filex review
A broad open-source file platform for teams managing self-hosted and connected storage.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
filex is an MIT-licensed, open-source file manager for organisations that want to host and manage their own file services. It runs as a single Go binary or container and provides a web interface, desktop applications for Windows, Linux, and macOS, command-line access, APIs, and protocol endpoints. WebDAV is central to its positioning: filex can provide a WebDAV server, connect to WebDAV storage, and mount drives over HTTPS. The platform also supports local disks, S3, SFTP, FTP, and SMB/NAS storage, making it suitable for teams consolidating several storage locations behind one interface.
Its main strength is breadth across storage and access methods. Users can search mounted storage by filename and file contents, synchronise local and remote folders in two directions, work with offline files, and manage sharing links, file requests, permissions, and role-based access control. The published feature set also includes version history, optional antivirus scanning, built-in REST and MCP interfaces, and embeddable Vue, React, and framework-agnostic explorer components. Integrations and compatible tools include rclone, restic, AWS S3 tools, WinSCP, and FileZilla, which helps position filex within mixed storage and transfer environments rather than as a WebDAV-only client.
Choose filex when self-hosting, multi-storage access, desktop synchronisation, and controlled sharing matter together. It is particularly suited to teams that need web, desktop, API, and server-side coverage in one deployment. A simpler dedicated WebDAV client may be a better fit for users who only need to connect to one remote file service, while mobile-first workflows are not addressed by the listed platform coverage. filex’s value is its unified, self-hosted scope rather than a narrow focus on basic file browsing.
filex pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Connects local, S3, SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, and SMB/NAS storage
- Supports two-way folder synchronisation, offline files, and HTTPS drive mounting
- Combines sharing, permissions, search, APIs, and embeddable explorers
- Where it doesn't
- Mobile applications are not part of the listed platform coverage
- User-configurable scheduled synchronisation is not included in the published details
- Its broad storage scope may be more than needed for simple WebDAV access
filex fact sheet, pricing and score →
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