# Phone Drive vs FileMate

The clearest difference is ads: Phone Drive at none against FileMate's shown. Phone Drive also leads on ratings volume (1.8K vs 380). FileMate's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phone Drive sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Phone Drive against 4.6 for FileMate. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.8K and 380 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of Phone Drive's written reviews are positive against 75% of FileMate's.

Phone Drive ships an update fortnightly, FileMate every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phone Drive | FileMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phone-drive-file-manager/id434342171/reviews)** | [4.6 (380 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filemate/id983467956/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 380 |
| Positive reviews | 73.1% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 131 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Eightythree Technology](https://appshunter.io/developer/431033047) | [JUNBO JIA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893935666) |

## What reviewers say

### Phone Drive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phone-drive-file-manager/id434342171)

Transform your mobile device into a wireless flash drive and comprehensive file manager. Easily store, view, and manage local and cloud files, transferring them wirelessly to your computer via Wi-Fi. Stream media and utilize built-in tools for documents and file organization.

**Highlights:** Wireless file transfers via Wi-Fi, Manage local and cloud storage, Built-in media player and document viewer, File organization and security features, Support for multiple cloud services, Create playlists and stream media

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Cloud Service Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium Cloud Service Yearly | $6.99 | per year |
| Reset Password | $1.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Full Version | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Cloud Service Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast file transfers
- 📁 Convenient file management
- 🎵 Good audio playback
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 💰 Paywalled features
- 🔄 Inconsistent updates
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/accessing files

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Unreliable file transfers
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Playlist management options
- Video playback support
- Improved cloud storage integration
- Customizable file organization


### FileMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filemate/id983467956)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Access, Removing Ad | $3.99 | per month |
| All Access, Removing Ad | $34.99 | per year |
| Removing Ad | $9.99 | one-time |
| Theme, Folder and Night Mode | $9.99 | one-time |
| Passcode Lock | $9.99 | one-time |
| Super Hidden | $9.99 | one-time |
| All Features & Removing Ad | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phone Drive free?

Phone Drive 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, Phone Drive or FileMate?

Phone Drive is rated higher. Phone Drive averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while FileMate averages 4.6 from 380 ratings.

### Do Phone Drive or FileMate have ads?

FileMate shows ads; Phone Drive does not.

### Which is updated more often, Phone Drive or FileMate?

Phone Drive ships an update fortnightly, and FileMate every 2 weeks. Most recently, Phone Drive was updated on November 1, 2026 and FileMate on November 1, 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.*