# FileMate vs ES File Explorer

The clearest difference is ads: ES File Explorer at none against FileMate's shown. ES File Explorer also leads on ratings volume (15K vs 378). FileMate's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 64%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FileMate sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and ES File Explorer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for FileMate against 4.6 for ES File Explorer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ES File Explorer has 15K ratings behind it against 378, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of FileMate's written reviews are positive against 64% of ES File Explorer's.

FileMate ships an update every 2 weeks, ES File Explorer every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | FileMate | ES File Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (378 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filemate/id983467956/reviews) | [4.6 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/es-file-explorer/id1441621965/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 378 | **15K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 63.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 94 MB | 263 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [JUNBO JIA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893935666) | [Beijing Xiaoxiong Bowang Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435277197) |

## What reviewers say

### FileMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filemate/id983467956)

This app is a powerful local file manager that allows you to browse, organize, and protect your documents, photos, and videos. It offers robust privacy features like file hiding and password protection, along with convenient file transfer and archive management.

**Highlights:** Local file management, Photo and video vault, File hiding and password protection, WiFi and iTunes file transfer, Archive and extract (7z, rar, zip), File search and marking, Customizable themes

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Access, Removing Ad | $3.99 | per month |
| All Access, Removing Ad | $34.99 | per year |
| Removing Ad | $9.99 | one-time |
| Theme, Folder and Night Mode | $9.99 | one-time |
| Passcode Lock | $9.99 | one-time |
| Super Hidden | $9.99 | one-time |
| All Features & Removing Ad | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 All projects in one place
- 👍 Few ads, good folder app
- 👍 Good customization options
- 👍 Real-time video playback
- 👍 Easy to use and access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Too many prompts
- 👎 Limited file viewers
- 👎 Videos don’t play audio
- 👎 Ads are annoying
- 👎 Full-screen ads

**Reported bugs**

- Videos don’t play audio
- Files can be accessed by other apps
- Videos play without sound
- MKV files not playable
- MP4 file play without sound

**Requested features**

- Provide multiple purchase options
- Add Face ID and Touch ID for hidden files
- Improve file viewer features (thumbnails, playlists, adjustments)
- Add folder locking to prevent accidental deletion
- Implement folder download from PC


### 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 FileMate free?

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

### Is ES File Explorer free?

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

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

FileMate and ES File Explorer are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 378 and 15K ratings respectively.

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

FileMate shows ads; ES File Explorer does not.

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

FileMate ships an update every 2 weeks, and ES File Explorer every 3 weeks. Most recently, FileMate was updated on September 25, 2026 and ES File Explorer on September 25, 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.*