Bulk Rename Utility vs Total Commander (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Total Commander grades higher than Bulk Rename Utility: 2.8 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Bulk Rename Utility grades higher on the free plan. Total Commander grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Bulk Rename Utility
Windows file renamer with many criteria, free for home use
Total Commander
Two-pane file manager for Windows with FTP and archive tools
Which one is for you
Pick Bulk Rename Utility if
- Fits if you rename photos or files in bulk on a Windows PC at home
- Works for people who want to preview every change before it happens
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use a Mac or Linux, as it is Windows only
- Pricey if you use it at work, at $92.95 per computer, one for each machine
- Watch out: yearly maintenance with updates and priority support is an add-on from $29.95
- Watch out: any business, company or government use needs a commercial licence on every computer
Pick Total Commander if
- Fits if you manage a lot of files on Windows and want two panels instead of Explorer
- Works for people who want FTP, archives and file comparison in one program, paid for once
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on a Mac or Linux, as there's no native version and the vendor points you to an emulator or Wine
- Not for you if you want a free file manager on Windows, since the shareware runs 30 days, then it's €42 or delete it
- Tight if you need the key today, because the order page says to allow about 1-2 business days
- Watch out: the price is in euros through an EU payment processor, and your bank may add a 1-2.5% fee
- Skip it if you want it wired into other apps, as no integrations or API are listed
How we grade them
| 2.4GPABulk Rename UtilityFair | 2.8GPATotal CommanderGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BFree for home use, $24.95 once for a Home or Academic licence, but $92.95 per computer for business, against a utilities one-time middle of $21.99. | B€42 once per user, plus VAT where charged. That's a one-off under two years of what a paid utility here costs monthly, and one licence covers you on any number of computers with updates free until further notice. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree of charge for personal, private use at home; business use needs a licence. | CNo free version on Windows. You get a 30-day test period with the full shareware build and no card needed, then you order a licence or delete it. The Android app is freeware, but that isn't the main event. |
| Features | BRule-based renaming, previews, photo and media metadata, folders and timestamps; the listing names no gap in the core job. | BTwo panels with tabs, packing and unpacking of ZIP, 7ZIP, RAR and TAR, an FTP client with FTPS, compare by content, directory sync, multi-rename and a Quick View panel. The file manager job is covered end to end, and so it is by Directory Opus and ForkLift. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Many rename rules have to be learned before the preview looks right. | BNo store rating on record. Install it and two panels sit side by side, which is the whole idea and easy enough to follow. Buying is the slow part: the order page says to allow about 1-2 business days for the key. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only, with no Mac or Linux version. | BWindows, plus a freeware app for Android phones and tablets. No native Mac or Linux version at all, the vendor pointing you at an emulator or Wine, and no integrations or API listed. |
| Best for | renaming many files at once on Windows | two-pane file wrangling on Windows |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Bulk Rename Utility and Total Commander. How we grade
Where they differ
- Total Commander can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Total Commander also covers file compression.
At a glance
| Bulk Rename Utility | Total Commander | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $24.95 per user for a Home / Academic license, $92.95 for a commercial license | €42 one-time purchase, plus VAT where charged (Windows licence) |
| Free plan | Free of charge for personal, private use at home. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day test period with the fully functional shareware version for Windows |
| Windows | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | TGRMN Software | Ghisler Software GmbH |
| Price read from | bulkrenameutility.co.uk | ghisler.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Bulk Rename Utility
- Runs on Windows only, with no Mac or Linux version.
- Business and commercial use needs a paid license for each computer where it is installed.
- Yearly maintenance with updates and priority support is an add-on, starting at $29.95 for one item.
- The vendor's prices can be shown in other currencies at checkout; the figures here are the US dollar ones.
Total Commander
- The Windows version is shareware: after 30 days you must order a licence (€42 plus VAT where charged) or delete the program.
- There is no native Mac or Linux version. The vendor suggests a Windows emulator on a Mac and says it runs on Linux with Wine.
- The price is set in euros and charged by an EU payment processor; the vendor warns of a possible 1-2.5% processing fee from your bank.
- The registration key is not instant: the order page says to allow about 1-2 business days for delivery.
Key features
Bulk Rename Utility
- Flexible renaming rules
- Adds, replaces and inserts text, converts case, adds auto-numbers and removes or changes extensions.
- Preview before renaming
- Shows a detailed preview of the new names before any file is changed.
- Photo and media metadata
- Renames photos from EXIF data, MP3s from ID3 tags and other files from Windows file properties.
- Folders and sub-folders
- Processes whole folders and their sub-folders, not just a single list of files.
- Timestamp changes
- Changes files' creation and modification times.
- JavaScript renaming
- Scripted renaming is unlocked by a home/academic or commercial license.
Total Commander
- Two file windows side by side
- Shows two file panels next to each other for copying and moving between folders, with a tabbed interface, history and favorites buttons, thumbnails view and custom columns.
- Archive handling
- Packs and unpacks files, with handling for ZIP, 7ZIP, ARJ, LZH, RAR, UC2, TAR, GZ, CAB and ACE archives and further formats through plugins.
- Built-in FTP client
- Connects to FTP servers with FTPS (encrypted FTP) and HTTP proxy support, and includes a password manager for FTP and plugin connections.
- Compare and synchronize
- Compares files by content in a compare editor and synchronizes directories, including empty ones.
- Multi-rename tool and search
- Renames many files in one operation, and offers an enhanced search function, regular expressions and a quick file filter on Ctrl+S.
- Quick View panel
- A Quick View panel previews the selected file inside the program, including image and video display.
Plans
Bulk Rename Utility
Home use$0
Free for personal, private use at home; a business, company or commercial use needs a commercial license.
Home / Academic license$24.95
per user, one-time
Unlocks all features, including JavaScript renaming, for home or school and university use. $22.95 each for 2 to 5 users and $19.95 each for 6 or more.
Commercial license$92.95
per computer, one-time
Required for each computer in a business, company, government or commercial use. $63.95 each for 2 to 5 computers and $49.95 each for 6 or more.
Total Commander
Total Commander for Android€0
Freeware app for smartphones and tablets running Android 2.2 or newer.
Total Commander for Windows€42
one-time purchase per user, plus VAT where charged
Registration key for the Windows version. One licence covers one person on any number of computers, and updates are free until further notice.
Ways to pay less
Bulk Rename Utility
No public discounts listed.
Total Commander
- Education
Student and pupil licence for €31.50
Students and pupils pay EUR 31.50 plus VAT, down from EUR 42, after emailing proof of study to get a rebate code. The licence is issued in the student's own name.
- Lifetime license
Licence with no time limit and free updates
Single- and multi-user licences are valid for an unlimited time. The vendor says all updates have been free for registered users since version 1.0, until further notice.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Bulk Rename Utility or Total Commander?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Bulk Rename Utility starts at $24.95 per user for a Home / Academic license, $92.95 for a commercial license, and Total Commander starts at €42 one-time purchase, plus VAT where charged (Windows licence).
Which has a free plan, Bulk Rename Utility or Total Commander?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Bulk Rename Utility has a free plan. Total Commander does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Bulk Rename Utility and Total Commander run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Total Commander lists an Android app. Both list a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.