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Head-to-head · Terminal File Managers

FileManagerTUI vs far2l

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 8 checks side by side
Higher score FileManagerTUI #3 in Terminal File Managers 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 6 of 7 features Visit FileManagerTUI
far2l #6 in Terminal File Managers 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 7 features Visit far2l

FileManagerTUI leads on 1 check, far2l on 0, and 7 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 scoreFileManagerTUI · 9.0/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresFileManagerTUI · 6 of 7

FileManagerTUI scores higher on our rubric for terminal file managers: 9.0 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #6.

FileManagerTUI offers windows support; far2l doesn't.

FileManagerTUI is the better fit for vim-oriented cross-platform file management. far2l is the better fit for linux and macOS users managing many remotes.

  • FileManagerTUI fits best

    Vim-oriented cross-platform file management

  • far2l fits best

    Linux and macOS users managing many remotes

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 FileManagerTUI 9.0/10 Visit ↗ far2l 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 8.7
Ranking #3 in Terminal File Managers #6 in Terminal File Managers
Best for Vim-oriented cross-platform file management Linux and macOS users managing many remotes
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Self-hosted, Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Linux, macOS
Support Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 2 integrations 11 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features FileManagerTUI 6/7 · far2l 4/7
Dual-pane layout ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Linux support ✓ ✓
macOS support ✓ ✓
Windows support ✓ (best) —
Preview pane ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Remote file access ✓ ✓
Archive support Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Our review
Pros
  • Dual-pane previews with syntax highlighting and large-file support
  • Vim navigation, fuzzy finding, filtering, and batch operations
  • Embedded terminal, inline editor, and read-only AWS S3 browsing
  • 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
Cons
  • AWS S3 access is limited to read-only bucket browsing
  • Its terminal interface may not suit users seeking graphical file management
  • Remote browsing is tied to AWS S3 and the AWS CLI
  • 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
Our verdict

FileManagerTUI, presented in the repository as fm-tui, is a Rust-based terminal file manager for navigating and managing local files. It is aimed at users who prefer keyboard-driven workflows, particularly Vim-style navigation, while still…

Read the review →

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 →
  1. FileManagerTUITerminal File Managers 9.0Free plan
  2. far2lTerminal File Managers 8.7Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • FileManagerTUI — where it wins

    • Dual-pane previews with syntax highlighting and large-file support
    • Vim navigation, fuzzy finding, filtering, and batch operations
    • Embedded terminal, inline editor, and read-only AWS S3 browsing

    Where it doesn't

    • AWS S3 access is limited to read-only bucket browsing
    • Its terminal interface may not suit users seeking graphical file management
    • Remote browsing is tied to AWS S3 and the AWS CLI

  • 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
  • FileManagerTUI9.0/10 · Free plan

    A Vim-oriented, cross-platform terminal manager with previews, editing, batch actions, and S3 browsing.

    Visit FileManagerTUIFull verdict →
  • far2l8.7/10 · Free plan

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

    Visit far2lFull 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