# Google Chrome vs File Explorer

The clearest difference is rating: Google Chrome at 4.7 against File Explorer's 3.9. Google Chrome also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (3.9M vs 79). File Explorer's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Google Chrome sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and File Explorer sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Google Chrome holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Chrome has 3.9M ratings behind it against 79, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of Google Chrome's written reviews are positive against 65% of File Explorer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Google Chrome ships an update weekly, File Explorer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Chrome | File Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-chrome/id535886823/reviews)** | [3.9 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-file-manager-zip/id954838257/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.9M** | 79 |
| Positive reviews | 60.8% of reviews | **65.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#2** | — |
| Size | 410 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [农 葛](https://appshunter.io/developer/591089697) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Chrome

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-chrome/id535886823)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Free · Utilities, #32 Top Free (US App Store)

This web browser offers fast and secure internet access, integrating Google Search and Lens for quick information retrieval. It provides robust security features like enhanced protection and password management, and syncs your data across devices for seamless browsing.

**Highlights:** Fast and secure browsing, Google Search and Lens integration, Enhanced protection mode, Password manager, Cross-device sync, Tab groups, Autofill

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (400 GB) | $4.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 5 TB | $24.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |
| 2 TB | $99.99 | per year |
| 30 TB | $149.99 | per month |
| Google AI Ultra (30 TB) | $249.99 | per month |
| 5 TB | $249.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Seamless syncing across devices
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 💡 Useful integration with other Google services

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Unreliable search results
- 💤 Slow page loading
- 🔒 Privacy concerns
- 🤔 Counterintuitive UI changes

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard issues and lags
- Inconsistent behavior when closing tabs
- Unreliable bookmark syncing
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Customizable UI and layout options
- Improved tab management and session recovery
- Better support for extensions and add-ons
- Enhanced password management and syncing


### File Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-file-manager-zip/id954838257)

Organize, view, and protect your important files on your iPhone or iPad. Easily transfer files via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or iCloud, and preview various document types. Secure your data with passcode protection.

**Highlights:** Wi-Fi file transfer, Bluetooth file exchange, iCloud file management, Multi-format file preview, Passcode protection, File compression

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove advertisement | $0.99 | one-time |
| Vedio Player | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Chrome free?

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

### Is File Explorer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Google Chrome or File Explorer?

Google Chrome is rated higher. Google Chrome averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.9M ratings, while File Explorer averages 3.9 from 79 ratings.

### Do Google Chrome or File Explorer have ads?

Both Google Chrome and File Explorer show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Google Chrome or File Explorer?

Google Chrome ships an update weekly, and File Explorer every 3 months. Most recently, Google Chrome was updated on September 25, 2026 and File Explorer on June 11, 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.*