# ShellPilot vs EmpiricCommander File Manager

The clearest difference is update cadence: EmpiricCommander File Manager at every 2 days against ShellPilot's every 6 months. ShellPilot's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShellPilot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and EmpiricCommander File Manager sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ShellPilot ships an update every 6 months, EmpiricCommander File Manager every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShellPilot | EmpiricCommander File Manager |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Size | 72 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sahana A S](https://appshunter.io/developer/1800491118) | [Burlac Mihail](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895471114) |

## What reviewers say

### ShellPilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellpilot-ssh-and-snippets/id6760654941)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ShellPilot Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


### EmpiricCommander File Manager

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empiriccommander-file-manager/id6763745217)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EmpiricCommander Pro | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShellPilot free?

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

### Is EmpiricCommander File Manager free?

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

### Do ShellPilot or EmpiricCommander File Manager have ads?

Neither ShellPilot nor EmpiricCommander File Manager shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShellPilot or EmpiricCommander File Manager?

ShellPilot ships an update every 6 months, and EmpiricCommander File Manager every 2 days. Most recently, ShellPilot was updated on October 24, 2026 and EmpiricCommander File Manager on October 28, 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.*