ForkLift vs Total Commander

ForkLift

• Mac users who manage files on servers and cloud storage as well as local disks
• Web developers who want an SFTP and S3 client inside their file manager
• Keeping two folders, local or remote, in sync

Total Commander

• Windows users who manage many files and prefer two panels to Explorer
• People who want FTP, archive handling and file comparison in one program
• Companies that want concurrent-use licences not tied to single computers

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.