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The strongest replacement candidate for Files by Google is MiXplorer if you want dual-pane browsing, archive handling and network storage. Fossify File Manager is the better pick if open-source code and a stated no-Internet-permission policy matter more to you than depth. The headline does not name the app it means, so treat both as candidates to test against your own folders, not as a verdict on one person’s switch.
What Files by Google already does
Google’s Play listing, updated October 1, 2026, describes the app as covering cleanup recommendations, search and browsing, Quick Share to nearby Android and Chromebook devices, a separate PIN or pattern lock, offline media playback, and moving files to Google Drive or an SD card. The same listing says the app uses less than 20 MB and contains no ads. These are the publisher’s own descriptions, not independent performance tests.
The listing also shows 5B+ downloads and a 4.5-star rating, both as of 2026. Those figures show scale and satisfaction at one point in time. They do not show that the app fits any particular workflow.
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Most “uglier app” arguments are really about two separate things. One is how the app looks and guides you. The other is what it lets you do with files once you know where they are. Files by Google leans toward guided cleanup, sharing and backup. Power-oriented managers lean toward manual control: copying between panes, filtering by folder, working with archives and reaching servers on your network. Before you switch, decide which of those you actually use each week.
#1 Best Overall
- File Manager
- Multimedia Explorer
- Cloud Storage
Side-by-side comparison
The table uses only what each app’s own listing, official site or the cited reviews state. “Not stated” means the published description used here does not mention the feature; it does not mean the feature is absent.
| Feature | Files by Google | MiXplorer | Fossify File Manager | Material Files |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source and licence | Not stated (Google Play listing) | Not stated (official site) | Open source, GPL-3.0-only (F-Droid listing) | Not stated (Android Authority, August 10, 2025) |
| Cleanup or storage recommendations | Yes (Google Play listing) | Not stated | Storage analysis (F-Droid listing) | Not stated |
| Dual-pane browsing | Not stated | Yes, in landscape mode, with drag and drop between panels (official site) | Not stated | Not stated |
| Tabs | Not stated | Yes (official site) | Not stated | Not stated |
| Archive pack and unpack | Not stated | Yes (official site) | Compression (F-Droid listing) | Not stated |
| Google Drive | Yes (Google Play listing) | Cloud providers listed (official site; specific providers not named in the description used here) | Not stated | Does not connect to Google Drive (Android Authority) |
| LAN or network storage | Not stated | SMB, FTP, SFTP and WebDAV (official site) | Not stated | External and local-network storage (Android Authority) |
| SD card or USB storage | SD card (Google Play listing) | USB OTG: FAT32 and exFAT read/write, NTFS read-only (official site) | SD and USB navigation (F-Droid listing) | External storage (Android Authority) |
| Quick Share | Yes, to nearby Android and Chromebook devices (Google Play listing) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Lock or encryption | Separate PIN or pattern lock (Google Play listing) | Encryption (official site) | File locking (F-Droid listing) | Not stated |
| Minimum Android version | Not stated in the listing used here | Not stated; depends on device and release (official site) | Android 8.0 or newer (F-Droid listing) | Not stated |
The candidates
MiXplorer
MiXplorer’s official feature page describes a customizable Android file manager. Its stated strengths are tabbed browsing, dual panels in landscape, task-based copy and move operations, advanced search, bookmarks and folder-specific views and sorting. The page states: “Unlimited Tabbed browsing and Dual panel in landscape mode and Drag and Drop between panels also supported.” It also lists root operations, a built-in FTP and HTTP server, and media and text tools.
Rank #2
- Access local or remote files
- View images, video, sounds, texts
- and more
Those are the developer’s feature claims. Actual availability can vary with your device, Android release, permissions and add-ons. The official site links a free download through its XDA forum route and says that buying MiX Silver on the Play Store or Galaxy Store supports development. Check current availability and payment terms before you install.
Android Authority’s comparison, dated August 10, 2025, calls MiXplorer highly versatile and customizable, citing internal, external, LAN and cloud storage, themes, add-ons, skins and tabs. The reviewer names it a favourite, which is that reviewer’s preference rather than an independent benchmark.
Rank #3
- Easy & Quick File management & Searching
- All files in one place.
- Multimedia ( Video, Music, Images ) Explorer
- Shortcuts for main Utilities
- Easy File Search
Fossify File Manager
Fossify is the clearest choice if source availability matters. F-Droid lists it as open source under GPL-3.0-only and describes search, sorting, compression, storage analysis, SD and USB navigation, file locking and a light text editor. The F-Droid listing records version 1.6.1 as added on February 18, 2026, and requires Android 8.0 or newer. Release schedules differ between F-Droid and other stores, so confirm the current version where you install it.
Fossify’s privacy policy, effective July 12, 2026, states: “The app does not request Android’s Internet permission or send usage data to Fossify.” The same policy says files leave the device when you share them or open them with another app or provider. That statement covers Fossify itself. It does not describe how other apps, or the services you send files to, handle your data.
Rank #4
- User friendly, simple yet powerful.
- LAN share, FTP and WebDAV support with online media streaming.
- Transparently access cloud storages including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, SkyDrive and SugarSync.
- Compress and decompress support.
- Support FTP file sharing, access device files freely without data cable。
Material Files
Android Authority describes Material Files as an approachable option with Material You theming, night mode, a sidebar, and external and local-network storage. The same comparison says it does not connect to Google Drive. It suits someone who wants a clean, navigable browser with more capability than a bare file list, but without the dual-pane depth of MiXplorer.
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Solid Explorer, per Android Authority, offers dual-pane management, fingerprint-protected storage access and folder information in a polished interface. Cx File Explorer, per the same comparison, adds storage analysis, largest-file discovery, free-space information and built-in image, video and audio players. Both are useful if you want a single app that covers both management and light media use.
Best Value
- Find files easily from the fully-customizable Home screen with quick access tiles
- Categories for your Music, Picture, and Video files, along with sections for Archives, Documents, and more
- Integrated Audio & Video players
- Support for the most popular cloud services: Google Drive, DropBox, Box & Microsoft OneDrive
- File Commander’s Vault allows you to protect your sensitive data
Android restrictions no file manager can remove
Android’s storage documentation for Android 11 says the system restricts access to other apps’ private and app-specific directories. For apps targeting Android 11 or higher, the Storage Access Framework cannot request access to Android/data or Android/obb through the documented file and directory picker intents. All-files access is a special permission, and Google Play’s publication rules apply to apps that declare it.
So if a folder inside Android/data seems missing or read-only, switching apps will not change that by itself. Check first whether the folder is shared storage or app-private storage, and whether the app has the permissions it asks for. Behaviour also depends on your Android version, the storage medium and your device maker.
How to switch without losing a feature you use
- List the Files by Google features you rely on: cleanup, Quick Share, the lock, Google Drive moves, and offline media playback.
- Check each candidate’s published description against that list. The sources used here do not mention Quick Share in any alternative, so if you depend on it, test it before you rely on an alternative.
- Confirm your Android version meets the candidate’s minimum. Fossify requires Android 8.0 or newer.
- Install the candidate from a source you trust. For MiXplorer, that is the official site’s route or the store listing it names. For Fossify, that is F-Droid or the listing it publishes.
- Run your real workflow for a week alongside the original: moving downloads, sorting photos, and opening files from your SD card or a network share.
- Uninstall the original only after you have confirmed that nothing you need is missing.
If you use a USB drive
A USB-C flash drive is an optional accessory for transferring or backing up files, not a requirement for any of these apps. Before you buy one, check three things: whether your phone supports USB-C with OTG, which filesystem the drive uses, and whether that filesystem is writable in your chosen app. MiXplorer’s official page lists FAT32 and exFAT as read and write, and NTFS as read-only, so an NTFS drive will not accept changes there.
Files by Google lists USB drives as a storage option. Its listing does not state filesystem support, so check that separately if you rely on a particular drive format.
Quick Recap
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