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Head-to-head · Terminal File Managers

Vifm vs far2l

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score Vifm #5 in Terminal File Managers 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 7 features Visit Vifm
far2l #6 in Terminal File Managers 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 7 features Visit far2l

Vifm leads on 0 checks, far2l 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 scoreVifm · 8.8/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresfar2l · 4 of 7

Vifm scores higher on our rubric for terminal file managers: 8.8 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #6.

Vifm is the better fit for vim users wanting a full dual-pane manager. far2l is the better fit for linux and macOS users managing many remotes.

  • Vifm fits best

    Vim users wanting a full dual-pane manager

  • far2l fits best

    Linux and macOS users managing many remotes

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Side by side

Feature Vifm 8.8/10 Visit ↗ far2l 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.8 8.7
Ranking #5 in Terminal File Managers #6 in Terminal File Managers
Best for Vim users wanting a full dual-pane manager 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 Linux, Windows, macOS Linux, macOS
Support Email, Community, Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 4 integrations 11 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features Vifm 2/7 · far2l 4/7
Dual-pane layout ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Linux support Not checked yet ✓ (best)
macOS support Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Windows support Not checked yet —
Preview pane Not checked yet Not checked yet
Remote file access Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Archive support ✓ ✓
Our review
Pros
  • Dual panes, tabs, previews, archives, and directory comparison
  • Vim-like mappings, commands, marks, registers, and scripting
  • Free, open-source support for Linux, Windows, and macOS
  • 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
  • Terminal-first interaction may not suit mouse-focused workflows
  • Lua and shell customization can require technical setup
  • No AI-assisted file management features
  • 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

Vifm is a curses-based, terminal file manager for technically oriented users who prefer Vim-style keyboard control. Developers, system administrators, and power users can navigate local or mounted filesystems through one- or two-pane views…

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. VifmTerminal File Managers 8.8Free plan
  2. far2lTerminal File Managers 8.7Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Vifm — where it wins

    • Dual panes, tabs, previews, archives, and directory comparison
    • Vim-like mappings, commands, marks, registers, and scripting
    • Free, open-source support for Linux, Windows, and macOS

    Where it doesn't

    • Terminal-first interaction may not suit mouse-focused workflows
    • Lua and shell customization can require technical setup
    • No AI-assisted file management features

  • 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
  • Vifm8.8/10 · Free plan

    A free, open-source dual-pane manager for users who prefer Vim-style control.

    Visit VifmFull 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