It used to be that power users looking for a Files by Google alternative would answer with the same title: Total Commander. It’s a veteran that hails from the desktop era, but it has stayed relevant on Android. The question, of course, is why — especially since Google’s own app comes preloaded on many phones and wins out for simplicity. The answer combines pragmatism, extensibility and a deeper than expected toolset that’s hard to let go of once you’ve used it.
What keeps users hooked
On the surface, Total Commander is utilitarian looking — no sizzling Material You themes or animated flourishes. But underneath that minimalism lurks a workhorse. It’s a control-packed interface that will have you accessing more on-screen buttons than many modern managers, and it helps reduce the number of taps when you’re moving, renaming or comparing folders. It’s also light and advertisement free, core app that will not hog your storage. That’s a relief for many in itself.
There is also trust, built over decades. The brand achieved its renown in the Windows sphere, then brought that same ethos to Android: predictable behavior, consistent shortcuts and an emphasis on file operations first. Total Commander has logged more than 10 million installs on Google Play — a lot for an app that goes head-to-head with a default utility on virtually every phone or tablet.
Power features Files by Google misses
Google’s app is great at making cleanup suggestions, providing quick searches and offering basic browsing. But Total Commander is made for people who do more than just browse. Its side-by-side setup (particularly useful when used in landscape) makes copy and paste as simple as drop and drag. It treats archives just like regular folders, meaning that you can very quickly open and browse ZIPs but also make them without faff.In short: send multiple files without having to jump between apps.
Media handling is another standout. Total Commander is able to play audio and video; remember playback positions; set/adjust colors, browse playlists or directories; and even use an equalizer. That makes it a useful lightweight player if you’re riffling through recordings, long podcasts, or just offline video. For tinkerers with apps, an Installed Apps view puts packages in reach (along with options to copy APKs to storage or share them—handy for backups or moving to a new Android device, within the platform’s security confines).
There are also little touches that make your phone so much easier to use: one-tap selection on icons, fast folder sizing, and granular sorting by extension, size or date. These may not make headlines, but they save time daily.
The plugin ecosystem
This is the plug-in model of Total Commander, and it’s why many people won’t switch. The official add-ons unify cloud and network storage in one interface—so Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, WebDAV, FTP/SFTP and SMB shares can all be accessed. That implies that you can take project folders from your SFTP server and copy them to local storage, zip them up and send them to a colleague all within the app.
There are practical extras, too. A Wi‑Fi transfer plug-in will transform your phone into a mini file server for rapid desktop moves. NTFS support is a boon when you plug in large external hard disks to USB OTG. And for those of you going through the struggle to grapple with scoped storage restrictions, the app offers a way to access sensitive directories such as Android/data using the system’s file access framework —something many managers have surmounted yet.
This modular approach emulates what power users love about desktop utilities — the base app stays lean but for specialized capabilities an opt into continues analysis. It’s the antithesis of a “everything baked in” design ethos so popular among more recent Android tools.
Where it’s showing its age
There are trade-offs. The interface can feel cramped on small screens, and although the dual-pane navigation does mitigate this somewhat, there’s no real tabbed browsing or breadcrumbs for when you start drilling deep. Considering Google’s app, or fancier competing options like Solid Explorer or an OEM manager, all of which offer hundreds of little modern conveniences — integrated storage cleaners, duplicate detection, a PIN-locked safe folder?
Another realm in which fresh apps excel is search, thanks to smarter indexing and filters. And, Total Commander is not exactly frequently updated which makes some feature requests take ages. The older aesthetic plays for some as charming; for others, it’s friction.
Privacy, footprint and the trust factor
One of the reasons technically-minded users continue to love Total Commander: It’s a lightweight app framework devoid of ads, nagware, or an “always online” posture. In a time when utility apps often double as data funnels, that restraint is refreshing. Then there’s Files by Google, which tries to nudge you at a device-level with suggestions and cleaning advice related to Google’s services something some like while others want it gone.
There’s also the reliability angle. When you’re transferring gigabytes of data between a NAS over SMB and a microSD card, you want predictable behavior, intelligent queue management, and an indication of progress. In anecdotal tests and user reports on developer forums, it’s a workhorse that does the job of getting large buckets back home when connections hiccup.
Who should use it Who shouldn’t
If your primary needs are cleaning junk, freeing Apple-sanctioned tips and suggestions or occasionally sending a file, Files by Google is easier and safer for most. If you live on cloud drives, connect to servers, frequently wrangle large folders or archives – or just need one tool that works the same every time – then Total Commander is a great fit.
It’s not the prettiest. It doesn’t chase trends. But for a certain breed of Android user — the type who prizes power, control and consistency above all else — it’s the exception that somehow still manages to do more by doing less. That is why, more than nostalgia, readers continue to return.