File Explorer Alternatives

One of the most popular alternatives to File Explorer is Double Commander, which is free and open source. Other popular alternatives are Files, Spacedrive, Total Commander and Dolphin File Manager. There's no shortage of File Managers like File Explorer, with more than 100 alternatives for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPad.

filter to find the best alternatives

Most File Explorer alternatives are File Managers, but you can also narrow the list to File Search Utilities or FTP Clients. Other popular filters are Open Source, Windows, Free, Mac and Linux. You can also filter for EU-based alternatives if you prefer software from the European Union.
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Alternatives
File Explorer alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. CoverFlowFinder icon
     12 likes

    Brings iconic 3D Cover Flow file browsing to macOS, includes dual pane navigation, Quick Look integration, sidebar access to volumes, instant file sorting, context menus, type-ahead search, familiar Finder-like interface, and open source availability.

    60 CoverFlowFinder alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Good alternative?
     
  2. Peach Commander icon
     10 likes

    Peach Commander is a dual-pane file manager for macOS, written in Swift and AppKit and modelled on the orthodox file managers that DOS and Windows users know from Norton Commander and Total Commander. Two directory panels sit side by side, and almost everything is reachable from...

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Good alternative?
     
  3. Path Finder icon
     56 likes

    Path Finder is a standalone Finder replacement that takes the Finder's familiar interface and adds numerous powerful features and interface innovations to help anyone be more productive on macOS.

    68 Path Finder alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Good alternative?
     
  4. Commander One icon
     73 likes

    Swift file manager for Mac that offers a dual-pane interface, multi-tab browsing & advanced search. The PRO Pack adds features like FTP client, cloud integration (Box, Amazon S3), compression & more, enhancing file management capabilities.

    119 Commander One alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Good alternative?
     
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  5. fman icon
     233 likes

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

    115 fman alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  6. Rascal icon
     5 likes

    Keyboard-centric macOS file manager featuring dual panes, vim navigation, command palette, inline terminal syncing with folders, disk usage treemap, macOS tag support, multi-view modes, 17 themes, smart folders, Homebrew install, free and open source on macOS 13+.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Homebrew
    Good alternative?
     
  7. Cairo Shell icon
     53 likes

    Cairo is a desktop environment for Windows. Its goal is to develop a desktop experience that increases productivity and advances current technology standards.

    42 Cairo Shell alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Good alternative?
     
  8. A small and two-pane file manager with open plugin architecture. Has the ability to view content of files (text, html, over 40 picture formats, mp3), support for archives (zip, rar, arj, cab, tar/gzip, etc.), and (S)FTP support.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Good alternative?
     
  9. PCMan File Manager (PCManFM) is a file manager application, developed by Hong Jen Yee from Taiwan, which is meant to be a replacement for GNOME Files, Dolphin and Thunar. PCManFM is the standard file manager in LXDE, also developed by the same author in conjunction with other...

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • LXDE
    • GTK
    • Qt
    Good alternative?
     
  10. Index is a convergent file manager, it the user with a simple way to navigate and manage files. Index incorporates features such as miller columns, embedded terminal, split views, file previews, experimental WebDAV support, tags.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Android
    • AppImageHub
    • Linux Mobile
    • Plasma Mobile
    • Flatpak
    • Flathub
    Good alternative?
     
  11. Native macOS file manager built with Rust, featuring GPU-powered rendering, instant navigation in large folders, dual-pane split view, tabs, fuzzy command palette, terminal mode, QuickLook previews, theming options, keyboard shortcuts, and Apple Silicon support.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Good alternative?
     
  12. The finest replacement for Finder with powerful tools to streamline your workflow, enhance productivity, and keep everything organized at your fingertips.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Good alternative?
     
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