Midnight Commander AlternativesTop File Managers & FTP Clients like Midnight Commander

Midnight Commander is described as 'GNU Midnight Commander is a visual file manager, licensed under GNU General Public License and therefore qualifies as Free Software. Its a feature rich full-screen text mode application that allows you to copy, move and delete files and whole directory trees, search for files' and is a very popular File Manager in the file management category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Midnight Commander for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD and PortableApps.com apps. The best Midnight Commander alternative is FileZilla, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Midnight Commander are Double Commander, Spacedrive, Total Commander and Dolphin File Manager.

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Midnight Commander alternatives are mainly File Managers but may also be FTP Clients or File Search Utilities.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Midnight Commander.
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GNU Midnight Commander is a visual file manager, licensed under GNU General Public License and therefore qualifies as Free Software. Its a feature rich full-screen text mode application that allows you to copy, move and...

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Midnight Commander alternatives page was last updated Dec 3, 2024
  1. FileZilla icon
     1889 likes

    FileZilla is a powerful FTP-client. It has been designed for ease of use and with support for as many features as possible, while still being fast and reliable.

    70 FileZilla alternatives
    FileZilla screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • ReactOS

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Support for SFTP
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Portable
    4.  Dedicated Server Hosting
    5.  No registration required
    6.  Mounting drives
    Bundleware

    Be aware that installing FileZilla on your computer might install some bundleware/malware on your machine.

    FileZilla iconMidnight Commander Icon

    FileZilla VS Midnight Commander

    Is FileZilla a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
    Comments about FileZilla as an Alternative to Midnight Commander
     
       
    Guest

    Main priority is managing files on ftp server instead of local. Not File Manager like MC!

    Top negative commentMay 12, 2018
    12
    Guest

    FileZilla is for FTP, not local file managing.

    Negative commentDec 3, 2024
    0
    Guest

    FileZilla is not a file manager

    Negative commentMay 30, 2022
    0
    Show more comments
    3 of 9 comments
    Midnight Commander Icon
    FileZilla icon
    • This alternative is disputed. FileZilla is a legitimate Midnight Commander alternative, but it might have issues that some users think are important.

    • FileZilla is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Midnight Commander.

    • FileZilla is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Midnight Commander.

    • FileZilla is Freemium and Open SourceMidnight Commander is Free and Open Source
    • FileZilla is LightweightMidnight Commander is not according to our users
  2. Double Commander icon
     559 likes

    Open-source file manager with dual-panel interface, inspired by Total Commander. Supports plugin use, advanced search, tabbed browsing, and runs smoothly with background operations. Unicode and multi-platform compatibility enhance its versatility.

    135 Double Commander alternatives
    Double Commander screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    Properties

    1.  Configurable

    Features

    1.  Dual Pane Support
    2.  Two-panel file manager
    3.  Folder Sync
    4.  TC plug-in's support
    5.  Batch Rename Files
    6.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    7.  File Comparison
    8.  Multiplatform
    9.  Portable
    10.  File Sync
    11.  Ad-free
    12.  Multiple Files Renaming
    Double Commander iconMidnight Commander Icon

    Double Commander VS Midnight Commander

    Is Double Commander a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
    Comments about Double Commander as an Alternative to Midnight Commander
     
    Guest

    just try it, great application

    Positive commentSep 2, 2024
    0
    Midnight Commander Icon
    Double Commander icon
    • Most users think Double Commander is a great Midnight Commander alternative.

    • Double Commander is Free and Open SourceMidnight Commander is also Free and Open Source
  3. Spacedrive icon
     123 likes

    Organize files across many devices in one place. From cloud services to offline hard drives, Spacedrive combines the storage capacity and processing power of your devices into one personal distributed cloud, that is both secure and intuitive to use.

    70 Spacedrive alternatives
    Spacedrive screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Filesystem
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Rust
    4.  File Tagging
    5.  Image Preview
    6.  Cross-Platform
    7.  Works Offline
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  No registration required
    10. Git icon  Git Support
    11.  No Tracking
    12.  Live Preview
    Spacedrive iconMidnight Commander Icon

    Spacedrive VS Midnight Commander

    Is Spacedrive a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
  4. Total Commander icon
     883 likes

    A versatile file manager offering side-by-side dual-pane for intuitive navigation, powerful built-in FTP client, extensive archive format support, robust file comparison tool with editor, advanced multi-rename using regular expressions, and scalable customization options.

    178 Total Commander alternatives
    Total Commander screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Android
    • Android Tablet

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Dual Pane Support
    2.  Batch Rename Files
    3.  Tabbed interface
    4.  Support for FTP
    5.  File Comparison
    6.  File Search
    7.  Quick search
    8.  Directory sync
    9.  Dark Mode
    10.  Works Offline
    11.  Full-Text Search
    12.  Built-in viewer
    Total Commander iconMidnight Commander Icon

    Total Commander VS Midnight Commander

    Is Total Commander a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
    • Most users think Total Commander is a great Midnight Commander alternative.

    • Total Commander is the most popular Android & Android Tablet alternative to Midnight Commander.

    • Total Commander is Freemium and ProprietaryMidnight Commander is Free and Open Source
    • Total Commander is Customizable and LightweightMidnight Commander is not according to our users
  5. Dolphin File Manager icon
     196 likes

    Dolphin is a file manager for KDE focusing on usability. Has three view modes: Icon, Detail and it used to have Column View like in Finder (it is not available in current version due to problems with maintaibility). Supports FTP, SCP and other protocols. Highly configurable.

    80 Dolphin File Manager alternatives
    Dolphin File Manager screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • KDE
    • Flathub

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Split-screen view
    2.  Tree view
    3.  File preview
    4. KDE Plasma icon  KDE Plasma integration
    5.  File Renaming
    6.  Network protocols
    7.  Built-in terminal emulation
    8.  Thumbnails
    9.  Ad-free
    10.  Remote File Access
    11.  Works Offline
    12.  No Tracking
    Dolphin File Manager iconMidnight Commander Icon

    Dolphin File Manager VS Midnight Commander

    Is Dolphin File Manager a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
  6. FreeCommander icon
     388 likes

    FreeCommander is an easy-to-use alternative to the standard windows file manager. The program helps you with daily work in Windows. Here you can find all the necessary functions to manage your data stock.

    115 FreeCommander alternatives
    FreeCommander screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com

    Top FreeCommander Features

    1.  Tabbed interface
    2.  Folder Size
    3.  Dual Pane Support
    4.  Explorer-like
    5.  Batch Rename Files
    6.  Portable
    7.  Built-in viewer
    8. TeraCopy icon  Teracopy integration
    9.  Directory sync
    10.  Support for Unicode
    11.  Comparing folders
    12.  Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
    FreeCommander iconMidnight Commander Icon

    FreeCommander VS Midnight Commander

    Is FreeCommander a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
  7. GNOME Files icon
     211 likes

    GNOME Files, formerly known as Nautilus, is the official file manager for the GNOME desktop, giving the user a simple way to navigate and manage its files.

    60 GNOME Files alternatives
    GNOME Files screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • GNOME
    • MacPorts
    • XQuartz

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Tabbed interface
    2.  Favorites
    3.  Bookmarks
    4.  Thumbnails
    5.  Dark Mode
    6.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  No registration required
    9.  Built-in viewer
    10.  Batch Rename Files
    11.  No Tracking
    12.  Works Offline
    GNOME Files iconMidnight Commander Icon

    GNOME Files VS Midnight Commander

    Is GNOME Files a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
    Comments about GNOME Files as an Alternative to Midnight Commander
     
    Guest

    not two-panelled, not console

    Negative commentAug 27, 2018
    0
    Midnight Commander Icon
    GNOME Files icon
    • GNOME Files is Free and Open SourceMidnight Commander is also Free and Open Source
    • GNOME Files is Lightweight and Privacy focusedMidnight Commander is not according to our users
  8. Directory Opus icon
     217 likes

    Directory Opus is a complete replacement for Explorer, with far more power and functionality than any other file manager available today.

    82 Directory Opus alternatives
    Dual display (vertical layout) without trees (this is the Commander style). Both file displays are in list mode, showing popup tooltip for an image file.

    License model

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Directory Opus Features

    1.  Dual Pane Support
    2.  File preview
    3.  Integrated Search
    4.  Folder Size
    5.  Assignement of comments to files
    6.  Flat view
    7.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    8.  Batch Rename Files
    9.  Tagging
    10.  File conversion
    Directory Opus iconMidnight Commander Icon

    Directory Opus VS Midnight Commander

    Is Directory Opus a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
    • Directory Opus is the most popular commercial alternative to Midnight Commander.

    • Directory Opus is Paid and ProprietaryMidnight Commander is Free and Open Source
  9. Q-Dir icon
     195 likes

    Q-Dir makes your files and folder easy to manage. Fast and easy access, with an amazing Quadro-View (4 panes) technique. You dont have to renounce the usual, Drag and Drop, all Views, and other functions of your system. No!

    93 Q-Dir alternatives
    Q-Dir default view on Windows 10

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Split-screen view
    2.  Portable
    3.  Drag and Drop
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Search Bar
    6.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    7.  Works Offline
    8.  Built-in themes
    Q-Dir iconMidnight Commander Icon

    Q-Dir VS Midnight Commander

    Is Q-Dir a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
    Comments about Q-Dir as an Alternative to Midnight Commander
     
    Guest

    MC is a text based file manager, Q-Dir is mostly graphical and is based on Windows Explorer whereas MC is self-contained.

    Negative commentJun 15, 2015
    1
    Midnight Commander Icon
    Q-Dir icon
    • Q-Dir is Free and ProprietaryMidnight Commander is Free and Open Source
    • Q-Dir is Customizable and LightweightMidnight Commander is not according to our users
  10. Thunar icon
     140 likes

    Thunar is a modern file manager for the Xfce Desktop Environment. Thunar has been designed from the ground up to be fast and easy-to-use. Its user interface is clean, intuitive, and customizable. Thunar is fast and responsive with a good start up time and directory load time.

    86 Thunar alternatives
    Thunar screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Xfce
    • MacPorts
    • XQuartz

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
    2.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    3.  Custom Actions
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  No registration required
    6.  Live Preview
    7.  Works Offline
    8.  Dark Mode
    9.  Batch Rename Files
    10.  File Tagging
    11.  Built-in viewer
    12.  Integrated Search
    Thunar iconMidnight Commander Icon

    Thunar VS Midnight Commander

    Is Thunar a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
    Comments about Thunar as an Alternative to Midnight Commander
     
    Guest

    Thunar is NOT a file manager with two panels side by side, it has only one.

    Negative commentMay 5, 2022
    0
    Guest

    Because it is for X, I need a clear console alternative. Like Norton Commander VS Far VS Dos Navigator.

    Negative commentJan 19, 2017
    1
    Midnight Commander Icon
    Thunar icon
    • Thunar is Free and Open SourceMidnight Commander is also Free and Open Source
    • Thunar is LightweightMidnight Commander is not according to our users
  11. XYplorer icon
     203 likes

    XYplorer is a file manager for Windows. It features tabbed browsing, a powerful file search, a versatile preview, a highly customizable interface, optional dual pane, scripting engine, and a large array of unique ways to efficiently automate frequently recurring tasks.

    91 XYplorer alternatives
    XYplorer screenshot 1

    License model

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Top XYplorer Features

    1.  Tabbing
    2.  Dual Pane Support
    3.  Portable
    4.  Folder Size
    5.  Support for scripting
    6.  Tagging
    7.  Batch Rename Files
    8.  Dark Mode
    9.  Batch Editing
    10.  File Tagging
    11.  Custom Menus
    12.  Batch processing
    XYplorer iconMidnight Commander Icon

    XYplorer VS Midnight Commander

    Is XYplorer a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
  12. Explorer++ icon
     108 likes

    Explorer++ is a free file manager for Windows. Available on Windows XP and above, it features the same familiar interface as Windows Explorer, while introducing several enhancements and improvements for a much richer file browsing experience.

    88 Explorer++ alternatives
    details view

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Tabbed interface
    2.  Portable
    3.  Works Offline
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  No registration required
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Built-in viewer
    Explorer++ iconMidnight Commander Icon

    Explorer++ VS Midnight Commander

    Is Explorer++ a good alternative to Midnight Commander?
     
12 of 109 Midnight Commander alternatives