Midnight Commander Alternatives for Linux

There are many alternatives to Midnight Commander for Linux if you are looking for a replacement. The best Linux alternative is FileZilla, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Midnight Commander and loads of them are available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Linux alternatives to Midnight Commander are Double Commander, Spacedrive, Dolphin File Manager and GNOME Files.

filter to find the best alternatives

Midnight Commander alternatives are mainly File Managers, but if you're looking for FTP Clients or File Sync Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Linux, Mac and Windows. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Midnight Commander.
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Alternatives list

  1. FileZilla icon

    FileZilla

     1924 likes

    Open-source FTP solution offering FTP, FTPS, and SFTP support. FileZilla Pro expands protocol options to WebDAV, Amazon S3, and more with FileZilla Server for comprehensive file management.

    72 FileZilla alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Bundleware

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • ReactOS
    • Haiku
    FileZilla screenshot 1
     
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    10
    FileZilla vs Midnight Commander Comments
    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    13

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

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    It's not a local files manager like MC. Filezilla is for remote connections.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    FileZilla is for FTP, not local file managing.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    3 of 10 comments
    • FileZilla is Freemium and Open SourceMidnight Commander is Free and Open Source
  2. Double Commander icon

    Double Commander

     602 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.

    131 Double Commander alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Double Commander screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Double Commander vs Midnight Commander Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    just try it, great application

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Double Commander is Free and Open SourceMidnight Commander is also Free and Open Source
    • Double Commander is Privacy focusedMidnight Commander is not according to our users
  4. Spacedrive icon

    Spacedrive

     153 likes

    Open-source file explorer integrates cloud, local, and offline storage across devices using a secure virtual distributed filesystem in Rust, enabling unified management, file syncing, privacy control, intuitive interface, and ownership without centralized servers.

    78 Spacedrive alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Spacedrive screenshot 1
     
  5. Ad
  6. Dolphin File Manager icon

    Dolphin File Manager

     231 likes

    Usability-focused file manager for KDE desktops offering tabbed and dual-pane browsing, archive support, quick file renaming, filter-based searching, customizable icons, theme adaptation, preview modes, and extensibility with various service integrations.

    80 Dolphin File Manager alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • KDE Plasma
    • Flathub
    Dolphin File Manager screenshot 1
     
  7. GNOME Files icon

    GNOME Files

     222 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.

    64 GNOME Files alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • GNOME
    • MacPorts
    • XQuartz
    GNOME Files screenshot 1
     
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    1
    GNOME Files vs Midnight Commander Comments
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    not two-panelled, not console

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • GNOME Files is Free and Open SourceMidnight Commander is also Free and Open Source
    • GNOME Files is Privacy focusedMidnight Commander is not according to our users
  8. Thunar icon

    Thunar

     148 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.

    88 Thunar alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Xfce
    • MacPorts
    • XQuartz
    Thunar screenshot 1
     
    |
    2
    Thunar vs Midnight Commander Comments
    Guest
    Negative
    0

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

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    1

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

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Thunar is Free and Open SourceMidnight Commander is also Free and Open Source
  10. Superfile icon

    Superfile

     34 likes

    Terminal-based file manager offering a modern, customizable interface with split-screen panels, full keyboard shortcut support, fast file operations, offline access, privacy features, no ads, plugin extensibility, night mode, cross-platform compatibility, and open source code.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Superfile screenshot 1
     
  11. muCommander icon

    muCommander

     125 likes

    muCommander is a lightweight, cross-platform file manager with a dual-pane interface. It runs on any operating system with Java support (Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, *BSD, Solaris...).

    109 muCommander alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • BSD
    • Java
    muCommander screenshot 1
     
  12. Krusader icon

    Krusader

     86 likes

    Krusader is an advanced twin panel (commander style) file manager for KDE Plasma and other desktops in the *nix world.

    56 Krusader alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • XQuartz
    • KDE Plasma
    Krusader screenshot 1
     
  13. ranger icon

    ranger

     58 likes

    Terminal file manager with VI key bindings. It provides a minimalistic and nice curses interface with a view on the directory hierarchy. The secondary task of ranger is to psychically guess which program you want to use for opening particular files.

    33 ranger alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Cygwin
    ranger screenshot 1
     
  14. fman icon

    fman

     233 likes

    The most modern dual-pane file manager. For Windows, Mac and Linux.

    108 fman alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Demonstration
     
  15. yazi icon

    yazi

     9 likes

    Yazi (means "duck") is a terminal file manager written in Rust, based on non-blocking async I/O. It aims to provide an efficient, user-friendly, and customizable file management experience.

    7 yazi alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Arch Linux
    • Windows
    • Mac
     
12 of 53 Midnight Commander alternatives