Vifm review
A free, open-source file manager for Vim users who prefer terminal control.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Vifm is a curses-based file manager for technically oriented users who prefer Vim-style keyboard control over mouse-led navigation. It is suited to developers, system administrators, and power users managing local directories or mounted remote filesystems. The interface supports one- or two-pane views within tabs, along with bookmarks, sessions, trash, customizable color schemes, directory comparison, filtering, previews, and advanced renaming. Linux, Windows, and macOS support makes it a practical option across desktop platforms.
The pricing model is straightforward: Vifm is free and open-source. Its feature set centers on file management rather than a tiered product structure, so users get the same core workflow without choosing between paid plans. Vim-like keyboard mappings, commands, marks, and registers provide detailed control, while undo, redo, and background file operations cover routine changes and longer-running tasks. FUSE mounts extend the workflow to archives and remote filesystems, and customizable viewers make previews adaptable to different file types.
Vifm also fits environments built around Vim, GNU Screen, and tmux, with Lua and shell-based customization or scripting for users who want to shape their workflow. That focus is its main strength and its clearest boundary: people comfortable in terminals and Vim conventions should find the feature breadth well aligned with file operations, while users seeking a graphical, mouse-first manager should choose another approach. Pick Vifm for keyboard-driven control across desktop platforms; skip it if a conventional graphical interface is the priority.
Vifm pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free, open-source, and available on Linux, Windows, and macOS
- Vim-like controls with panes, tabs, marks, commands, and registers
- Supports comparison, advanced renaming, previews, archives, and remote filesystems
- Where it doesn't
- Terminal-based interface may not suit users seeking a graphical file manager
- Vim-style commands and mappings are central to the workflow
- No AI features are included
Vifm fact sheet, pricing and score →
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