Comparison

Documents vs FileMate

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 a super app for iPhone and iPad. It’s your all-in-one solution for working with files at home, in the office, at university, or on the go. Whether you edit, annotate, convert, listen to, or read, Documents brings everything together in one seamless experience. From books, scans, and receipts to articles, PDFs, audio, and video files, and even ZIP & RAR archives — every type of content finds its home in Documents. One app – infinite capabilities. Serving as your PDF reader, document viewer, file manager, cloud storage integrator, and music and video player, Documents replaces a dozen standalone apps with one beautifully designed, intuitive hub for all your files. Explore a wide range of features designed to help you get things done quickly and efficiently. PDF EDITOR • Edit or modify existing text directly in a PDF – just like in a Word document • Highlight and annotate important info in books using colors, text, or stickers • Sign PDF contracts on the go with e-signatures • Merge and combine multiple PDFs into one • Add, delete, and rearrange pages with a thumbnail preview • Rotate and reorder pages in PDFs FILE CONVERTER • Convert PDF, DOCX, JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, WEBP, and more • Create PDFs from documents, photos, and images • Convert PDFs into editable formats and back • Switch between image formats in just a few taps MANAGE AND ARCHIVE FILES & FOLDERS • Organize your files and create folders to suit your needs • Use Reminders by setting a date/time to be notified about a specific file • Rename and color-tag files for quick access • Use Smart Actions and get contextual recommendations for the most relevant next step • Use Zip/Unzip and RAR extractor tools • Open Office files and eBooks with ease AI TOOLS • Transcribe audio and video to text, then edit, annotate, store in the cloud, or share — all within Documents • Use Smart Eraser to remove unwanted objects from photos SCANNER • Scan receipts, books, and documents using the built-in iOS scanning engine and save them directly in Documents AUDIO & VIDEO PLAYER • Listen to music online and offline • Watch movies imported from your computer or online sources • Access your photo and video library easily AUDIO EDITOR • Trim, cut, remove silence, edit metadata, and extract MP3 Wi-Fi FILE TRANSFER • Transfer music, videos, photos, or documents from your iPhone or iPad to a Mac or PC and vice versa with our super-fast Wi-Fi Transfer technology AUDIO & VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION • Transcribe audio and video to text instantly • Convert voice recordings to editable notes • Turn videos into clear, searchable text • Use accurate speech-to-text tools for meetings, lectures, and interviews • Export and share transcriptions anywhere IMPORT & SAVE FILES • Import from your computer, cloud, WebDAV, or nearby devices • Download files from the web browser directly into Documents • Save email attachments in one place • Save links from any external app or web browser INTEGRATE ALL CLOUD SERVICES • Work in iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, and other services without downloading files • Set up two-way sync to the specific folders to automatically upload your files SEE WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT OUR APP 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

FileMate

This app is a powerful local file manager that allows you to browse, organize, and protect your documents, photos, and videos. It offers robust privacy features like file hiding and password protection, along with convenient file transfer and archive management.

Highlights
  • Local file management
  • Photo and video vault
  • File hiding and password protection
  • WiFi and iTunes file transfer
  • Archive and extract (7z, rar, zip)
  • File search and marking
  • Customizable themes
Features
Read full description

FileMate – Local File Manager FileMate is a powerful local file manager for iPhone that helps you easily manage, browse, transfer, and protect files. View documents, photos, videos, and archives in one place. Keep your private files safe with built-in privacy protection and password lock. Simple, fast, and designed for everyday file management. -------- Core Features File Browser Quickly view and preview many file types: • Office documents and PDF files • Text files: txt, json, js, log, java, php, swift, xml • High-resolution images and long screenshots • Audio and video playback with an efficient media player -------- File Manager Powerful tools to organize your files: • Create folders and files • Rename, copy, move, and delete files • View file attributes • Hide files for privacy Sort files by name, type, time, or size. -------- Privacy Protection Protect your private files inside the app. • Hide sensitive files • Files remain isolated from other apps • Optional password protection -------- Key Functions Add Files Add files to FileMate in multiple ways: • Create folders, text files, photos, and videos directly in the app • Import files from Photos, Files, or other apps • Transfer files between PC and iPhone via WiFi • Transfer files between Mac and iPhone using Finder or iTunes -------- Archive & Extract FileMate supports common archive formats: • 7z • rar • zip • tar Password-protected archives are supported. -------- File Search Quickly find files using: • Fuzzy search • Multi-keyword search -------- File Marking Mark important files for faster access and display them in custom sorting views. -------- Hidden Files Private files can be set as hidden. Hidden files are not shown by default and can be revealed when needed. -------- Password Lock Protect access to the app: • App password lock • Face ID / Touch ID unlock • Custom authentication timeout settings -------- Super Hidden Mode Hide all settings related to hidden files so only you know these features exist. -------- Additional Features Sharing Panel • Import files into the app in batches • Share files to other apps Theme Settings • Customize themes • Adjust folder style, menus, and text size Unread Reminder • Set reminder times for unread files -------- Contact & Feedback If you have any questions or suggestions about the product, please feel free to contact us. Email: orange_family@icloud.com QQ group: 398168949 -------- [Auto-renewable subscription service] 1. Service: All Access, Removing Ad (1 Month) 2. Period: 1 Month 3. Price: $0.99 / Month 4. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase 5. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period 6. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal 7. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase 8. Terms of Use: http://www.orangestall.com/folder/subscription.html 9. Privacy Policy: http://www.orangestall.com/legal/privacy.html 1. Service: All Access, Removing Ad (1 Year) 2. Period: 1 Year 3. Price: $9.99 / Year 4. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase 5. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period 6. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal 7. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase 8. Terms of Use: http://www.orangestall.com/folder/subscription.html 9. Privacy Policy: http://www.orangestall.com/legal/privacy.html

Screenshots

Documents4 screens
FileMate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Documents at none against FileMate's shown. Documents also leads on ratings volume (626K vs 378) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). FileMate's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, review sentiment, 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

Both are free to download. Documents sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and FileMate sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 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 626K ratings behind it against 378, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of Documents's written reviews are positive against 75% of FileMate's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Documents ships an update weekly, FileMate every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Documents versus FileMate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDocumentsFileMate
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (626K ratings) — better4.6 (378 ratings)
Positive reviews71.0% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings626K — better378
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#68 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size431 MB94 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperReaddle Technologies LimitedJUNBO JIA

Customer experience

Documents

All ratings626,280 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral2.2%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews2,959 reviews
Positive71.0%
Neutral6.9%
Negative22.1%

FileMate

All ratings378 ratings
Positive91.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews52 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral7.7%
Negative17.3%

User reviews

Documents

From 626K 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

FileMate

From 378 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 All projects in one place
  • 👍 Few ads, good folder app
  • 👍 Good customization options
  • 👍 Real-time video playback
  • 👍 Easy to use and access

Room to improve

  • 👎 Too many prompts
  • 👎 Limited file viewers
  • 👎 Videos don’t play audio
  • 👎 Ads are annoying
  • 👎 Full-screen ads

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

FileMate

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • Videos don’t play audio
  • Files can be accessed by other apps
  • Videos play without sound
  • MKV files not playable
  • MP4 file play without sound
Show 9 more
  • Thumbnail blank, video black screen with sound
  • Import photos not working after update
  • Sharing files not working after update
  • More ads than before
  • Full-screen ads
  • Shake to hide doesn't jump out of hidden directories
  • App stays in background for a long time without being killed
  • Single directory with over 5000 images causes crash
  • Basic functions removed after update

Requested features

20 requests
  • Provide multiple purchase options
  • Add Face ID and Touch ID for hidden files
  • Improve file viewer features (thumbnails, playlists, adjustments)
  • Add folder locking to prevent accidental deletion
  • Implement folder download from PC
Show 15 more
  • Display folder space usage and phone storage remaining
  • Add file property viewing
  • Improve handling of large numbers of images in a directory
  • Add reverse sorting option
  • Improve batch selection for importing files
  • Allow font size adjustment
  • Add progress bar for document viewing
  • Enhance support for landscape mode
  • Add manual language selection
  • Allow password lock on shake to hide feature
  • Improve video playback (swipe to next, no sound issue)
  • Auto-hide hidden items after a period of inactivity
  • Fix import photos issue
  • Fix sharing files issue
  • Fix more ads than before

In-app purchases

13 purchases

Documents

Subscriptions13
  • Documents Plus7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Documents Plus$9.991 Month
  • Documents Plus1 Month trial$9.991 Month
Show 10 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 trial$49.991 Year
  • Documents Plus7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Documents VPN7 Days trial$89.991 Year
7 purchases

FileMate

Subscriptions2
  • All Access, Removing Ad$3.991 Month
  • All Access, Removing Ad$34.991 Year
One-time5
  • Removing Ad$9.99
  • Theme, Folder and Night Mode$9.99
  • Passcode Lock$9.99
Show 2 more
  • Super Hidden$9.99
  • All Features & Removing Ad$149.99

Questions

Is Documents free?
Documents is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FileMate free?
FileMate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Documents or FileMate?
Documents is rated higher. Documents averages 4.8 out of 5 from 626K ratings, while FileMate averages 4.6 from 378 ratings.
Do Documents or FileMate have ads?
FileMate shows ads; Documents does not.
Which is updated more often, Documents or FileMate?
Documents ships an update weekly, and FileMate every 2 weeks. Most recently, Documents was updated on September 24, 2026 and FileMate on September 20, 2026.

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