When comparing Total Commander vs FreeCommander, the Slant community recommends Total Commander for most people. In the question“What are the best file managers for Windows?” Total Commander is ranked 5th while FreeCommander is ranked 15th. The most important reason people chose Total Commander is:
Supports plugins for compression, file system, and file types.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Plugins
Supports plugins for compression, file system, and file types.
Pro Can replace a lot of utility tools
There are a lot of built-in utility tools and plug-ins. There's multi-file renamer, verify file checksum to ensure download content integrity, sync directory tool, etc.
Pro Life-time license
Once purchased you can use it as long as you like and never have to pay again.
Pro Layout increases productivity
The dual-pane layout makes normal file operations (like move & copy) easy.
Pro Useful multiple advanced options
Show hidden files, show differences between directories, FTP connections, coding and decoding (MIME, l).
Pro Very customizable
Total Commander is extremely flexible, with plenty of customizable options such as changing the color scheme, customizing menus, and editing shortcuts.
Pro Works even when Windows is very unstable
Pro Productive
Even if you have not learned the keys from DOS NortonCommander, learning them now will make you more productive when dealing with files.
Pro Powerful file search
The file search has many features, like using regular expressions to find the file names or even inside the content of the files. It can filter by file size, date and others, or even find duplicate files.
Pro Compare files and show differences
Can compare and show text file differences (diff) line-by-line, even character-by-character. Very useful for programmers. Can compare binary files, telling if files have the same content or not.
Pro Batch-rename files and folders
Sometimes you want to rename a bunch of files for some reason.
Eg:
file1-useless info blah blah.mp8
file2-useless info blah blah.mp8
file3-useless info blah blah.mp8
file4-useless info blah blah.mp8
file5-useless info blah blah.mp8
At once you can remove the "-useless info blah blah" in all file names. Or you could change the "file" to "my_super_file" to all at once.
The possibilities are endless.
Pro Saves time
Pro Cloud plugin
Pro Customizable tabs
Allows renaming tabs and setting maximum tab text length, which is very convenient. You can also lock tabs in two modes: a) change dir not allowed and b) change dir allowed (but it would return to the original path once you browse another tab). It doesn't allow assigning different colors to each tab, though.
Pro On copy/move it can both avoid overwrite the destination file AND losing the copied file at the same time
Sometimes you need to copy/move a bunch of files to a folder that already has files. During the copy when Total Commander encounter files in the destination folder that has the same name of the copied files, it allows you to choose auto-rename the copied files or the destination files. It's beautiful.
Pro Convenient
Pro Free
Pro Easy for language translation
Pro Forget about the mouse
The total commander is convenient to use both with the mouse and exclusively using the keyboard.
But using only the keyboard gives it a big increase in the speed of work because you do not aim at your mouse. You need some time to get used to it, but it's really worth it.
Pro 2 Pane Layout
Makes normal file operations (like move & copy) easy.
Pro Quick Navigation
Commonly used folders can be added and accessed using the favorites list -- in addition, physical and network drives can be switched to with a single click.
Pro Very powerful Multirename tool
Pro Has a portable version
Because it's portable, you can easily move the folder with all your files to other devices.
Pro Powerful search feature
FreeCommander provides a search functionality that allows you to filter out results.
Pro Very powerful set of file copying options
FreeCommander has a very powerful set of file copying options.
Pro Very usable and reliable Sync tool
Pro Shows folder file size
In Details mode you can turn on Folder Data file size.
Pro Keyboard shortcuts
Has a good set of keyboard shortcuts enabled by default
Pro Interface highly customizable, native Dark Mode, stable, very accessible primary functionality, very frequent updates
Simple 1-click buttons to toggle views, enable or disable visual filter, etc. Very simple instant filtering. The folder syncing is as good as "GoodSync".
Pro Excellent file manager with lots of hotkeys
Also file search, filter and multi file rename functionalities.
Cons
Con Cannot display background colors for file names
While it can display different colors (even based on filters) for the text color of those file names, but not for the background color.
Con Very slow on loading network shares
Con Proprietary
Total Commander offers a free 30-day trial, after which the cost of the program is $44.
Con Classic Interface
Con Need to spend a lot of time for custom configuration
Need to spend a lot of time for custom configuration, many features of the steps are very cumbersome to reduce operating speed.
Con It's easy to delete important stuff by accident
When you want to delete something, it will often highlight both a file and its folder. The whole folder is then removed if you don't de-select the folder manually.
Con Only the 32-bit version is free
You have to make a donation to be able to download the 64-bit version.
Con Cluttered and dated UI
The user interface has an outdated look, with a lot of button and menu options that can be overwhelming.
Con Unable to replace default file explorer
Con Buggy
Good facilities overall, but there's a bug that makes menus freeze and get stuck on the page.