Commander One vs ForkLift (2026): which should you pick?

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 ForkLift if

• Fits if your files live on servers and cloud drives as much as on your Mac
• Works for web builders who want SFTP and S3 inside the file manager

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, as it's macOS only, and 4.4 or later needs macOS 14.6
• Not for you if you expect updates for life, since a license covers 1 or 2 years and later versions run in trial mode
• Pricey if it's for the office, because the Single user license is personal use only and Small Business starts at $69.95
• Watch out: Dropbox Smart Sync isn't supported, and the vendor says no API is available for it

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.

ForkLift

• macOS only. ForkLift 4.4 and later require macOS 14.6; earlier ForkLift 4 versions need macOS 12.4 or later.
• A license includes updates for 1 or 2 years. Later versions run in trial mode until a new license is bought, though covered versions keep working.
• The Single user license is for personal use; office use on up to 5 Macs needs the Small Business license, from $69.95.
• Dropbox Smart Sync is not supported; the vendor says no API is available for it.

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.

ForkLift

Two panes, tabs and workspaces

Shows two file panes side by side with tabs in each, and Workspaces save a layout of open tabs and locations to load again later.

Remote connections

Connects to SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, SMB, AFP and NFS, with several servers open at once and drag and drop between them.

Folder sync

Compares a local or remote source and target folder to find matching, modified, new and deleted files, then synchronizes them one-way or two-way. A sync can be saved as a favorite.

Preview and remote editing

A preview panel plays audio and video and shows images and PDFs. Text files can be edited in place, and remote files open in your preferred editor and upload on save.

Archive management

Browses local and remote archives as if they were ordinary folders, including Quick Look, search and filter.

Git, Terminal and command line tools

Shows the git status of files with add, commit, push and pull, opens a Terminal, iTerm, Warp or Ghostty window at the current path, and runs command line tools by shortcut.

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.

ForkLift

• Single user (1 year of updates)$19.95

  one-time purchase, lifetime license

  For personal use on your Mac. Versions released during the year of updates can be used indefinitely.

• Family (1 year of updates)$29.95

  one-time purchase, lifetime license

  Install on all Macs in your household, with one year of free updates.

• Single user (2 years of updates)$34.95

  one-time purchase, lifetime license

  The personal license with two years of free updates in place of one.

• Family (2 years of updates)$49.95

  one-time purchase, lifetime license

  Install on all Macs in your household, with two years of free updates.

• Small Business (1 year of updates)$69.95

  one-time purchase, lifetime license

  Install on up to 5 Macs in the office, with one year of free updates.

• Small Business (2 years of updates)$119.95

  one-time purchase, lifetime license

  Install on up to 5 Macs in the office, with two years of free updates.

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.

ForkLift

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime license with 1 or 2 years of updates

  Every license is a lifetime license: the versions released during its 1- or 2-year update period can be used indefinitely, for as long as they stay compatible with your macOS.

• Education

  Educational discount on request

  Students, teachers and lecturers can ask for an educational discount by emailing support from an educational address or with proof of eligibility. The amount is not published.

• Other savings

  100 bonus days for existing customers

  Owners of an earlier ForkLift license get 100 extra days of free updates on a new license when they enter their old key in the store.

• Other savings

  Second year of updates at a lower price

  A Single user license with 2 years of updates costs $34.95, against $39.90 for two licenses with 1 year each.