When comparing ES File Explorer vs Google Photos, the Slant community recommends ES File Explorer for most people. In the question“What are the most useful Android phone apps?” ES File Explorer is ranked 27th while Google Photos is ranked 33rd. The most important reason people chose ES File Explorer is:
ES File Explorer supports a local Samba connection to browse files on other area connected devices.
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Pros
Pro Supports SMB
ES File Explorer supports a local Samba connection to browse files on other area connected devices.
Pro Built-in ZIP and RAR support
ES File Explorer supports the .zip and .rar compression formats.
Pro Browse FTP
Pro Builtin audio player
Pro Cleaner
Cleaning cache, temp, junk files.
Pro Image viewer
Pro Inbuilt video player
Pro Root explorer
Explore root files if the phone is rooted.
Pro SFTP client
Access SFTP network shares.
Pro Encrypt files
Encrypt private or sensitive files and folders, set password.
Pro Can set custom ftp server folder location
Pro Builtin text editor with code highlight
Can set text encoding, find and replace, text highlighting for various programming and scripting language.
Pro Install plugins
For additional features.
Pro Share, send and receive files via WiFi
Like shareit.
Pro Create FTP server
Browse files from PC or mobile.
Pro Mediafire
Pro Box Cloud Integration
Pro Sugar Sync
Pro Amazon S3
Pro GoogleDrive file browse
Pro OneDrive file browse
Pro Dropbox file browse
Pro Recycle bin
Pro Download manager
Pro Space analyzer
Pro Integrates with a wide variety of services
The app supports Dropbox, Box.net, Sugarsync, Google Drive, SkyDrive, Amazon S3, Yandex and more.
Pro Can automatically back up phone's photos
Any images taken with your phone can automatically be backed up to Google Photos. And the first time you run the mobile app it will also help you back up any existing images and videos you might have on your phone.
Pro Can search photos
Text in photos, the content of the photo, and so on can be automatically searched. So one doesn't need to categorize to later find photos. Manual categorization is still possible.
Pro Simple sharing
Any picture or selection of pictures can be sent to anyone, even if they don't have a Google account. Photos will also give you a list of recommended photos to share.
Pro Free unlimited storage
Google Photos comes with free storage for images up to 16Mp and videos up to 1080p which means that most users need no longer worry about storage space.
Pro Can manually classify photos
Can create albums from photos or even manage the whole folders tree manually via Drive.
Pro Non-destructive built-in photo editor
Any photos that you edited can be undone to original copy.
Pro Smart shared libraries
Google Photos allows inviting other users to shared libraries. It has a feature that allows auto-adding all photos and videos or only of specific people to the shared library which is really useful for sharing with families or a close group of friends. It also allows the invitee to save those photos straight to their device automatically as if they took it.
Pro Send images and videos to Gmail and YouTube
If you linked your Google drive with google photos, then you can easily attach any of your Google Photos in an email message.
Pro Uses AI to create fun content
Google's AI automatically generates fun animations, collages, styled photos and stories every now and then which can be shared saved and shared to your device very easily.
Pro iOS app is easy and fun to use
The app is easy to use and has amusing features like reminders, where it pops up photos from many years ago.
Cons
Con Network delete unreliable
Deleting files from network shares is not always reliable, especially when the file is first in the directory list.
Con Click fraud
Removed from Play store after being caught engaged in click fraud.
Con Ugly
Interface is kind of crappy.
Con Connects to an IP in China
For some reason ES File Explorer installs a folder called Baidu of which any app that installs this folder connects to an IP in China for some reason. Sadly it is still not known at this time for what or why.
Con Smart charger is enabled by default
It is annoying, after installing the app, suddenly you see your phone has changed.
Con News feature is enabled by default
Also it is not related to file browser.
Con ES Swipe is enabled by default
It is disturbing.
Con You have to install another app to add plugin/feature
Con Constant notifications
It is always running in the background and monitoring for possible issues. It always pops up with notifications about new files and suggested files for deletion. There is no way to turn it off.
Con Bought by another company and bundled with adware
Con Loads at start up and constantly runs in background
Takes up resources by always running. Performs monitoring you cannot turn off.
Con Changes features often
Features are changed very frequently, with most of the additions/changes being unnecessary.
Con Adds possible malware
This issue appears after the update of Aug, 1, 2016 ver 4.1.2.4.
Con Closed source (proprietary)
The source code for ES File Explorer is closed source.
Con Slow
Con Broken
Con Might be removed anytime
Google has a tendency to quickly shut down or abandon services that don't perform well. Google Photos might run the risk of being discontinued if the user base of the app doesn't meet certain criteria.
Con Taking ownership of your backups is laborious
Major issue with this is getting access to your backups. Gotta wait for massive downloads. With OneDrive they are just files which you can move around.
Con The website has performance issues
The site tends to lag and file uploads can sometimes fail.
Con The web version lacks certain features available on mobile apps
Con Doesn't backup in the background
For iOS devices.
Con Not a lot of free storage space for high-res content
While there's a free unlimited storage plan, it's limited to 16 megapixel images and 1080p videos. Uploading full-resolution content, if you opt out of free unlimited storage plan, is limited to 15GB that comes with a Google account which is shared across all Google services. Increasing that storage space costs about $10/mo per 1TB of storage.
Con Files may be compressed if you're using the unlimited storage option
All images exceeding 16MP and videos exceeding 1080p will automatically be compressed to that size or lower. Meaning high-res images and videos won't work with the unlimited storage option.