# Shortcuts vs ES File Explorer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shortcuts at none against ES File Explorer's 7. ES File Explorer's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ES File Explorer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Shortcuts asks for nothing beyond the download.

ES File Explorer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8.5K and 15K respectively.

Shortcuts ships an update every 6 weeks, ES File Explorer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shortcuts | ES File Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (8.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortcuts/id915249334/reviews) | **[4.6 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/es-file-explorer/id1441621965/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8.5K | **15K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 63.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 136 MB | 263 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Apple Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [Beijing Xiaoxiong Bowang Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435277197) |

## What reviewers say

### Shortcuts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortcuts/id915249334)

Automate tasks on your device with custom multi-step actions. Create personalized workflows from a vast library of examples or build your own using drag-and-drop. Trigger shortcuts with a tap, Siri, or a home screen icon.

**Highlights:** Create multi-step shortcuts, Hundreds of example shortcuts, Drag-and-drop shortcut builder, Launch via Siri or tap, Home screen icons for shortcuts, Over 300 built-in actions

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful automation capabilities
- 👍 Customizable app icons
- 🚀 Efficient workflow creation
- 🚀 Seamless integration with iOS

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior with certain actions
- 🐛 Buggy home screen integration
- 🔒 Limited permissions control
- 🔋 Potential device slowdown with extensive use

**Reported bugs**

- Shortcuts database corruption issues
- Crashes when running certain workflows
- Inconsistent behavior with location-based shortcuts
- Issues with sharing and exporting shortcuts

**Requested features**

- Improved Apple Watch integration
- More granular control over shortcuts
- Ability to run shortcuts in the background
- Better documentation and tutorials
- Expanded third-party app support


### ES File Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/es-file-explorer/id1441621965)

Manage local and network files with this comprehensive tool. It offers file transfer, compression, built-in media players, cloud storage integration, and editing capabilities for various document and code formats.

**Highlights:** File management and sorting, WiFi and face-to-face file transfer, ZIP, RAR, 7Z compression/decompression, Built-in audio/video player, Cloud storage aggregation, Remote service access (SMB, FTP, WebDAV), PDF and code editor

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ES Pro(1 month) | $6.99 | per month |
| ES Pro(1 month) | $6.99 | per month |
| ES Pro(1 year) | $29.99 | per year |
| ES Pro(1 year） | $29.99 | per year |
| ES remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| ES lifetime vip | $4.99 | one-time |
| ES lifetime vip | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful file management
- 📁 Extensive file format support
- 🔒 Secure folder access
- 🎵 Excellent built-in media player
- 🔗 Seamless network connectivity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔍 Search functionality issues
- 🔇 Music playback problems
- 🔌 Connectivity issues with FTP/SFTP

**Reported bugs**

- Deleted all user files after update
- Unable to connect to SMB servers
- Video playback issues with certain file types
- Inconsistent behavior when using VPN

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved file compression tools
- More customization options
- Better integration with Apple ecosystem
- Enhanced audio/video playback controls


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shortcuts free?

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

### Is ES File Explorer free?

ES File Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shortcuts or ES File Explorer?

ES File Explorer is rated higher. Shortcuts averages 4.2 out of 5 from 8.5K ratings, while ES File Explorer averages 4.6 from 15K ratings.

### Do Shortcuts or ES File Explorer have ads?

Neither Shortcuts nor ES File Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shortcuts or ES File Explorer?

Shortcuts ships an update every 6 weeks, and ES File Explorer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Shortcuts was updated on October 17, 2026 and ES File Explorer on October 20, 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.*