Folia Files vs ForkLift 4
Folia Files or ForkLift?
ForkLift is the reference dual-pane file manager and file-transfer client on the Mac. Folia Files goes further on the Mac itself: more panes, a terminal in the pane, a clipboard history and help in every Open and Save dialog. Here is what each does best.
7 days free with every feature, no account, no card. Then $49.99 once for up to 3 Macs, every future update included — no subscription.
In short
Choose ForkLift 4 if you spend your day transferring files to many kinds of servers and want SFTP, S3 and cloud services built in, at a low first price ($19.95 with one year of updates). Choose Folia Files if you want more than two panes and saved layouts, a terminal that follows your folder, search inside documents and images, a clipboard history, a drawer and an assistant in every app's Open and Save dialogs, for $49.99 once on up to three Macs.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Folia Files | ForkLift 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Folders side by side | YesAs many as you need, any layout | YesTwo, side by side or stacked |
| Saved layouts | YesScenes and workspaces | YesWorkspaces |
| A view per folder | Yes | Yes |
| Tree view | Yes | PartlyFolders expand in the list |
| SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, S3 | YesSFTP and S3 through rclone (free) | YesBuilt in |
| Cloud services | YesThrough their apps, or directly with rclone | YesGoogle Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, B2… |
| Folder sync | Yes | YesOne- or two-way, saved as Synclets |
| Batch rename | YesTemplates, photo dates, regex | YesMulti-Rename with presets |
| Built-in terminal | YesWebsite edition | NoOpens an external terminal |
| Archives opened as folders | YesZIP and TAR, read-only | Yes |
| Search inside files | YesBy words, in documents and images, on the Mac | YesAlso on servers |
| Undo file operations | YesAny line of the history | Yes |
| Clipboard history | Yes | Not stated |
| Open/Save dialog assistant | Yes | NoDoesn't change the system dialogs |
| App uninstaller | YesWith leftovers | YesApp Deleter |
| Disk usage view | YesSpace Lens bubbles | Not stated |
| Plain-language commands | YesAsk Folia, on the Mac | Not stated |
| On the Mac App Store | Coming soon | NoWebsite and Setapp |
| Price | $49.99 once, up to 3 Macs, updates included | $19.95 with 1 year of updates, $34.95 with 2 (one user) |
| Languages | 8 | 14 |
Where ForkLift shines
ForkLift's strength is transfers. SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3 and S3-compatible storage, Backblaze B2, Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox are built in, with a transfer queue, conflict rules and bandwidth limits. Its sync windows (“Synclets”) are saved and replayed in one click, and Multi-Rename keeps presets you reuse.
It is updated often — monthly in 2026 — and its first price is low: $19.95 for one user and one year of updates, then you keep the last version you are entitled to, or buy again.
Where Folia Files goes further
ForkLift shows two panes; Folia Files splits its window as often as you like and saves each arrangement as a scene. Its terminal sits under the pane and follows it, where ForkLift opens an external app. Search finds words inside your documents and screenshots, and photos by what they show, all on your Mac.
- A clipboard history (⌃⌥V) and a drawer at the screen edge, in every app
- A panel next to every app's Open and Save dialogs
- Space Lens and Mac care: see what fills your disk, uninstall apps with their leftovers
- A history where every operation can be undone, line by line
Servers: built in, or through rclone
Folia Files mounts SMB, WebDAV, FTP, AFP and NFS shares itself, and reaches SFTP, S3 and clouds through rclone, a free open-source tool you install once. Mounted connections are disks for the whole Mac — the Finder and every Open dialog see them. If remote transfers are your main job and you want nothing to install, ForkLift is simpler.
Price and updates
ForkLift: $19.95 (one user) or $29.95 (family) with one year of updates, $34.95 or $49.95 with two; after that, a new license for new versions. Folia Files: $49.99 once for up to three Macs at a time, every future update included, no subscription — and a 7-day trial with every feature.
Which one to choose
ForkLift 4, if…
- Remote transfers are most of your day, to many kinds of servers
- You want SFTP, S3 and cloud APIs built in, nothing else to install
- Two panes are enough for you
- You want the lowest first price
Folia Files, if…
- You want three or four folders in view, and layouts you reopen
- You live in the terminal and want it in the pane
- You want a clipboard history, a drawer and help in Open and Save dialogs, without three more apps
- You want to search inside your documents and images, privately
Questions
Yes. Many people keep ForkLift for transfers and use Folia Files as their everyday file manager; both can sit next to the Finder.
No. Folia Files is sold on its website, and soon on the Mac App Store.
It imports the Finder's favorites and settings in one click. ForkLift's favorites are not imported.
See for yourself, free for 7 days
Every feature, no account, no credit card. Then $49.99, once, every future update included — no subscription.
Prices and features checked on 3 October 2026, on the makers' websites, documentation and release notes.