# FileBrowser vs ES file explorer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: FileBrowser at 82% against ES file explorer's 0%. FileBrowser also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). ES file explorer's advantage is price (Free vs $7.99) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

ES file explorer is free to download; FileBrowser costs $7.99 up front. ES file explorer sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. FileBrowser asks for nothing beyond the download.

FileBrowser holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FileBrowser has 5.6K ratings behind it against 10, 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 0% of ES file explorer's.

FileBrowser ships an update every 5 weeks, ES file explorer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FileBrowser | ES file explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filebrowser-documents-manager/id364738545/reviews)** | [1.8 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/es-file-explorer/id1620305556/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.6K** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **82.1% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#56** | — |
| Size | 70 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Stratospherix Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/323133606) | [alkesh dudhat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1599434938) |

## What reviewers say

### FileBrowser

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

**Currently charting:** #56 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

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


### ES file explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/es-file-explorer/id1620305556)

This app helps you organize and manage all files on your device. It allows you to view images, videos, audio, and documents, and sorts them into categories for easy access. Quickly find recently opened files and analyze your storage usage.

**Highlights:** Built-in viewers and players for various file types, Quick browsing by file type, downloads, recent, and large files, Storage usage analysis dashboard, Search photos by date, size, and creation/open dates, Multiple selection and sorting support

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Premium Access | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FileBrowser free?

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

### Is ES file explorer free?

ES file explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, FileBrowser or ES file explorer?

FileBrowser is rated higher. FileBrowser averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.6K ratings, while ES file explorer averages 1.8 from 10 ratings.

### Do FileBrowser or ES file explorer have ads?

ES file explorer shows ads; FileBrowser does not.

### Which is updated more often, FileBrowser or ES file explorer?

FileBrowser ships an update every 5 weeks, and ES file explorer every 2 weeks. Most recently, FileBrowser was updated on September 25, 2026 and ES file explorer on September 8, 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.*