When comparing ES File Explorer vs Waze, 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 Waze is ranked 36th. 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.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
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 Notification about police
Pro Shows traffic speeds during rush hour
Shows red during heavy traffic along with mph, and orange for mild traffic.
Pro Route options
You can select the route icon and it will give you 3 options with milage and time to get you there if you want to choose your own route.
Pro Live routing and alert reports from other waze users
Each waze user has the ability to report traffic and road information changes as well as accidents, road closures, police locations and other alerts in real-time. This information is then displayed on the map to benefit other drivers and used to recalculate optimal route.
Pro Lists traffic accidents
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 Advertisement supported
The advertisements usually shown when the vehicle is at rest, and they cover the entire screen. There is no way to get rid of them, it's strictly a free ad supported app.
Con Very high battery consumption
This app literally DRAINS your mobile. With an iPhone 6s, one can drive just a couple of hours before running out of battery.
Con Can freeze up when connected to Apple Play
Especially on iPhone 6s and Toyota Highlander 2020 pairing.
Bad routes, slow to determine where one is in a few locations (for example, exiting the highway and the exit is located lower than the highway).