Czkawka vs Duplicate File Detective

CCzkawka8.8Visit Duplicate File Detective7.3Visit

Higher score C Czkawka #2 in Duplicate File Finders 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Czkawka

vs

Duplicate File Detective #12 in Duplicate File Finders 7.3/10 15-day trial Free trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit site

• Czkawka fits best

  Technical users wanting free cross-platform software

• Duplicate File Detective fits best

  Windows users wanting reports and scheduling

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Side by side

Feature	CCzkawka 8.8/10 Visit ↗	Duplicate File Detective 7.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	7.3
Ranking	#2 in Duplicate File Finders	#12 in Duplicate File Finders
Best for	Technical users wanting free cross-platform software	Windows users wanting reports and scheduling
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free plan	$30 one-time
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	15 days
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android	Windows
Features Czkawka 4/4 · Duplicate File Detective 4/4
File preview	✓	✓
Automatic selection	✓	✓
Recycle Bin / Trash	✓	✓
Folder exclusions	✓	✓
Specs
Platform coverage	Cross-platform	Windows
Scan locations	User-selected local directories and paths	local drives; network shares; NAS devices; removable storage; file server shares
Match methods	File name, file size, name and size, or full-content hash	file name; extension; file size; CRC32; MD5; SHA-1; SHA-256; SHA-512; byte-for-byte content; visual image comparison; document properties; audio tags
Our review
Pros	Free and open source across Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android Multiple hash methods, caching, exclusions, previews, and selection presets CLI support for scripting, dry runs, JSON output, and automated deletion	Matches files by checksums, bytes, visual appearance, properties, and audio tags Scans local drives, network shares, NAS devices, removable storage, and file servers Adds previews, SmartMark rules, scheduled reports, and duplicate management actions
Cons	Scan locations are limited to user-selected directories and files Media matching is narrower than its broader file-cleanup toolkit The legacy GTK interface no longer receives new binaries	Windows-only, with no support for other platforms The Personal Edition excludes scheduling and other automation features No free plan; paid access starts at a $30 one-time license
Our verdict	Czkawka is a free, open-source file-cleanup suite for technical users who want duplicate detection across Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android-related frontends. It identifies duplicates by file name, size, full-file hash, or combined size… Read the review →	Duplicate File Detective is Windows software for locating, reviewing, and managing duplicate files across local drives, removable storage, network shares, NAS devices, and file servers. It suits Windows users who need more than a basic… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Czkawka — where it wins

  • Free and open source across Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
  • Multiple hash methods, caching, exclusions, previews, and selection presets
  • CLI support for scripting, dry runs, JSON output, and automated deletion

  Where it doesn't

  • Scan locations are limited to user-selected directories and files
  • Media matching is narrower than its broader file-cleanup toolkit
  • The legacy GTK interface no longer receives new binaries

• Duplicate File Detective — where it wins

  • Matches files by checksums, bytes, visual appearance, properties, and audio tags
  • Scans local drives, network shares, NAS devices, removable storage, and file servers
  • Adds previews, SmartMark rules, scheduled reports, and duplicate management actions

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows-only, with no support for other platforms
  • The Personal Edition excludes scheduling and other automation features
  • No free plan; paid access starts at a $30 one-time license

• CCzkawka8.8/10 · Free plan

  A free, scriptable duplicate finder for technical users across Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.

  Visit CzkawkaFull verdict →
• Duplicate File Detective7.3/10 · 15-day trial

  A Windows duplicate finder with deep matching, previews, automation, and scheduled reporting.

  Visit siteFull verdict →