Commander One vs fman (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Commander One grades higher than fman: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Commander One grades higher on value for money and features. fman grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Commander One
Dual-panel file manager and FTP client for Mac
fman
Dual-pane file manager for Mac, Windows and Linux with plugins
Which one is for you
Pick Commander One if
- Fits if you want a Total Commander-style file manager on a Mac
- Works for developers who move files to FTP or S3 and want it in the same window
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you also use Windows or Linux, as it is Mac only
- Tight if you want everything the site shows without paying, because the free version has fewer features than PRO
- Watch out: the personal licence covers one Mac and non-commercial use, and lifetime upgrades are a separate add-on
- Pricey if you need commercial use, which starts at $99.99 for 5 Macs
Pick fman if
- Fits if you like to move around folders by typing
- Works for people who want plugins in a file manager
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free tool, as regular use needs a licence and there is no free tier
- Pricey if you buy for a team, as businesses need one licence per person
- Watch out: the buy page doesn't say what the trial limits are
- Watch out: the price is in euros and there is a 60-day refund policy
How we grade them
| 2.4GPACommander OneFair | 2.2GPAfmanFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$29.99 once for the PRO Pack, less than a year of what this category's middle subscription costs. The team licence is $99.99 for 5 Macs, so $20 a head. | B€39 one-time and perpetual, which is a bit under a year of a typical utility subscription (about $40) and under two. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free version exists, including in the Mac App Store, but it has fewer features than PRO and the PRO Pack is an in-app purchase there. You will hit that edge. | CFree to try, but a licence is needed for regular use, and the pages don't describe the trial limits or say a card is needed. |
| Features | BDual panels, FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, S3 and six cloud drives, archives, a terminal and phone mounting over MTP. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job of a file manager. | CGo to directory, plugins, dual pane and keyboard shortcuts, but the listing doesn't show what the trial or the app leaves out. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. It is a file manager with servers and cloud drives to connect, and two panels to get used to. | CNo rating on record. A keyboard-first two-pane layout takes learning. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, on macOS 10.13 or later. Cloud drives are connected inside it, but there is no Windows, Linux, phone or web version. | CMac, Windows and Linux, desktops only. Mac, Windows and Linux desktops only; no phone or web version, no integrations. |
| Best for | a dual-panel file manager with FTP on a Mac | a plugin-based two-pane file manager on any desktop |
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: Commander One and fman. How we grade
Where they differ
- Commander One also covers file compression.
At a glance
| Commander One | fman | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $29.99 one-time for PRO | €39 one-time, perpetual license |
| Free plan | A free version exists, including in the Mac App Store; PRO features are an in-app purchase there. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free to try; a license is required to use it regularly |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Electronic Team, Inc. | Michael Herrmann |
| Price read from | ftp-mac.com | fman.io |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Commander One
- The Mac App Store version has limits compared with the PRO version sold on the site.
- The personal license allows non-commercial use on one Mac only.
- Mac only; requires macOS 10.13 or later.
fman
- Businesses need one license per person using it.
- The site states a 60-day refund policy; the trial limits are not described on the pages read.
- Price is in euros, and the buy page does not say what the trial limits are.
Key features
Commander One
- Dual-panel view
- Two panels for moving files between folders, servers and storage.
- Remote connections
- Built-in FTP, SFTP and WebDAV client, plus Amazon S3, OpenStack and Backblaze.
- Cloud storage
- Connects to Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, MEGA and pCloud.
- Terminal emulator
- A built-in terminal for running commands without leaving the app.
- Archives
- Compresses and extracts RAR, 7-Zip, ZIP and Tar GZ files.
- Device mounting
- Mounts iOS and Android devices and cameras over MTP.
fman
- Go to directory
- Press Ctrl+P (Command-P on Mac) to jump to a folder; fman remembers frequently used folders and suggests them first.
- Plugins
- Install plugins written by others or write your own with the plugin system.
- Dual-pane layout
- A two-panel file manager for Mac, Windows and Linux.
- Keyboard shortcuts
- The docs credit keyboard shortcuts for its speed; a shortcut copies or moves files between the two panels.
- Perpetual license
- One license covers all your computers and all future versions, per the buy page, with a 60-day refund policy.
Plans
Commander One
Free version$0
Mac App Store version with fewer features than PRO; the PRO Pack is an in-app purchase.
PRO Pack Personal$29.99
one-time purchase, for 1 Mac
Personal, non-commercial use on one Mac. Lifetime upgrades are a separate add-on.
PRO Pack Team$99.99
one-time purchase, for 5 Macs
Allows commercial use within a business. Larger licenses are sold through sales.
fman
fman license€39
one-time, perpetual
Use on as many of your computers as you like; includes all future versions.
Ways to pay less
Commander One
- Other savings
Migration discount for other-tool owners
The purchase page advertises 50% off for people who hold a license for alternative software; the discount is requested through the vendor.
fman
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Commander One or fman?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Commander One starts at $29.99 one-time for PRO, and fman starts at €39 one-time, perpetual license.
Which has a free plan, Commander One or fman?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Commander One has a free plan. fman does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Commander One and fman run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only fman lists Windows and Linux apps. Both list a macOS 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.