Some years back I was a mixplorer user, then switched to solid explorer for some time and now I’m using Material Files.
I was thinking of going back to either Solid / Mixplorer or trying something new.
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Solid Explorer. Why? Because I bought it ages ago and it still works fine. Even a decade later, it still gets regular updates, which shows that the dev cares about the app.
More importantly, I like that it jumps straight into my filesystem without any nonsensical abstract views, and I like that it doesn’t come with any bloat (no junk cleaner or RAM booster crap), unlike other file managers. With other file managers these days, you open them and instead of seeing your files you get a bunch of mini apps or collections, which is NOT what I want. I just want a simple file manager, not an ecosystem. Thankfully, Solid isn’t like that.
So even after all these years and all these updates, the app remains true to its original purpose and hasn’t sold out or gone down the enshittification path, which is a refreshing change compared to what we’ve been seeing with other apps.
I take this opportunity to ask, does anyone know how to make Solid Explorer return to home/ every time it is opened instead of remaining in the last directory it opened?
Settings -> Default panel content
Haven’t used it myself, but this looks like the setting for it.
Thank you SO MUCH!
Smiles softly. You’re welcome.
I got it on some crazy sale long ago. They eventually updated, and still let me have the upgraded version as long as I had the pro app installed as well. I eventually decided to just buy it full price for the convenience of not needing to install the pro app every time I got a new phone.
It’s one of my most used apps, so definitely worth it.
Same. I have spare Google Rewards credits so I bought the in-app purchase to support the developer. Been using this app for probably over 10 years now.
One of my most frequently used features is the FTP file transfer to/from a Windows device or even another Android device.
Yeah I don’t know if something better is out there because solid explorer is, well, just solid. Internal storage, local file server, Google drive, one drive, sftp. Absolutely fantastic tool, bought it years ago and it goes on every phone and tablet I’ve had since. I’m really not sure what it would take to move on from it, it fulfills every need I’ve had for a file explorer.
Same. I do wish there was a storage view, but that’s fine.
Material files Why? - Foss + Does job + All essential utilities + no other foss option available 🥲
There’s Amaze as a FOSS alternative although I use Material Files too.
Utils are paid and does not align with my needs
I have been using MiXplorer for past 3 years. Has been working rock solid for me.
I kinda want to see how it would look with MD3 tho.
+1 for MiX.
It’s FOSSand has everything you could want in a file explorer, functionality wise.Edit: scratch that. God knows how long I thought it was FOSS for!
Yes. But the dev js f* awesome. I have checked and the app doesn’t call home or pull anything shit.
The only reason I bought this app.
Is there a paid tier? I always thought it was all free. Unless it’s a donation option?
Yes. There is the app called MiXplorer Silver on Play Store which is paid. It just bundles some of the plugins in the app itself
Althought it is not fully MD3, you can kind of get Material You on MiX using this app
It’s just changing colors tbh.
I have tried alot of File Managers but MiXplorer is the one that suits me the most. Althought I would’ve prefered an opensource File Manager, Material Files is a little too basic for my needs. The developer of MiX is an awesome dude so I trust him.
Ghost Commander is featureful and open-source but its UI feels a bit… 1992.
Yeah the UI is a major drawback of Ghost Commander. But before MiX I used to use that
FX File manager. Super fast even on weak hardware, customizable, and feature rich, with virtually no bugs. It’s not only the best file manager I’ve found on Android, it’s the best file manager I’ve found on any platform.
CX file explorer- can’t live without it.
Samsung Files: best ui
Android File explorer (using the shortcut from the play store): can read android/data folder and has access to some other apps like termux
Total Commander because it has way more functions than the others
Cx File Explorer
I also use it as a music player since it properly orders files by alphabet and allows for “play single track once” option.
I’ve never found anything better than Cx File Explorer or anything Cx File Explorer can’t do. It’s my go-to app for managing local, NAS, and cloud based files.
None of them.
I can’t see the hidden parts of the filesystem reserved for program data. So I can’t backup program data with Syncthing.
I use Google Files. Tried several F-Droid equivalents still disappointed.
[Pixel 7 Pro]
simple file manager, just works.
https[://]f-droid[.]org/packages/com.simplemobiletools.filemanager.pro/
Afraid bots are gonna click the link?
Solid Explorer, since I can mount an SFTP volume using keyfile authentication.
The only thing I don’t like is that it uses its own file encryption system instead of a more open solution like Cryptomator. I know Cryptomator exists, but I can’t access SFTP volume using keyfile authentication with it…
Also, one of the drawbacks is that it needs Google account to be added to the device to access the drive. MiXplorer can directly use the browser the get access to drive, thus making it more FOSS friendly ROMs.
Ghost Commander. It’s not perfect but it’s great for grabbing stuff from my Samba shares. And after so many file explorers got enshittified, I value open-source.
X-Plore because there’s no comparison to how much better it is to everything else I’ve tried. It’s got side by side view. Supports SMB, FTP, USB, Wifi-Sharing and just about any other transfer method you could want. It works on Android phones, tablets, Quest and Pico VR headsets. It supports sharing files and media to and from other apps. You can easily share a video from your gallery to a network drive for example. It’s very customizable too.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lonelycatgames.Xplore
cx file explorer
Solid Explorer but it’s not like I’ve tried all the others too. It’s what I always go to and it has served me good.
