The pre-installed file manager on Android is very lackluster and basic. You get limited features, and it’s tiresome to search, sort, and work with different file types. This is where third-party file managers come to the rescue. While many of them show ads or require a subscription, there are options available with no ads onboard. Keep reading as we discuss the best ad-free file manager apps for Android.
Best File Manager Apps with No Ads or Subscription
A good file manager app must allow you to browse, move, copy, and delete all files and folders easily. It should also support multiple formats for images, videos, audio, and archives (such as ZIP and RAR) and let you search for specific files on your phone- all of it while offering smooth performance and privacy features.
Extra features may include storage analysis, duplicate detection, file transfer, batch copy/paste/delete, and more. Below, we have mentioned some of the best file manager apps for Android that offer most of the above features while still being free with no ads.
FX File Manager
- Clean UI with no ads and easy navigation
- Split-window mode
- Customization options
FX File Manager is known for its sleek design and privacy-friendly approach. It features a material design UI with a home screen that lets you see all important folders and media. There’s also a split-view onboard to see two windows at once with interoperability, i.e., you can copy in one window and paste in another.
As for customization, you can change the browser theme, color, and icons and also tinker with how other UI elements appear. There are no advertisements, and it does not collect information about you or your app usage. Other features include text editor, image viewer, media player, archiver, and Shell Script Executor.
While the file manager is free for the most part, you can upgrade to FX Plus to add features like cloud support, media features (such as music browsing by artist or album), and phone-to-phone file transfers. Thankfully, you won’t find any annoying banners or popups forcing you to upgrade.
Download: FX File Explorer
Files by Marc Apps
- Shortcut for the hidden file manager
- No ads or in-app purchases
- Best for basic file management
Files by Marc gives you access to a no-nonsense file manager. There are no ads, popups, or in-app purchases, and the size is a mere 100 KB. This is because it’s not an actual file manager but a shortcut to the hidden file manager on Android.
You can browse all files on your phone, including the hidden ones and Android folder, copy and paste data, and sort files into Audio, Images, Videos, Documents, Large Files, and Recent categories. You can also compress files into ZIP quickly.
It is built for people who want a file manager that allows viewing and modifying hidden files on Android while also supporting other essential features. For example, copying a game’s OBB or data file in the Android directory or deleting an app’s hidden data.
Download: Files by Marc
Files By Google
- Ad-free file manager with Material UI
- Built-in storage cleaner and file sharing
- Safe Folder to hide files
If you’re not living under a rock, you might have already heard about (and even used) Files by Google app. It comes straight from the Android maker with all the features you could ask for in a file manager.
It comes with Google’s material design with a clear view of recent folders, file categories, collections, and storage devices on the home page. There are two other tabs dedicated to Clean and Nearby Share.
The built-in cleaner shows you recommendations for deleting duplicates, old screenshots, blurry photos, large files, and downloaded media. You can also delete your phone’s cache and junk files to save even more space. Whereas Nearby Share lets you send and receive files to and from other Android phones.
Google has also added a Safe Folder to store the private or sensitive files locked by a PIN or pattern. Uninstalling Files by Google automatically deletes files in the folder. Considering all the features come without ads or subscriptions, it is one of the best file manager apps to have on your Android phone.
Download: Files by Google
Asus File Manager
- Simple yet functional file manager
- Built-in storage analyzer, file sharing, and bin
- Hidden Cabinet to store private files
The Asus File Manager has been one of the most popular file managers until its removal from the Play Store. I still remember using it on my Pixel back in 2o18. Since then, the browser has evolved and gone through a major face-lift.
The app home page welcomes you with boxes for all categories, including Images, Videos, Music, Archives, Apps, Documents, Downloads, and Recent files. It then shows internal storage with a neat bar line for the current remaining capacity and other options.
There’s a built-in Storage Analyzer onboard to sort files into different categories and delete large files and duplicates, including the ones in the bin. And yes, the files you delete by default go to the recycle bin unless you delete them permanently.
It lets you connect your mobile device to a PC for file sharing and also features a Hidden Cabinet to protect sensitive files with your fingerprint. The file manager has a clean, ad-free UI, supports dark mode, and has options to browse network places and connect your cloud storage.
Unfortunately, the Asus File Manager is no longer available on the Play Store. Having said that, it can still be downloaded from trusted websites like APKMirror on any Android phone out there. And it sure is a worthy contender to make it to this list.
Download (APK): Asus File Manager
Material Files
- Open-source file manager with no ads
- Material Design 3, Customizable colors and night mode
- NAS and Root support
Material Files is the most clean-looking ad-free file manager app in the list. It is open source, lightweight, has no ads or in-app purchases, and doesn’t ask for any in-app purchases or subscriptions.
The file manager itself is quite feature-rich. You can browse all files, compress them, copy file paths, add bookmarks, and even create home-screen shortcuts for files and folders. The breadcrumb navigation allows faster operations, and the animations are smooth, too.
The home screen shows you a direct view of the internal storage. At the same time, there’s a sidebar with options to access the Root directory, FTP server, and essential folders like DCIM, Downloads, Movies, Pictures, and Screenshots.
You can customize the theme color and even switch to the new Material Design 3. The dark mode supports true blacks and can be scheduled based on time and battery saver. You can change the standard folders shown in the sidebar and the default folder to open on browser launch, making it a great file browser.
Download: Material Files
Wrapping Up
These were five of the best ad-free file manager apps you can download for free on your Android phone. I personally use Files by Google on my phone since it’s almost perfect in all aspects. But again, Material Files and Asus File browsers come close in interface and features. I hope the above guide helps you find the right browser. Stay tuned for more such tips, tricks, and guides.
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