Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · File Manager Software

Dolphin vs muCommander

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score Dolphin #2 in File Manager Software 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit KDE
muCommander #14 in File Manager Software 7.7/10 Open source ✓ 6 of 6 features Visit muCommander

Dolphin leads on 0 checks, muCommander on 0, and 7 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreDolphin · 9.1/10
  • Free planonly Dolphin
  • Most featuresmuCommander · 6 of 6

Dolphin scores higher on our rubric for file manager software: 9.1 against 7.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #14.

Dolphin is the better fit for free Linux users wanting a standard desktop manager. muCommander is the better fit for cross-platform users needing remote connectivity.

  • Dolphin fits best

    Free Linux users wanting a standard desktop manager

  • muCommander fits best

    Cross-platform users needing remote connectivity

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Dolphin 9.1/10 Visit ↗ muCommander 7.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 7.7
Ranking #2 in File Manager Software #14 in File Manager Software
Best for Free Linux users wanting a standard desktop manager Cross-platform users needing remote connectivity
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Desktop
Platforms Linux, Windows Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 5 integrations 10 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features Dolphin 5/6 · muCommander 6/6
Dual-pane view ✓ ✓
Tabbed interface ✓ ✓
Batch rename ✓ ✓
Archive support ✓ ✓
Cloud storage access ✓ ✓
Portable version Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Supported platforms linux, windows Windows, macOS, Linux
Our review
Pros
  • Tabbed browsing, split panes, search, and configurable file views
  • Batch renaming, archive handling, previews, and integrated terminal access
  • KDE integrations support remote locations and services such as Google Drive and Nextcloud
  • Supports Windows, macOS and Linux
  • Connects to cloud services and many network protocols
  • Includes dual panes, tabs, archives and checksum calculation
Cons
  • Its strongest fit is within Linux-oriented desktop environments
  • Windows builds are available, but the product centers on KDE workflows
  • Remote and cloud access depends on KDE integrations and configured services
  • The interface is focused on desktop file management
  • Its broad protocol support may exceed simpler file tasks
  • The open-source model is not organized around commercial tiers
Our verdict

Dolphin is KDE’s open-source file manager for browsing and managing files on desktop computers. It handles local storage, including hard drives, USB sticks, and SD cards, while also supporting remote machines and internet cloud services…

Read the review →

muCommander is an open-source file manager for Windows, macOS, Linux and other Java-capable operating systems. Its dual-pane layout is suited to moving, comparing and organizing files across local and remote locations, while tabs,…

Read the review →
  1. DolphinFile Manager Software 9.1Free plan
  2. muCommanderFile Manager Software 7.7Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Dolphin — where it wins

    • Tabbed browsing, split panes, search, and configurable file views
    • Batch renaming, archive handling, previews, and integrated terminal access
    • KDE integrations support remote locations and services such as Google Drive and Nextcloud

    Where it doesn't

    • Its strongest fit is within Linux-oriented desktop environments
    • Windows builds are available, but the product centers on KDE workflows
    • Remote and cloud access depends on KDE integrations and configured services

  • muCommander — where it wins

    • Supports Windows, macOS and Linux
    • Connects to cloud services and many network protocols
    • Includes dual panes, tabs, archives and checksum calculation

    Where it doesn't

    • The interface is focused on desktop file management
    • Its broad protocol support may exceed simpler file tasks
    • The open-source model is not organized around commercial tiers

More comparisons

All file manager software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update