Comparison

FileBrowser vs File Explorer Professional

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FileBrowser

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
Currently charting
Read full description

Use your iPad or iPhone to connect to your home computers, network drives and cloud storage. Easily upload/download/copy files and folders from one location to another, and browse your content using a variety of built-in viewers. *** FileBrowser remains the best option if you're looking for a file manager that supports a variety of external connections and also integrates deeply with iOS - Federico Viticci - MacStories *** *** 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 FileBrowser 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 suite of apps are 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, WebDAV, FTP and SFTP. Link to the same cloud storage with multiple accounts, if you have more than one Dropbox account, for example. EXTEND THE FILES APP FileBrowser allows you to access all your connections from the iOS Files app and other apps that use this as their document chooser, bringing network access to those apps. EDIT IN-PLACE No more copying of documents between apps. Launch an app to edit a network document in-place, such as Word or Pages or any of the Office and Mac suite. Changes are saved to the original document automatically. BLAZINGLY FAST Create bookmarks to your favorite locations & folders. Use a single tap to connect and browse to a favorite folder. 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. SECURITY AND ENCRYPTION FileBrowser securely stores your passwords in the iOS keychain and uses iOS encryption features to protect your local content. Protect local files using a password, TouchID or FaceID. 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 FileBrowser has many features that we would like to tell you about. Check out our website. You'll be amazed! https://www.stratospherix.com/products/filebrowser FIRST CLASS SUPPORT User manuals and help are available at stratospherix.com/support with how-to articles and videos. You can also email us for fast, friendly support.

About

File Explorer Professional

Manage local and cloud files with this comprehensive tool. Transfer, convert, and share media, secure sensitive data, and access cloud storage like Google Drive and Dropbox. Includes a music player, voice recorder, and text editor.

Highlights
  • Local and cloud file management
  • Cloud storage integration (iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, OneDrive)
  • Video and audio file conversion
  • Secure secret folder with password/Touch ID
  • Wi-Fi file sharing (HTTP, FTP)
  • Built-in music player and voice recorder
Features
Read full description

File Explorer is a wonderful local and cloud file manager that enables you to manage files on your mobil device. You can management your device files and cloud files. Supported iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, OneDrive. You can send cloud file shared link to your friend. You can play the music, video files and read documents files, manage them and export them to your computer. You can take new photo, video and voice files. You can use video convert and audio convert. - Video file to MP3 file. (ex; mp4, mov, m4v -> mp3) - Video file to MP4 file. (ex; mov, m4v -> mp4) You can to do file sharing from your device with web sharing and ftp sharing via wifi network. # Multi Account Cloud Drive Service Support - iCloud Drive - Dropbox - Google Drive - Box - OneDrive 
 # File sharing - Disk Mounter - HTTP Web Sharing - FTP Sharing. # MP3 Convert Audio and Video files (WAV, M4A, MP4, MOV, M4V, etc) can be converted to MP3 files extracted just audio. # MP4 Convert Various video files (MOV, M4V, etc) can be converted to MP4 video files. # Photo and Video Edit All photos and video can be rotated and flipped. # Music Album Artwork Picture of music album can be changed and chosen from photo album of the smart phone. # Secret Folder Any important data can be saved and kept safely in "Secret Folder". "Secret Folder" provides safe locking system, which consists of password and Touch ID. # Music Player You can play all of music files saved in your smart phone. Especially the streaming is maintaining at sleep mode or using other apps. # Camera You can take photos during video record and the screen is wider than original iPhone camera. It is involving various functions like resolution, flash and autofocus. # Voice Recorder You can record voice anytime and anywhere you want. Especially recording is maintaining at sleep mode or using other apps. # Text Editor You can simply create text file and make your important notes. # Folder Most basic data will be saved in the section “Folder”, as well as the functions of camera, voice record and media player are also used in Folder. # Album Section “Album" manages all photos and videos. You can also take and save photos in Album as well as the saved files can be copied in other sections. # Download If you input internet address, it opens the web page with built in Safari web browser. You can download any files linked from web sites. # Favorites You can set often used files or folders with star shaped button, and you can find and use the data easily in this section. # iCloud Drive All apple devices and Window system that have iCloud Drive can synchronize all datas through Explorer App. # Disk Mounter You can mount the saved files in your smart phone to Mac or Window PC conveniently. You can install disk mounter program on your Mac / PC from http://www.smartdisk.org for free. # HTTP Sharing You can share and manage the files in your smart phone on the web browser through HTTP server. # FTP Sharing You can share and manage the files in your smart phone on the web browser through FTP server. # iTunes Folder You can manage the files in the app through iTunes program. # File Zipping and Unzipping You can zip and unzip the files or folders. # File Export Smart Disk Explorer supports exporting functions such as printing, mailing, opening other apps, and saving image files as photos in album. # App Lock Passcode The locking system will be automatically activated to protect your important data when you close the app. It supports Touch ID for convenience and safe.

Screenshots

FileBrowser4 screens
File Explorer Professional4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: FileBrowser at 4.7 against File Explorer Professional's 2.9. FileBrowser also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 50%) and ratings volume (5.6K vs 7). File Explorer Professional's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $7.99) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

FileBrowser costs $7.99 and File Explorer Professional $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FileBrowser holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FileBrowser has 5.6K ratings behind it against 7, 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 50% of File Explorer Professional's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
FileBrowser versus File Explorer Professional: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFileBrowserFile Explorer Professional
Price$7.99$0.99 — better
Rating4.7 (5.6K ratings) — better2.9 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews82.1% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings5.6K — better7
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#176 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.611.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size70 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStratospherix LtdCertchip Corp

Customer experience

FileBrowser

All ratings5,642 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.4%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews1,157 reviews
Positive82.1%
Neutral6.1%
Negative11.8%

File Explorer Professional

All ratings7 ratings
Positive42.9%
Neutral14.3%
Negative42.9%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative37.5%

Bugs and requests

FileBrowser

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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 Explorer Professional

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

FileBrowser

No in-app purchases

None

File Explorer Professional

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FileBrowser free?
FileBrowser costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is File Explorer Professional free?
File Explorer Professional costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FileBrowser or File Explorer Professional?
FileBrowser is rated higher. FileBrowser averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.6K ratings, while File Explorer Professional averages 2.9 from 7 ratings.
Do FileBrowser or File Explorer Professional have ads?
Neither FileBrowser nor File Explorer Professional shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FileBrowser or File Explorer Professional?
FileBrowser ships an update every 5 weeks, and File Explorer Professional every 5 weeks. Most recently, FileBrowser was updated on September 25, 2026 and File Explorer Professional on August 27, 2026.

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