# File Viewer vs File Manager

The clearest difference is update cadence: File Manager at monthly against File Viewer's every 6 months. File Manager also leads on rating (3.7 vs 3.4) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). File Viewer's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

File Manager holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 6 respectively.

File Viewer ships an update every 6 months, File Manager monthly. The most recent releases landed on July 22, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | File Viewer | File Manager |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-viewer/id495987613/reviews) | **[3.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-vault-and-explorer/id6741799790/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | 37.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 20 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sharpened Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/410672596) | [Yash Baraiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701081026) |

## What reviewers say

### File Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-viewer/id495987613)

Easily open and view over 100 different file types, including documents, images, videos, and archives. Browse files stored on your device or in iCloud Drive. This app also identifies unknown files and displays detailed file information.

**Highlights:** Open 100+ file types, Browse device and iCloud Drive, Built-in readers for Office, PDF, and images, Extract compressed archives, Identify unknown files, View file information and metadata

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### File Manager

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-vault-and-explorer/id6741799790)

This app helps you manage, organize, and secure all your files, including photos, videos, and documents. It offers features like a password vault, private browser, and support for various file formats and cloud storage.

**Highlights:** Supports all file formats, Password vault and app lock, Private browser, Cloud and network storage access, Storage analyzer, Built-in media player

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is File Viewer free?

File Viewer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is File Manager free?

File Manager is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, File Viewer or File Manager?

File Manager is rated higher. File Viewer averages 3.4 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while File Manager averages 3.7 from 6 ratings.

### Do File Viewer or File Manager have ads?

Neither File Viewer nor File Manager shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, File Viewer or File Manager?

File Viewer ships an update every 6 months, and File Manager monthly. Most recently, File Viewer was updated on July 22, 2026 and File Manager on September 12, 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.*