Comparison

Documents vs ES File Explorer

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

Head to head
About

Documents

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
Read full description

Documents by Readdle is your file manager, document viewer, PDF editor, and archive extractor for iPhone and iPad. Browse and organize your files, extract ZIP and RAR archives, edit and sign PDFs, and convert or compress anything — all from one app. FILE MANAGER - Browse, organize, and manage local files and folders in one fast file browser, rename and color-tag them for quick access - Import files from your computer, download files directly from the web browser, or work with iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, and other cloud drives without downloading them ZIP & RAR ARCHIVE EXTRACTOR - Unzip and extract ZIP and RAR archives directly on your iPhone or iPad - Create new ZIP archives to compress and share multiple files at once - Compress large files and folders to save storage space PDF EDITOR, VIEWER & CONVERTER - View and read PDFs, books, and scanned documents with a fast built-in viewer - Edit or modify existing text directly inside a PDF - Highlight, add notes, and place stickers on PDFs and books - Merge multiple PDFs into one, or split, rotate, and reorder pages - Convert PDF to Word, JPG, PNG, HEIC, and other formats SIGN DOCUMENTS - Add your signature to PDF contracts and forms in seconds - Fill out forms and place text, checkmarks, and initials anywhere on a document - Store signed contracts securely and access them from any device FILE CONVERTER & COMPRESSOR - Convert between PDF, DOCX, JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, WEBP, and more in a few taps - Compress PDFs, photos, and files to reduce size for email or upload limits - Create PDFs from photos, scans, or documents, and convert them back to editable formats SCANNER - Scan receipts, books, and documents with a built-in OCR document scanner - Save scans as searchable PDFs directly in Documents or your cloud drive ALSO INSIDE - Transcribe audio and video to text, then edit or export the transcript - Use Smart Eraser to remove unwanted objects from photos - Play music and video, and transfer files to your Mac or PC over Wi-Fi Documents is an App Store Editors' Choice winner. Read more about our terms and conditions here: https://documents.io/legal/privacy https://documents.io/legal/terms

About

ES File Explorer

Manage local and network files with this comprehensive tool. It offers file transfer, compression, built-in media players, cloud storage integration, and editing capabilities for various document and code formats.

Highlights
  • File management and sorting
  • WiFi and face-to-face file transfer
  • ZIP, RAR, 7Z compression/decompression
  • Built-in audio/video player
  • Cloud storage aggregation
  • Remote service access (SMB, FTP, WebDAV)
  • PDF and code editor
Features
Read full description

ES File Explorer is a local and network file management tool that can help you manage files easily. 【The main function】 -File management You can create new directories, rename, move, delete files, etc. Support file sorting by name, date, size The iPad version supports features such as split screen, picture-in-picture, and drag-and-drop operations between apps - file transfer WiFi transmission function: support the transfer of files between the mobile terminal and the computer terminal Face-to-face fast transfer function: support for transferring files between mobile phones -Compress and decompress Support the compression and decompression of ZIP, RAR, 7Z format files Support Chinese password -Built-in audio and video player Support functions: double-speed playback (0.5~2.0), background playback, small window playback, etc. Can directly play audio and video resources in the network disk, local area, and local area network -Netdisk aggregation No need to download, you can access and use the files in the network disk Support simultaneous login with multiple accounts on the same network disk Support mainstream network disks such as Baidu network disk, google drive, OneDrive, dropbox, etc. -Remote service access: SMB, FTP, WebDAV -Built-in PDF editor Support PDF file browsing PDF file editing: supports highlight, underline, strikethrough, pen and other functions -Built-in novel reader Support TXT, EPUB format, continuous optimization -Built-in code editor Supports browsing and editing of 47 code formats such as json, js, log, java, php, swift, xml, net, etc. Support code theme switching, font size adjustment, encoding format adjustment -Other functions Automatic backup function: support incremental backup of system albums and ES local files to Baidu network disk, SMB, FTP, WebDAV Recycle bin function: support ES local files to be temporarily stored in the ES recycle bin after deletion to prevent file loss Browser: Support web browsing Application lock: protect user privacy and safety ES PRO - When you purchase ES PRO, you will Unlock all premium features. - ES PRO is billed monthly or annually at the rate corresponding to the selected plan. - Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. - According to the Apple Store policy, your subscription will be automatically renewed after the free trial ends. - Subscriptions will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of current period. - Your account will be charged according to your plan for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or turn off auto-renew in your Apple ID account settings at any time after purchase. Terms of Service: http://esfile.do-global.com/h5/user_manual.html Privacy Policy: http://www.estrongs.com/privacyStatement/en/index.htm Email: esfileexplorerfeedback@outlook.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialESFileExplorer/ YouTube: https://goo.gl/YVXXV3

Screenshots

Documents4 screens
ES File Explorer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Documents at 631K against ES File Explorer's 15K. Documents also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). ES File Explorer's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Documents sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and ES File Explorer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Documents holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Documents has 631K ratings behind it against 15K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Documents's written reviews are positive against 64% of ES File Explorer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Documents ships an update every 6 days, ES File Explorer every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Documents versus ES File Explorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDocumentsES File Explorer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (631K ratings) — better4.6 (15K ratings)
Positive reviews70.8% of reviews — better63.7% of reviews
Number of ratings631K — better15K
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#75 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size435 MB263 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperReaddle Technologies LimitedBeijing Xiaoxiong Bowang Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

Documents

All ratings631,011 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral2.2%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews3,009 reviews
Positive70.8%
Neutral6.9%
Negative22.2%

ES File Explorer

All ratings15,195 ratings
Positive89.9%
Neutral3.0%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews1,153 reviews
Positive63.7%
Neutral8.8%
Negative27.5%

User reviews

Documents

From 631K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

ES File Explorer

From 15K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful file management
  • 📁 Extensive file format support
  • 🔒 Secure folder access
  • 🎵 Excellent built-in media player
  • 🔗 Seamless network connectivity

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🔍 Search functionality issues
  • 🔇 Music playback problems
  • 🔌 Connectivity issues with FTP/SFTP

Bugs and requests

Documents

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

ES File Explorer

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Deleted all user files after update
  • Unable to connect to SMB servers
  • Video playback issues with certain file types
  • Inconsistent behavior when using VPN

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved file compression tools
  • More customization options
  • Better integration with Apple ecosystem
  • Enhanced audio/video playback controls

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Documents

Subscriptions12
  • Documents Plus7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Documents Plus$9.991 Month
  • Documents Plus1 Month trial$9.991 Month
Show 9 more
  • Documents Plus7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Documents Plus3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Documents Plus7 Days trial$12.491 Month
  • Documents VPN3 Days trial$12.491 Month
  • Documents VPN7 Days trial$12.491 Month
  • Documents Plus7 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Documents Plus3 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Documents Plus7 Days trial2 variants$49.991 Year
  • Documents VPN7 Days trial$89.991 Year
7 purchases

ES File Explorer

Subscriptions4
  • ES Pro(1 month)7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • ES Pro(1 month)$6.991 Month
  • ES Pro(1 year)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • ES Pro(1 year)$29.991 Year
One-time3
  • ES remove ads$1.99
  • ES lifetime vip$4.99
  • ES lifetime vip$6.99

Questions

Is Documents free?
Documents is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ES File Explorer free?
ES File Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Documents or ES File Explorer?
Documents is rated higher. Documents averages 4.8 out of 5 from 631K ratings, while ES File Explorer averages 4.6 from 15K ratings.
Do Documents or ES File Explorer have ads?
Neither Documents nor ES File Explorer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Documents or ES File Explorer?
Documents ships an update every 6 days, and ES File Explorer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Documents was updated on October 15, 2026 and ES File Explorer on October 15, 2026.

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