# ShellMan vs NextExplorer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ShellMan at none against NextExplorer's 3. ShellMan also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). NextExplorer's advantage is update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

ShellMan ships an update fortnightly, NextExplorer daily. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShellMan | 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 | **14.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lars Roth](https://appshunter.io/developer/1849876524) | [Phillip Maizza](https://appshunter.io/developer/6811976308) |

## What reviewers say

### ShellMan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellman/id6763914321)

**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 ShellMan free?

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

### Is NextExplorer free?

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

### Do ShellMan or NextExplorer have ads?

Neither ShellMan nor NextExplorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShellMan or NextExplorer?

ShellMan ships an update fortnightly, and NextExplorer daily. Most recently, ShellMan was updated on October 2, 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.*