# CSA Buddy vs NextExplorer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CSA Buddy at none against NextExplorer's 3. NextExplorer's advantage is update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NextExplorer sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. CSA Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

CSA Buddy ships an update fortnightly, NextExplorer daily. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CSA Buddy | NextExplorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextexplorer/id6811976306/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 16 MB | 136 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ken Schenke](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454106398) | [Phillip Maizza](https://appshunter.io/developer/6811976308) |

## What reviewers say

### CSA Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/csa-buddy/id6760242077)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### NextExplorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextexplorer/id6811976306)

Access and manage your self-hosted files with a fast, native iOS client. Browse, edit code, search, and share files privately. Requires a separate server instance.

**Highlights:** Native file browsing with thumbnails, Rich media previews, Built-in code editor with syntax highlighting, Full-text and name search, Offline access to recently viewed files, Private, zero-tracking data transfer, Link sharing and file management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coffee | $0.99 | one-time |
| Cake | $2.99 | one-time |
| Generous | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CSA Buddy free?

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

### Is NextExplorer free?

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

### Do CSA Buddy or NextExplorer have ads?

Neither CSA Buddy nor NextExplorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CSA Buddy or NextExplorer?

CSA Buddy ships an update fortnightly, and NextExplorer daily. Most recently, CSA Buddy was updated on October 24, 2026 and NextExplorer on October 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.*