Alternatives to Double Commander
Open source Total Commander twin
Double Commander ranks #2 of 9 in File managers, with an Alt Score of 91. It is licensed under GPL-2.0, free and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 10 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Power users and Total Commander fans on Windows, Linux, macOS, and BSD who want a free, open-source dual-pane file manager for fast keyboard-driven file management.
A two-panel interface for side-by-side browsing and file operations, with archives (ZIP, 7Z, RAR, TAR, GZ, and more) treated as browsable folders. Includes a built-in text editor, hex viewer, multi-rename tool, tabbed browsing, background file operations, and FTP/SFTP/SCP network access. Supports Total Commander-compatible plugins for extending functionality.
You navigate two folder panels side by side (local or remote), then copy, move, rename, or archive files between them using keyboard shortcuts or menus, with tabs keeping multiple locations open and long operations running in the background.
Where Double Commander stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Double Commander
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the File managers checklist (14 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
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| File managers checklist | Double Commander | Directory Opus | Files | ForkLift | Path Finder | Total Commander |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Every fact and feature listed for Double Commander is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License GPL-2.0 verified 2026-07-10
Version 2, June 1991
https://github.com/doublecmd/doublecmd/blob/master/LICENSE.md -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-10
Double Commander is a free cross platform open source file manager with two panels side by side (or one above the other).
https://github.com/doublecmd/doublecmd -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-10
Works on Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10/11.
https://github.com/doublecmd/doublecmd/wiki/Supported-platforms -
Status active verified 2026-07-10
ADD: wlxMplayer - check the underlying platform plugin under Qt
https://github.com/doublecmd/doublecmd/commits/master -
Dual-pane view Yes verified 2026-07-10
Double Commander is a free cross platform open source file manager with two panels side by side (or one above the other).
https://github.com/doublecmd/doublecmd -
Tabs Yes verified 2026-07-10
Tabbed interface for organizing multiple directories
https://sourceforge.net/projects/doublecmd/ -
Batch rename Yes verified 2026-07-10
Multi-rename capability for batch file operations
https://sourceforge.net/projects/doublecmd/ -
Archive handling Yes verified 2026-07-10
Archives are handled like subdirectories. You can easily copy files to and from archives. Supported archive types: ZIP, TAR, GZ, BZ2, XZ, ZST, LZMA, 7Z and also RPM, CPIO, DEB, RAR, ZIPX
https://sourceforge.net/projects/doublecmd/ -
Cloud connections Yes verified 2026-07-10
FTP, FTPS, FTPES, SSH+SCP and SFTP protocols support
https://sourceforge.net/projects/doublecmd/ -
Keyboard-driven Yes verified 2026-07-10
Hotkeys can be assigned to work only in some controls and with different parameters. They can also be configured for other windows; new commands have been added to Viewer and Copy/Move windows. It is
https://github.com/doublecmd/doublecmd/wiki/Changes-in-version-0.5.5 -
Open source Yes verified 2026-07-10
Double Commander is a free cross platform open source file manager with two panels side by side (or one above the other).
https://github.com/doublecmd/doublecmd -
One-time purchase option No verified 2026-07-10
Double Commander is a free cross platform open source file manager with two panels side by side (or one above the other).
https://github.com/doublecmd/doublecmd -
Search quality Yes verified 2026-07-10
Extended search function with full text search in any files
https://sourceforge.net/projects/doublecmd/ -
Scripting Yes verified 2026-07-10
Advanced Lua scripting. Double Commander can execute Lua scripts via cm_ExecuteScript command. Lua scripts can execute internal Double Commander commands.
https://github.com/doublecmd/doublecmd/wiki/Changes-in-version-0.8.0
FAQ
Yes. Files, Midnight Commander and ranger have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Files, Midnight Commander and ranger — every license claim links its source.