# File Explorer vs File Manager & File Viewer

The clearest difference is rating: File Explorer at 3.9 against File Manager & File Viewer's 3.2. File Explorer also leads on review sentiment (65% vs 29%) and ratings volume (79 vs 9). File Manager & File Viewer's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. File Explorer sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and File Manager & File Viewer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

File Explorer holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: File Explorer has 79 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of File Explorer's written reviews are positive against 29% of File Manager & File Viewer's.

File Explorer ships an update every 3 months, File Manager & File Viewer every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | File Explorer | File Manager & File Viewer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-file-manager-zip/id954838257/reviews)** | [3.2 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-and-file-viewer/id1097272200/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **79** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **65.0% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **7.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [农 葛](https://appshunter.io/developer/591089697) | [春霞 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/376544204) |

## What reviewers say

### File Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-file-manager-zip/id954838257)

Organize, view, and protect your important files on your iPhone or iPad. Easily transfer files via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or iCloud, and preview various document types. Secure your data with passcode protection.

**Highlights:** Wi-Fi file transfer, Bluetooth file exchange, iCloud file management, Multi-format file preview, Passcode protection, File compression

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove advertisement | $0.99 | one-time |
| Vedio Player | $1.99 | one-time |


### File Manager & File Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-manager-and-file-viewer/id1097272200)

Easily browse, view, and manage files on your iPhone or iPad. Supports a wide range of file types including documents, media, and office files. Offers essential file operations like copy, paste, rename, and move.

**Highlights:** Easy file browsing, View multiple file types, Copy, paste, rename, move files, iTunes file sharing, Email file attachments, Browse by category

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is File Explorer free?

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

### Is File Manager & File Viewer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, File Explorer or File Manager & File Viewer?

File Explorer is rated higher. File Explorer averages 3.9 out of 5 from 79 ratings, while File Manager & File Viewer averages 3.2 from 9 ratings.

### Do File Explorer or File Manager & File Viewer have ads?

File Explorer shows ads; File Manager & File Viewer does not.

### Which is updated more often, File Explorer or File Manager & File Viewer?

File Explorer ships an update every 3 months, and File Manager & File Viewer every 8 days. Most recently, File Explorer was updated on October 24, 2026 and File Manager & File Viewer on October 21, 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.*