# FileBrowser vs File Manager

The clearest difference is review sentiment: FileBrowser at 82% against File Manager's 22%. FileBrowser also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). File Manager's advantage is price (Free vs $7.99) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.6). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

File Manager is free to download; FileBrowser costs $7.99 up front. File Manager sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. FileBrowser asks for nothing beyond the download.

FileBrowser holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FileBrowser has 5.6K ratings behind it against 124, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of FileBrowser's written reviews are positive against 22% of File Manager's.

FileBrowser ships an update every 5 weeks, File Manager every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FileBrowser | File Manager |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filebrowser-documents-manager/id364738545/reviews)** | [4.3 (124 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-zip-and-unzip/id1296085015/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.6K** | 124 |
| Positive reviews | **82.1% of reviews** | 22.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 70 MB | 197 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Stratospherix Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/323133606) | [Mirarobot Science & Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1143715486) |

## What reviewers say

### FileBrowser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filebrowser-documents-manager/id364738545)

Access and manage files across your home computers, network drives, and cloud storage. Upload, download, copy, and edit documents directly from your device, with built-in viewers for various file types and streaming capabilities.

**Highlights:** Connect to computers, NAS, and cloud storage, Upload, download, copy, and move files, Multi-tabbed browsing and split-screen support, Edit documents in-place, Built-in viewers for documents, photos, and media, Stream movies and music with AirPlay/Chromecast, Annotate PDFs and images

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great file manager
- 🚀 Powerful and versatile
- 🔒 Secure access to files
- 💡 Excellent integration with iOS Files app
- 👍 Reliable and stable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 SMB connection issues
- 🐛 Misleading directory caching
- 🐛 Video playback problems
- 🐛 Buggy UI changes
- 🐛 Inability to rename photos

**Reported bugs**

- Copy and paste functionality broken after update
- Inability to access iCloud files
- Crashes when accessing large files
- Thumbnails not generating properly

**Requested features**

- Add support for AV1 video codec
- Improve audio playback controls
- Implement a recycle bin/trash feature
- Add option to loop video playback
- Improve video scrubbing and seeking


### File Manager

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-zip-and-unzip/id1296085015)

This app provides comprehensive file management capabilities, including viewing images, editing text, and previewing office documents. It also offers robust compression/decompression, media playback, scanning, cloud storage integration, and secure file transfer options.

**Highlights:** Image browser, Text and source code editor, Office document and PDF reader, Compression and decompression, Universal audio/video player, Cloud storage management, Network file transfer

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Update to Pro | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FileBrowser free?

FileBrowser costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is File Manager free?

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

### Which has better reviews, FileBrowser or File Manager?

FileBrowser is rated higher. FileBrowser averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.6K ratings, while File Manager averages 4.3 from 124 ratings.

### Do FileBrowser or File Manager have ads?

Neither FileBrowser nor File Manager shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FileBrowser or File Manager?

FileBrowser ships an update every 5 weeks, and File Manager every 3 weeks. Most recently, FileBrowser was updated on September 24, 2026 and File Manager on August 21, 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.*