# Foldr vs ES File Explorer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Foldr at none against ES File Explorer's 7. Foldr also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). ES File Explorer's advantage is ratings volume (15K vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ES File Explorer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Foldr asks for nothing beyond the download.

Foldr holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ES File Explorer has 15K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of Foldr's written reviews are positive against 64% of ES File Explorer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Foldr ships an update every 3 months, ES File Explorer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Foldr | ES File Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/foldr/id602598997/reviews)** | [4.6 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/es-file-explorer/id1441621965/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **15K** |
| Positive reviews | 53.3% of reviews | **63.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 263 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Minnow IT LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/602599001) | [Beijing Xiaoxiong Bowang Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435277197) |

## What reviewers say

### Foldr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/foldr/id602598997)

Access, edit, and share all your organization's files from one app. It unifies cloud storage and file servers, offering secure, instant access without VPNs or new accounts. Ideal for seamless document management on the go.

**Highlights:** Unified cloud and file server access, Live document editing, Document scanning to PDF, Secure file sharing, Bookmark important files, Passkey and 2FA support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ES File Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/es-file-explorer/id1441621965)

Manage local and network files with this comprehensive tool. It offers file transfer, compression, built-in media players, cloud storage integration, and editing capabilities for various document and code formats.

**Highlights:** File management and sorting, WiFi and face-to-face file transfer, ZIP, RAR, 7Z compression/decompression, Built-in audio/video player, Cloud storage aggregation, Remote service access (SMB, FTP, WebDAV), PDF and code editor

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ES Pro(1 month) | $6.99 | per month |
| ES Pro(1 month) | $6.99 | per month |
| ES Pro(1 year) | $29.99 | per year |
| ES Pro(1 year） | $29.99 | per year |
| ES remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| ES lifetime vip | $4.99 | one-time |
| ES lifetime vip | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful file management
- 📁 Extensive file format support
- 🔒 Secure folder access
- 🎵 Excellent built-in media player
- 🔗 Seamless network connectivity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔍 Search functionality issues
- 🔇 Music playback problems
- 🔌 Connectivity issues with FTP/SFTP

**Reported bugs**

- Deleted all user files after update
- Unable to connect to SMB servers
- Video playback issues with certain file types
- Inconsistent behavior when using VPN

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved file compression tools
- More customization options
- Better integration with Apple ecosystem
- Enhanced audio/video playback controls


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Foldr free?

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

### Is ES File Explorer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Foldr or ES File Explorer?

Foldr is rated higher. Foldr averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while ES File Explorer averages 4.6 from 15K ratings.

### Do Foldr or ES File Explorer have ads?

Neither Foldr nor ES File Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Foldr or ES File Explorer?

Foldr ships an update every 3 months, and ES File Explorer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Foldr was updated on November 1, 2026 and ES File Explorer on November 8, 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.*