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Head-to-head · Terminal File Managers

far2l vs RTFM

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 8 checks side by side
Higher score far2l #6 in Terminal File Managers 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 7 features Visit far2l
RTFM #7 in Terminal File Managers 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 6 of 7 features Visit RTFM

far2l leads on 0 checks, RTFM on 0, and 8 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 8 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorefar2l · 8.7/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresRTFM · 6 of 7

far2l scores higher on our rubric for terminal file managers: 8.7 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #7.

far2l is the better fit for linux and macOS users managing many remotes. RTFM is the better fit for terminal users who want optional AI assistance.

  • far2l fits best

    Linux and macOS users managing many remotes

  • RTFM fits best

    Terminal users who want optional AI assistance

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Side by side

Feature far2l 8.7/10 Visit ↗ RTFM 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.6
Ranking #6 in Terminal File Managers #7 in Terminal File Managers
Best for Linux and macOS users managing many remotes Terminal users who want optional AI assistance
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Desktop Self-hosted
Platforms Linux, macOS Linux, macOS
Support Community, Docs Docs, Community
Integrations 11 integrations 5 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features far2l 4/7 · RTFM 6/7
Dual-pane layout Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Linux support ✓ ✓
macOS support ✓ ✓
Windows support — Not checked yet
Preview pane Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Remote file access ✓ ✓
Archive support ✓ ✓
Our review
Pros
  • Remote access covers SFTP, SCP, FTP, FTPS, SMB, NFS, WebDAV, and AWS S3
  • Plugins support archives, comparisons, viewing, editing, image viewing, and scripting
  • Offers terminal, wxWidgets, and SDL backends with open-source extensibility
  • Dual panes, tabs, previews, archives, and inline image display
  • SSH/SFTP browsing, transfers, undo, trash, and bulk operations
  • Open-source with plugins, file picker mode, and optional OpenAI analysis
Cons
  • Verified platform support is limited to Linux and macOS
  • The project describes its beta version as unstable on master
  • Plugin-based configuration may require more setup than simpler file managers
  • Designed for terminal use rather than a graphical file-management workflow
  • Documented installation coverage centers on Linux and macOS
  • OpenAI analysis depends on the optional OpenAI API integration
Our verdict

far2l is an open-source file manager for Linux and macOS, designed for users who need more than local directory navigation. It combines terminal interfaces with graphical wxWidgets and SDL backends, while plugins extend its work across…

Read the review →

RTFM is an open-source terminal file manager written in pure Ruby. It is aimed at terminal users and power users who want local and remote file operations inside a terminal emulator. The layout combines two panes with tabs, while previews…

Read the review →
  1. far2lTerminal File Managers 8.7Free plan
  2. RTFMTerminal File Managers 8.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • far2l — where it wins

    • Remote access covers SFTP, SCP, FTP, FTPS, SMB, NFS, WebDAV, and AWS S3
    • Plugins support archives, comparisons, viewing, editing, image viewing, and scripting
    • Offers terminal, wxWidgets, and SDL backends with open-source extensibility

    Where it doesn't

    • Verified platform support is limited to Linux and macOS
    • The project describes its beta version as unstable on master
    • Plugin-based configuration may require more setup than simpler file managers

  • RTFM — where it wins

    • Dual panes, tabs, previews, archives, and inline image display
    • SSH/SFTP browsing, transfers, undo, trash, and bulk operations
    • Open-source with plugins, file picker mode, and optional OpenAI analysis

    Where it doesn't

    • Designed for terminal use rather than a graphical file-management workflow
    • Documented installation coverage centers on Linux and macOS
    • OpenAI analysis depends on the optional OpenAI API integration
  • far2l8.7/10 · Free plan

    A plugin-rich file manager for local files, archives, comparisons, and many remote systems.

    Visit far2lFull verdict →
  • RTFM8.6/10 · Free plan

    A broad open-source terminal file manager with optional OpenAI analysis.

    Visit RTFMFull verdict →

More comparisons

All terminal file managers comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update