Choosing a file manager is a much more complex and personal decision than it seems. If you’re already used to Windows Explorer, you probably don’t need an alternative, but many users immediately recognize its limitations and prefer to look for other options. The market is quite broad, and choosing the best file managers is not easy; however, today we will make the attempt by mentioning four alternatives of very good quality.
The Best File Managers, for All Tastes
In the world of file managers, all roads lead to Norton Commander, an inexhaustible gem developed by John Socha in 1986, and one of the main programs that every DOS user had to have on their computer. Although it may seem unbelievable, the concept of orthodox file manager not only survived the formal retirement of DOS, but is still considered today a model superior to Windows Explorer.
The essence of Norton Commander served as inspiration for dozens of projects — even Linux users must be thinking of alternatives like the formidable Midnight Commander or GNOME Commander — and it doesn’t surprise us at all that the best file managers resemble that classic software to a greater or lesser degree. Let’s see:
Total Commander
Personal favorite for years, Total Commander is one of the most flexible file managers, though not necessarily the most intuitive. Its configuration parameters are extensive and may intimidate novice users... but once mastered, Total Commander becomes a powerful ally that includes FTP support, renaming tools, file compression, and a large number of plugins. (Shareware, 37 euros).
Multi Commander
This program does an excellent job imitating and expanding on Total Commander’s functions. It has a slightly more active development cycle than the rest — at the time of writing, its latest build was less than 48 hours old — and its plugin scheme allows you to expand its functions, or on the contrary, make it simpler and lighter. If you want one of the best file managers and there’s no budget, you should start here. (Freeware).
Double Commander
If the idea is to get a file manager and explore the open source territory, it’s almost impossible to go wrong with Midnight Commander, but I’d like to propose another solid option called Double Commander. This manager has versions for multiple operating systems, but it doesn’t sacrifice anything with that flexibility; on the contrary, it also supports Total Commander plugins. Its default configuration is a bit chaotic, but you can adapt it to your tastes in minutes. (Freeware, open source).
Commander
The name doesn’t tell us much by itself, but once we install Commander, it’s obvious that we’re dealing with a much lighter version of the classic managers. Fortunately, that doesn’t prevent it from incorporating features like an FTP client, a file compressor/decompressor, and a very complete image viewer. If your computer is modest, or you need pre-XP support, Commander will do. (Freeware).
The Best File Managers: In Summary
I imagine that if you’ve made it this far, you must have at least half a dozen more options in mind to add to the list. Being honest, if I had to develop a Top 20 of the best file managers, I could surely do it thanks to the enormous number of alternatives, but it’s much more logical to extend our invitation for you to share your favorites in the comments. Instead, if all you wanted was to download a good file manager, we’re confident you’ll find what you’re looking for here. Good luck!
