Retro File Manager vs ZenTerm
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Retro File Manager
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Remember Norton Commander? The dual-panel file manager is back โ now on your iPhone and iPad. Try the full app free for 7 days. DUAL-PANEL NAVIGATION Two panels side by side, just like the classics. Browse your device and your cloud drives at the same time. The efficiency that power users have loved since the DOS era. DOCUMENT FORMATS Open PDF, EPUB, FB2, DjVu, Microsoft Office, images, and more. Dark mode for comfortable reading. Your reading position is saved automatically โ pick up right where you left off. CLOUD INTEGRATION Connect Google Drive and Yandex Disk. Browse cloud files in the same familiar dual-panel interface. FILE OPERATIONS Copy files between panels with F5, move with F6 โ just like the original. Select several files with a long-press and drag, then copy, move, or delete them as a batch. Share multiple files at once with F10. Create folders with F7. KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS Connect an external keyboard and use classic shortcuts. F1 for help, F3 to view, F5 to copy, F6 to move, F7 to create folder, F8 to delete, F10 to share. On iPad, use number keys 1โ0. PRIVACY FIRST No tracking. No ads. Your files stay private. TRY EVERYTHING FOR 7 DAYS Every feature is unlocked from the moment you install โ try it on your own files: โข Dual-panel browsing of your photos and the folders you add from the Files app โข Google Drive and Yandex Disk โข Copy, move, share and batch operations (F5 / F6 / F10) โข PDF, EPUB, FB2, DjVu and Office document viewer Start your free week today. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
ZenTerm
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ZenTerm is a self-hosted terminal client for iPhone and iPad, designed to run AI coding agents on a server you own โ no cloud, no middleman, no account. It connects your device directly to your own machine (a Mac at home, a single-board computer, or a Linux VPS), letting you browse, edit, and run commands from anywhere. FEATURES โข Full Terminal โ A real xterm.js-based shell with tmux multi-window tabs โข Multiple Sessions โ Run several AI coding agents in parallel and switch between them โข iPad Workspace โ Landscape support, sidebar navigation, and split panes for side-by-side work โข Guided Setup โ Start the Gateway, pair by QR code, and configure remote access step by step โข Rate Limit Tracking โ Monitor your AI agent usage at a glance from Settings โข File Browser โ Browse, upload, and download files on your server โข Dark & Light Themes โ A calm Zen Garden visual design HOW IT WORKS Run the open-source ZenTerm Gateway on a computer you own (any Mac, Linux machine, single-board computer, or VPS). Your iPhone or iPad communicates directly with the Gateway over WebSocket. Nothing routes through our servers โ your data stays with you. WHO IT'S FOR โข Check on your server from anywhere โข Operate AI coding agents from your iPhone or iPad โข Prefer a self-hosted, open-source solution over a SaaS terminal PRIVACY No account required. No ads. No analytics. No tracking. All data stays on your device and on your server. Gateway source code on GitHub: https://github.com/phni3j9a/zenterm
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ZenTerm at none against Retro File Manager's 2. ZenTerm also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.5). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Retro File Manager sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. ZenTerm asks for nothing beyond the download.
Retro File Manager ships an update every 2 weeks, ZenTerm every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Retro File Manager | ZenTerm |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 9 days โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No โ better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod โ better |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | 15.1 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 27 MB | 50 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dmitrii Chuprov | Yuki Nakano |
In-app purchases
Retro File Manager
- Pro7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Pro7 Days trial$34.991 Year
ZenTerm
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Retro File Manager free?
Is ZenTerm free?
Do Retro File Manager or ZenTerm have ads?
Which is updated more often, Retro File Manager or ZenTerm?
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