# Files vs Documents

The clearest difference is update cadence: Documents at weekly against Files's every 4 months. Documents also leads on ratings volume (626K vs 12K) and review sentiment (71% vs 55%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Files sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Documents sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 — 4.7 for Files against 4.8 for Documents. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Documents has 626K ratings behind it against 12K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 55% of Files's written reviews are positive against 71% of Documents's.

Files ships an update every 4 months, Documents weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Files | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/files-file-manager-and-browser/id349275540/reviews) | **[4.8 (626K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/documents-file-manager/id364901807/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12K | **626K** |
| Positive reviews | 55.3% of reviews | **71.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#68** |
| Size | 56 MB | 431 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Hian Zin Jong](https://appshunter.io/developer/298442756) | [Readdle Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/285035419) |

## What reviewers say

### Files

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/files-file-manager-and-browser/id349275540)

This app provides a web browser to save documents for offline viewing on your device. It includes a robust file manager with viewers for various document types, a photo browser, PDF reader, and Dropbox integration.

**Highlights:** Web browser for offline viewing, Built-in file manager, Advanced PDF reader, Photo browser, Dropbox integration, File transfer via HTTP/FTP, Passcode lock

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $5.99 | per year |
| Full Version Upgrade | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to collect content
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Useful for offline access
- 🚀 Quick downloads
- 👍 Reliable app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes/glitches
- 🔒 Security concerns
- 💰 Subscription model issues
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with iOS updates

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening images/videos
- Download links not working
- Restore purchases not functioning
- App not opening on iOS 13+
- Inconsistent behavior when switching tabs

**Requested features**

- Add equalizer
- Improve search functionality
- Enable background downloads
- Integrate with native Files app
- Add playlist management options


### Documents

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/documents-file-manager/id364901807)

**Currently charting:** #68 Top Grossing · Productivity, #111 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This app is a comprehensive file manager and document editor for mobile devices. It allows users to organize, edit, convert, and annotate various file types, including PDFs, Office documents, and audio/video files. It also features transcription, scanning, and cloud integration.

**Highlights:** Edit PDFs directly, Convert files to PDF, Organize files and folders, Transcribe audio and video, Scan documents, Play audio and video, Transfer files via Wi-Fi

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Documents Plus | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Documents Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Documents Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Documents Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Documents Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Documents Plus | $12.49 | per month |
| Documents VPN | $12.49 | per month |
| Documents VPN | $12.49 | per month |
| Documents Plus | $14.99 | per month |
| Documents Plus | $14.99 | per month |
| Documents Plus | $49.99 | per year |
| Documents Plus | $59.99 | per year |
| Documents VPN | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 Excellent file management capabilities
- 🚀 Seamless integration with cloud services
- 📚 Versatile document viewer and editor
- 🎵 Reliable offline music player
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Concerns over in-app subscription model
- 🔍 Inconsistent search and file management functionality
- 🔋 High storage consumption
- 🤔 Confusing changes in recent updates

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing downloaded files and folders
- Unreliable audio playback with skipping and pausing
- Inability to open certain file types after updates
- Syncing issues between local storage and cloud services

**Requested features**

- Customizable volume controls for audio playback
- Improved PDF annotation tools
- Option to expand/collapse all bookmarks in documents
- Ability to permanently delete files
- Faster file transfer and syncing between devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Files free?

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

### Is Documents free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Files or Documents?

Documents is rated higher. Files averages 4.7 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Documents averages 4.8 from 626K ratings.

### Do Files or Documents have ads?

Neither Files nor Documents shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Files or Documents?

Files ships an update every 4 months, and Documents weekly. Most recently, Files was updated on September 20, 2026 and Documents on September 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*