Files vs StartAllBack (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Files grades higher than StartAllBack: 2.8 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Files grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Files
Open-source file manager for Windows with tabs and dual pane
Free plan · from $12.99 one-time
StartAllBack
Windows 11 taskbar, Start menu and Explorer restyling tool
Free trial · from $4.99 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick Files if
- Fits if you want tabs, two panes and tags in a file manager at no cost
- Works for people in project folders all day who want Git branches in view
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on a Mac or Linux, as it's Windows only, on Windows 10 version 19041.0 or higher
- Not for you if you connect to servers over SFTP, because only FTP and FTPS are supported
- Not for you if you leave a file manager open for days, since the FAQ admits to memory leaks
- Watch out: cloud drives show in the sidebar only while each service's own client is running
- Watch out: the Store copy costs $12.99, so the free route is the classic installer or a PowerShell command
Pick StartAllBack if
- Fits if you miss the older Windows taskbar and Start menu
- Works for businesses that want group-policy control over the Start menu
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you are on Windows 10 or earlier, as that is a different product, StartIsBack
- Watch out: after the 30-day trial the Start menu goes blank until you activate a key
- Not for you if you use Mac or Linux, as it is Windows only
- Watch out: new versions for new Windows releases may need a licence upgrade payment, and activation is tied to your hardware
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAFilesGood | 2.4GPAStartAllBackFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree through the classic installer, a real program you download and run. The Microsoft Store version is $12.99 once, sold to fund development, and that's still under this category's usual one-time price. | A$4.99 once for personal use, far under the category's cheaper quarter. Businesses pay $50 for 10 PCs. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe app is free if you install it with the classic installer, a PowerShell command or the offline packages. No trial clock. The project just asks you to think about supporting it on GitHub. | CA 30-day trial with no feature limits, and no card is mentioned. After that, a limited mode with a blank Start menu. |
| Features | COn the browsing side: tabs, dual pane, a column layout, colored tags, zip and 7zip archives, Git branches and a Command Palette. The listing names two holes, though. Remote connections stop at FTP and FTPS with no SFTP, and the FAQ admits memory use builds up over long sessions. | CRestores taskbar labels and placement, a Start menu, Explorer commands and old-style context menus. It does one job on Windows 11 only, and Windows 10 and 8 need StartIsBack. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating is on record, but there's nothing to set up: it's a file manager, so you already know the basics, and the Command Palette puts commands and settings on the keyboard. Just remember the free route is the classic installer, not the Store. | BNo rating on record. You install it and the taskbar changes, with options to adjust. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only, a single operating system, and the Store listing wants Windows 10 version 19041.0 or higher. It does list OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox and Box in the sidebar, as long as each one's own client is running, and it works with Git. | DWindows 11 only for this product. No other platform and no integrations. |
| Best for | a File Explorer swap with tabs and dual pane | an older-style Windows 11 taskbar and Start menu |
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: Files and StartAllBack. How we grade
Where they differ
- Files is open source, according to its own site.
- StartAllBack can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Files also covers file management and file compression.
- StartAllBack also covers menu bar app.
In commonWindows
At a glance
| Files | StartAllBack | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $12.99 one-time purchase (Microsoft Store, US price) | $4.99 one-time for a personal license |
| Free plan | The app is free through the classic installer, a PowerShell command or the offline packages. The Microsoft Store version is the paid way to get it, sold to support the project. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day trial with no feature limits; afterward it runs in a limited mode with a blank Start menu |
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Files Community | Stanislav Zinukhov (StartIsBack) |
| Price read from | apps.microsoft.com | startisback.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Files
- Windows only; the Microsoft Store listing requires Windows 10 version 19041.0 or higher.
- The Microsoft Store version costs $12.99. The free version is installed with the classic installer or a PowerShell command.
- Remote connections cover FTP and FTPS only; the docs say SFTP is not currently supported.
- The FAQ acknowledges memory leaks that can make memory use build up over long sessions.
StartAllBack
- Windows 11 only for StartAllBack; Windows 10 and 8 use StartIsBack versions.
- After the 30-day trial the Start menu goes blank and a reminder appears at every boot until a key is activated.
- New versions for new Windows releases may need a license upgrade payment, according to the vendor's FAQ.
- Activation is tied to the PC's hardware, and one key activates a limited number of computers.
Key features
Files
- Tabs and dual pane
- Several folders open as tabs in a single window, and the dual-pane view shows and manages two folders side by side.
- Layouts and column view
- Folders can be shown in several layouts, including a column layout for moving through different levels of the file system.
- File tags
- Files and folders can be organized and sorted with colored tags.
- Cloud drives in the sidebar
- Detects installed cloud clients such as OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox and Box and lists their drives in the sidebar. The provider's own client must be running.
- Archives and FTP
- Creates and extracts archives including zip and 7zip, and connects to FTP and FTPS servers from the address bar. SFTP is not supported.
- Git integration and Command Palette
- Creates and switches Git branches and syncs changes from within the app. The Command Palette gives keyboard access to commands and settings, and key bindings can be remapped.
StartAllBack
- Taskbar restore
- Shows labels on task icons, sets icon size and margins, and moves the taskbar to the top, left or right edge.
- Start menu
- Brings back a Start menu that opens programs and system places in one click, with its own search.
- File Explorer and Control Panel
- Restores a revamped ribbon and command bar, a bottom details pane and the older search box.
- Context menus
- Replaces the Windows 11 menus with rounded acrylic ones that the vendor says open faster.
- Styles and recoloring
- Offers Windows 7, Windows 8 and third-party taskbar and Start menu styles and recolors UI in many windows apps.
- Light footprint
- The vendor says it uses less RAM and starts fewer processes than the default shell.
Plans
Files
Classic installer$0
The free version, in stable and preview branches. The project asks people who install it to consider supporting development on GitHub.
Microsoft Store$12.99
one-time purchase (US Microsoft Store price)
The stable release bought and updated through the Microsoft Store. The download page calls this the best way to support development.
StartAllBack
Personal$4.99
one-time, personal use
License key stated to work with any StartIsBack version, including StartAllBack. Personal use only; the site also mentions a family pack.
Business, 10 PCs$50.00
one-time for 10 PCs
Required for business use. Adds group policies, priority email support and future optional updates; 100 PCs is $450 and 1,000 PCs is $3,000.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Files or StartAllBack?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Files starts at $12.99 one-time purchase (Microsoft Store, US price), and StartAllBack starts at $4.99 one-time for a personal license.
Which has a free plan, Files or StartAllBack?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Files has a free plan. StartAllBack does not, though it has a free trial.
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.