Commander One vs Marta (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Marta grades higher than Commander One: 2.6 against 2.4 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 features. Marta grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
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
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 Marta if
- Fits if you want a keyboard-first file manager on a Mac
- Works for people who like scripting their tools in Lua
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a finished release, since the download page says it is in beta
- Skip it if you use Windows or Linux, as it is Mac only
- Watch out: it needs macOS 11 or later
- Watch out: the site's copyright ends at 2024 and lists no paid support
How we grade them
| 2.4GPACommander OneFair | 2.6GPAMartaGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | ANo price on the download page; it asks for Patreon support. |
| 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. | AFree with no cap and no trial. No cap, no trial and no paid tier. |
| 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. | CArchives as folders, Lua plugin API, built-in terminal and disk usage, but the release is labelled beta. |
| 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. Keyboard-driven use and Lua scripting mean a learning curve. |
| 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. | DMac only, macOS 11 or later. Mac only, with no Windows, Linux, phone or web version. |
| Best for | a dual-panel file manager with FTP on a Mac | a keyboard-driven file manager on a Mac |
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 Marta. How we grade
Where they differ
- Commander One can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| Commander One | Marta | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $29.99 one-time for PRO | Free |
| Free plan | A free version exists, including in the Mac App Store; PRO features are an in-app purchase there. | The download page lists no price and invites support on Patreon; the release is labeled beta. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Electronic Team, Inc. | Yan Zhulanow |
| Price read from | ftp-mac.com | marta.sh |
| 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.
Marta
- The download page says Marta is in beta; the latest version listed is 0.8.2.
- Requires macOS 11.0 or later.
- The site shows a 2016 to 2024 copyright and lists no paid support.
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.
Marta
- Native macOS app
- Written entirely in Swift, according to the vendor.
- Keyboard and mouse
- Works by keyboard or mouse, with an Actions Panel opened by Command-Shift-P.
- Archives as folders
- Opens and writes ZIP and opens RAR, 7Z, XAR, TAR, ISO, CAB, LZH and more, including nested archives.
- Lua plugin API
- Plugins written in Lua can adapt the app, and configuration uses a dedicated DSL.
- Built-in terminal and disk usage
- A terminal syncs its directory with a file pane, and Analyze Disk Usage shows what takes space.
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.
Marta
Free$0
Download listed without a price; optional Patreon support.
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.
Marta
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Commander One or Marta?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Commander One starts at $29.99 one-time for PRO, and Marta is free.
Which has a free plan, Commander One or Marta?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Commander One and Marta have a free plan.
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.