# FileBrowser vs File Explorer Professional

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | FileBrowser | File Explorer Professional |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **$0.99** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filebrowser-documents-manager/id364738545/reviews)** | [2.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-professional/id853365825/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.6K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **82.1% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 70 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stratospherix Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/323133606) | [Certchip Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652474819) |

## 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 Explorer Professional

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-professional/id853365825)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


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