUNBO JIA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893935666) |

## What reviewers say

### FileBrowserGO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filebrowsergo-file-manager/id335493278)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| 6 Monthly | $3.99 | per 6 months |
| Yearly | $5.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### FileMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filemate/id983467956)

This app is a powerful local file manager that allows you to browse, organize, and protect your documents, photos, and videos. It offers robust privacy features like file hiding and password protection, along with convenient file transfer and archive management.

**Highlights:** Local file management, Photo and video vault, File hiding and password protection, WiFi and iTunes file transfer, Archive and extract (7z, rar, zip), File search and marking, Customizable themes

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Access, Removing Ad | $3.99 | per month |
| All Access, Removing Ad | $34.99 | per year |
| Removing Ad | $9.99 | one-time |
| Theme, Folder and Night Mode | $9.99 | one-time |
| Passcode Lock | $9.99 | one-time |
| Super Hidden | $9.99 | one-time |
| All Features & Removing Ad | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 All projects in one place
- 👍 Few ads, good folder app
- 👍 Good customization options
- 👍 Real-time video playback
- 👍 Easy to use and access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Too many prompts
- 👎 Limited file viewers
- 👎 Videos don’t play audio
- 👎 Ads are annoying
- 👎 Full-screen ads

**Reported bugs**

- Videos don’t play audio
- Files can be accessed by other apps
- Videos play without sound
- MKV files not playable
- MP4 file play without sound

**Requested features**

- Provide multiple purchase options
- Add Face ID and Touch ID for hidden files
- Improve file viewer features (thumbnails, playlists, adjustments)
- Add folder locking to prevent accidental deletion
- Implement folder download from PC


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FileBrowserGO free?

FileBrowserGO is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is FileMate free?

FileMate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, FileBrowserGO or FileMate?

FileMate is rated higher. FileBrowserGO averages 4.4 out of 5 from 700 ratings, while FileMate averages 4.6 from 378 ratings.

### Do FileBrowserGO or FileMate have ads?

FileMate shows ads; FileBrowserGO does not.

### Which is updated more often, FileBrowserGO or FileMate?

FileBrowserGO ships an update monthly, and FileMate every 2 weeks. Most recently, FileBrowserGO was updated on September 22, 2026 and FileMate on September 25, 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.*