# File Viewer vs Archiver

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: File Viewer at none against Archiver's 4. File Viewer also leads on rating (3.4 vs 3.1). Archiver's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Archiver sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. File Viewer asks for nothing beyond the download.

File Viewer holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 7 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 38% and 38% positive.

File Viewer ships an update every 6 months, Archiver every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | File Viewer | Archiver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-viewer/id495987613/reviews)** | [3.1 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/archiver-tool-for-work-with-archives/id923943146/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 37.8% of reviews | **38.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 20 MB | 146 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Sharpened Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/410672596) | [LTD DevelSoftware](https://appshunter.io/developer/717594986) |

## 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


### Archiver

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/archiver-tool-for-work-with-archives/id923943146)

Easily decompress and compress various archive formats like 7z, rar, and zip. Secure your archives with passwords and control compression rates for flexibility. Access files from cloud services and network drives with an integrated file manager.

**Highlights:** Decompress 7z, rar, zip, tar, gz, bz2, Compress and edit 7z, zip, tar, gz, bz2, Password protection for archives, Adjustable compression rate, View archive contents without decompressing, Extract selected files, Cloud and network drive integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thank the Developer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Appearance Customization | $1.99 | one-time |
| File Viewer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro Version | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is File Viewer free?

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

### Is Archiver free?

Archiver is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

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

File Viewer is rated higher. File Viewer averages 3.4 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Archiver averages 3.1 from 7 ratings.

### Do File Viewer or Archiver have ads?

Neither File Viewer nor Archiver shows ads.

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

File Viewer ships an update every 6 months, and Archiver every 2 weeks. Most recently, File Viewer was updated on October 21, 2026 and Archiver on October 7, 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.*