# File Explorer vs File Explorer & Player

The clearest difference is rating: File Explorer & Player at 4.6 against File Explorer's 3.9. File Explorer & Player also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (78% vs 65%). File Explorer's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. File Explorer sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and File Explorer & Player sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

File Explorer & Player holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 79 and 124 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of File Explorer's written reviews are positive against 78% of File Explorer & Player's.

File Explorer ships an update every 3 months, File Explorer & Player fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | File Explorer | File Explorer & Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-file-manager-zip/id954838257/reviews) | **[4.6 (124 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-and-player/id1113281296/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 79 | **124** |
| Positive reviews | 65.0% of reviews | **78.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 85 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [农 葛](https://appshunter.io/developer/591089697) | [Remote Sunrise LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/619088610) |

## 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 Explorer & Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/file-explorer-and-player/id1113281296)

Access and stream files from your Mac wirelessly on your iPhone or iPad. View photos, documents, and play videos directly from your computer. Transfer files and even use your iOS device as a portable drive.

**Highlights:** Stream video from Mac, View photos and documents, Transfer files to iOS, Use iOS as a drive, Wireless Mac access

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Pro Version - 1M | $1.99 | per month |
| Upgrade to Pro Version | $9.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads | $19.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to PRO | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and understand
- 🚀 Fast streaming of files
- 👍 Seamless connection across devices
- 👍 Works well on Apple devices (iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro)
- 💰 Inexpensive and good value

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Free version is limited/useless
- 🐛 Does not work for PC
- 🐛 No external access (from outside home network)
- 🐛 Paid version download issues reported
- 🐛 Lack of clear instructions for new features

**Reported bugs**

- Paid version download issues reported
- Free version does nothing
- Poor support response to feature inquiries

**Requested features**

- Add NAS support
- Enable external access (remote access from outside home network)
- Add Chinese language option
- Allow file renaming
- Improve PC compatibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is File Explorer free?

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

### Is File Explorer & Player free?

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

### Which has better reviews, File Explorer or File Explorer & Player?

File Explorer & Player is rated higher. File Explorer averages 3.9 out of 5 from 79 ratings, while File Explorer & Player averages 4.6 from 124 ratings.

### Do File Explorer or File Explorer & Player have ads?

Both File Explorer and File Explorer & Player show ads.

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

File Explorer ships an update every 3 months, and File Explorer & Player fortnightly. Most recently, File Explorer was updated on October 24, 2026 and File Explorer & Player on October 29, 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.*