Comparison

S3 Client vs Rclone GUI

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

S3 Client

Access and manage your S3-compatible cloud storage directly from your device's file system. Files are downloaded on demand and synchronized automatically, with support for various S3 services and encryption methods.

Highlights
  • Direct S3 storage access
  • On-demand file downloading
  • Automatic synchronization
  • Support for multiple S3 services
  • System share sheet uploads
  • Pre-signed sharing link generation
  • Shortcuts automation support
Features
Read full description

Access your S3 storage directly from the Files app, Finder, and other applications on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Developed by the creator of Working Copy, this application provides seamless integration with S3-compatible storage services. Once configured, S3 buckets appear alongside other cloud storage providers, with files available on demand. Files are downloaded as needed and automatically synchronized back to S3 when modified. The app supports a wide range of S3-compatible services, including AWS S3, BackBlaze B2, CloudFlare R2, DigitalOcean Spaces, MinIO, and others. Files and directories can be uploaded through the system share sheet on iOS and the Services menu on macOS. The app remembers preferred upload destinations for different file types, streamlining file management. Pre-signed sharing links can be generated directly from Finder and the Files app, allowing temporary access to files for up to seven days. Support for server-side encryption with customer-provided keys (SSE-C) and client-side AES-GCM encryption compatible with the Amazon S3 Encryption Client. Comprehensive support for Shortcuts automation enables operations such as listing, downloading, uploading, and moving files. The app is free to use with a single server. A Pro Unlock is required for multiple servers, available as a one-time purchase or a monthly subscription, with access shared across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. A one-week free trial allows users to evaluate Pro features before purchase.

About

Rclone GUI

Manage your personal cloud storage with this open-source iOS client for rclone. Connect to over 70 services, including encrypted file transfers, direct streaming, and seamless integration with Apple's Files app. A premium subscription is required for full functionality.

Highlights
  • Connects to 70+ cloud services
  • Encrypted file transfers
  • Direct video and audio streaming
  • iOS Files app integration
  • Smart photo syncing
  • Guided remote setup wizard
Features
Read full description

Rclone GUI is a native, open-source iOS client for rclone — the reference tool for managing your personal cloud storage. Connect Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Cloudflare R2, Storj, Wasabi, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, pCloud, Mega, Box, Filen, Internxt, Drime, SFTP, WebDAV, and 70+ other services straight from your iPhone, with no middleman. PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED All Rclone GUI features (remote management, transfers, Files app integration, PhotoSync, crypt decryption, streaming, etc.) require a Premium subscription. • Free 7-day trial, then €1.99/month or €19.99/year • Auto-renewing, cancel anytime in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions • No feature is usable without an active subscription (beyond onboarding) CRYPT-FIRST ENCRYPTION (Premium) The whole interface is built around rclone "crypt" encryption: encrypted remotes are tagged with a purple lock, filenames are decrypted on the fly so you see the real tree, and file content is decrypted during playback without ever transiting in clear through a third-party server. The cryptographic core uses NaCl secretbox (XSalsa20-Poly1305), executed locally by rclone. iOS FILES INTEGRATION (Premium) A File Provider extension exposes every remote inside Apple's Files app, encrypted ones included. Open a PDF straight from Files, drag and drop documents between apps, and stream video or audio without downloading the full asset. SMART PHOTO SYNC (Premium) Automatically sync new photos and videos to the cloud of your choice. Adaptive throttling while you're using the app, background execution, clean resume after a network drop. GUIDED ADD-REMOTE WIZARD (Premium) A step-by-step wizard covers every rclone backend: per-backend forms, tutorials for OAuth providers (Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox), instant validation. "Where to get your credentials" panels and a remote picker (for crypt vaults, alias, union…) make setup even simpler. Import an existing rclone.conf in one tap, with automatic secret migration to the iOS Keychain. PRIVACY BY DESIGN - No analytics, no tracker, no third-party SDK - No backend server: the app talks directly to your cloud services - Face ID / Touch ID to lock the configuration - Configuration encrypted at rest (ChaCha20-Poly1305 + iOS Keychain) - OAuth tokens in the iOS Keychain, never in UserDefaults - Strict ATS, no network exception FEATURES (all included in the Premium subscription) - 70+ rclone backends supported - Parallel transfers, pause, resume, queue - Adaptive bandwidth throttling (cellular / Wi-Fi) - Video and audio streaming with range requests - Built-in QuickLook preview - Search, sort, filter in folders - Detailed transfer stats - Exportable local logs for debugging SUBSCRIPTION TERMS The Rclone GUI Premium subscription auto-renews at the end of each period (€1.99/month or €19.99/year). Renewal is billed to your Apple ID within 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal at any time in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy policy: https://vitalysrdt.github.io/rclone-gui-ios/privacy.html OPEN SOURCE Rclone GUI is fully open source: https://github.com/VitalysRDT/rclone-gui-ios This app is not affiliated with Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Dropbox or any other cloud provider. "rclone" is a trademark of Nick Craig-Wood (rclone author).

Screenshots

S3 Client4 screens
Rclone GUI4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: S3 Client at free with in-app purchases against Rclone GUI's subscription. S3 Client also leads on ratings volume (56 vs 2) and iOS requirement (18.2 vs 26.4). Rclone GUI's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 79%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. S3 Client sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Rclone GUI sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Rclone GUI holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: S3 Client has 56 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of S3 Client's written reviews are positive against 100% of Rclone GUI's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

S3 Client ships an update every 9 days, Rclone GUI every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
S3 Client versus Rclone GUI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterS3 ClientRclone GUI
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (56 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings56 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS18.2 — better26.4
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB134 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnders Borum ApSVitalys ROUGETET--DE TROYANE

Customer experience

S3 Client

All ratings56 ratings
Positive94.6%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews86 reviews
Positive79.1%
Neutral10.5%
Negative10.5%

Rclone GUI

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

S3 Client

Reported bugs

17 issues
  • Files renamed randomly
  • High CPU usage
  • Stopped working in iOS 26
  • Can't set permissions
  • Fails to load S3 buckets properly
Show 12 more
  • Duplicating root folders
  • Folders missing
  • Failing to upload
  • No image/video thumbnails
  • EXIF option unreliable
  • No SSE-C encryption/decryption support
  • Does not support IAM policy roles
  • Short-lived keys needed
  • App locks up Files app
  • Requires reboot
  • Issues with S3 Minio
  • Update issues with older macOS

Requested features

14 requests
  • Support for WebDAV servers
  • Support for Google OAuth for GCS
  • Synchronous feature to backup photos automatically
  • Configurable AWS endpoint for non-.com endpoints
  • Allow import/export of configuration
Show 9 more
  • Show number of files in a directory
  • Option to clear app cache
  • Support for SSE-C encryption/decryption
  • Support for IAM policy roles
  • Support for S3 buckets with short-lived keys
  • Dark mode option
  • Advanced analytics dashboard
  • Duplicate Settings option for iOS
  • Support for public dataset anonymous configuration

Rclone GUI

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

S3 Client

Subscriptions1
  • S3 Files Pro Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
One-time2
  • Lifetime S3 Pro$14.99
  • Lifetime S3 Pro$17.99
3 purchases

Rclone GUI

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Yearly$11.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is S3 Client free?
S3 Client is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Rclone GUI free?
Rclone GUI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, S3 Client or Rclone GUI?
Rclone GUI is rated higher. S3 Client averages 4.8 out of 5 from 56 ratings, while Rclone GUI averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do S3 Client or Rclone GUI have ads?
Neither S3 Client nor Rclone GUI shows ads.
Which is updated more often, S3 Client or Rclone GUI?
S3 Client ships an update every 9 days, and Rclone GUI every 4 days. Most recently, S3 Client was updated on October 14, 2026 and Rclone GUI on October 7, 2026.

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