Yazi vs RTFM

Yazi8.9Visit RRTFM8.6Visit

Higher score Yazi #4 in Terminal File Managers 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 7 features Visit Yazi

vs

R RTFM #7 in Terminal File Managers 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 6 of 7 features Visit RTFM

• Yazi fits best

  Fast, extensible archive-focused navigation

• RTFM fits best

  Terminal users who want optional AI assistance

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Side by side

Feature	Yazi 8.9/10 Visit ↗	RRTFM 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.6
Ranking	#4 in Terminal File Managers	#7 in Terminal File Managers
Best for	Fast, extensible archive-focused navigation	Terminal users who want optional AI assistance
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Self-hosted
Platforms	Linux, Windows, macOS	Linux, macOS
Support	Community, Docs	Docs, Community
Integrations	9 integrations	5 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Yazi 1/7 · RTFM 6/7
Dual-pane layout	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Linux support	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
macOS support	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Windows support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Preview pane	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Remote file access	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Archive support	✓	✓
Our review
Pros	Asynchronous operations include progress reporting and cancellation. Archives, rich previews, tabs, search, and bulk renaming are built in. Runs across Linux, macOS, and Windows with plugins and Git integration.	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	The terminal-first design will not suit users seeking a graphical file manager. The project is in public beta and may introduce breaking changes. Its broader workflows depend on command-line tools and plugin configuration.	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	Yazi is an open-source, terminal-based file manager written in Rust for users who manage files primarily from the command line. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and combines core navigation with asynchronous file operations, task… 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 →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Yazi — where it wins

  • Asynchronous operations include progress reporting and cancellation.
  • Archives, rich previews, tabs, search, and bulk renaming are built in.
  • Runs across Linux, macOS, and Windows with plugins and Git integration.

  Where it doesn't

  • The terminal-first design will not suit users seeking a graphical file manager.
  • The project is in public beta and may introduce breaking changes.
  • Its broader workflows depend on command-line tools and plugin configuration.

• 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

• Yazi8.9/10 · Free plan

  A fast, extensible terminal file manager with strong archive and preview support.

  Visit YaziFull verdict →
• RRTFM8.6/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit RTFMFull verdict →