10 Free Android File Manager Apps – No ADS! – Updated 2021

Article Updated: 09 June 2021

We present several completely ad-free File Manager apps for Android devices, either as an alternative to a built-in file manager app or once famous and widely used advanced ES File Explorer. All listed apps are free, do not contain advertisement and most of them do not track you and collect any analytics data*.

* Disclaimer: this is/was correct at the time of publishing this article. Developers are, of course, free to enable monetization (ads) and inject analytics data collection / tracking in their apps at any given point in time (e.g. with the very next app update), and this may no longer be true. Please, if you find out about important changes or if you have any suggestions for new apps that you wish to be included in this list, submit them in the comments section below. Thanks!

Best File Explorer / File Managers for Android – No ADS!

Click below on app titles or images to open their respective Google Play Store locations and install them.

1. Files by Google

• key features: extremely easy & user friendly, dark mode, media player
• downside: lacks few common file manager functions (for now, it gets regularly improved)

2. Cx File Explorer

EDITOR’S CHOICE ✔

• key features: extremely capable and useful file manager, built-in file search, analysis & cleanup, supports cloud storage services (Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive), network services (FTP/SFTP/FTPS/WebDAV/LAN/SMB) and more!

This amazing file manager covers 99% functions of ES File Explorer, and some missing ones can be achieved with other free apps. Not to mention that implementation of some features surpass ES File Explorer’s counter-parts by their simplicity, functionality and quality.

It comes with an easy no-gimmicks large and junk files analyzer and cleaner (be careful with this feature! clearing cache files of some games will render them non-functional and you may end up losing levels and points progress!), beautiful UI (user interface), app info and backup tool, cloud and local network drives support, built-in simple media player, FTP server – you can explore your phone’s both internal and external (SD card) storage from you PC’s web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Opera…) or FTP client (WinSCP, FileZilla, Total Commander…) and more! By comparison, in ES File Explorer’s built-in FTP/WEB file server, you could only access phone’s internal storage, but not the SD card. No the case with Cx File Explorer, though, as both storage locations are accessible through (S)FTP server!

This app does not track you e.g. it does not send any usage analytics data to Google or it’s own nor others 3rd party tracking services to the best of my knowledge (confirmed with a monitoring firewall app), but it will on a rare occasion contact 1e100.net Google’s domain [172.217.169.148:443 (sof02s32-in-f20.1e100.net)], most probably for periodical update checks (unconfirmed/unsure).

⚠️ Update (January 2021): Cx File Explorer is no longer connecting to Google’s 1e100.net domain.

⚠️ Update (June 2021): And it’s back to it again in version 1.5. We noticed several similar requests by Cx File Explorer to Google’s 1e100.net domain [216.58.214.202:443 (bud02s32-in-f202.1e100.net)] after recent app update. However, it used to be a rare occurrence before, but now it contacts Google domain regularly e.g. every time you start using the app! If you are concerned with this behavior, you may restrict its outside world internet access using a firewall app. In addition, here’s the link to Cx File Explorer Privacy Policy, you should definitely read it!

Cx File Explorer Privacy Policy

Do third parties see and/or have access to information obtained by the Application?

Yes. We will share your information with third parties only in the ways that are described in this privacy statement.

Does the Application collect precise real time location information of the device?

This Application does not collect precise information about the location of your mobile device.

Cx File Explorer is currently (update: it still is in 2021!) our highly recommended app and the best file manager for Android, however, beware of upcoming changes!

3. OI File Manager

4. File Manager by Seven Horses

App is no longer available.

5. FX File Explorer

• key features: privacy / no analytics tracking

6. Explorer by Speed Software

• key features: supports cloud services (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive, Box), SMB Local Network / NAS Drives / Local Network Cloud

7. File Manager FS Storage Space

• key features: privacy / no analytics tracking

8. File Manager (Material) by AndroLd

• key features: no ads, easy of use, custom sorting, advanced search, day/night (dark) theme
• planned features: Cloud Storage (Google, OneDrive…), root access, Wi-Fi file sharing

9. Amaze File Manager

• key features: open source, donation/in-app unlock, apk/zip/rar/txt reader, cloud services support
• downside: Android Kit-Kat limited support / frequent crashing

10. FE File Explorer by Skyjos Co.

EDITOR’S CHOICE ✔

Excellent file manager / file explorer app with unique and simple design (there is always a room for improvement, though), that comes with all essential features plus massive extras! There’s also a Pro version available if you wish to support the developers, but given how “little” extra features it offers (certainly not useless!), it’s unreal; hard to believe it even exists. App does not seem to contact outside servers, so it can be safe* to assume it does not use any analytics / tracking, either. What could you possibly want more for free? Definitely a keeper!

* we tested free version for Android only

• key features: simple clean design with some customization available, built-in quick Easy file sharing, FTP server, SFTP server, SMB / NAS network drive access, Redfish SMB for Windows by Skyjos, WebDAV, Windows/MacOS/Linux file sharing templates (this is practically same as SMB/NAS, kind of redundant TBH, but icons are nice LOL), Cloud Drive / Storage access for numerous services (DropBox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, ownCloud), built-in Media player (photo/video/audio) and more! Supports Android, iOS (iPhone, iPad), tvOS and MacOS devices (we also found Windows versions on 3rd party apps website, strangely no mention of it on official one), so you can unify your file managers across different platforms.
• downsides: Level of appearance customization should be better (e.g. offer even smaller line spacing / icon size preset with optional number of files display per each folder – currently it does not). Built-in audio player comes with a non-persistent widget (closes when you exit main app), and does not have playlists support, not even “add to playing” of individual songs to the current play session. No multi tab support ala ES File Explorer, this should definitely be considered in the future, given the vast amount of services this app supports, although, it has “CONNECTIONS” section in the sidebar drawer menu, to be fair. Number of connections to remote / network services is limited to 2 in free version (should be enough for ordinary users, but pros will have to pay a reasonable price for more). According to older reviews @ Google Play Store, app was asking users to upgrade (2018), and was ad-supported (2020 AUG). Well, given the amount of features, it is most likely developers need to find ways to attract users to upgrade or financially support its continuous development via alternate means.

11. MK Explorer (File manager)

Another interesting file explorer app, and the only one which shows you Android’s root location view/access out-of-the-box! Of course, it will be in read-only mode on non-rooted android devices. MK Explorer comes with all basic file related functions, plus some extras. It’s definitely a good app with unique features and great clean design worth considering, especially for novice users looking for a simple and ultra-clean design!

• key features: Modern material design that you can completely customize by icons/rows size, displayed level of details and general appearance, file search engine, file sorting, optional 2 windows (panels), direct access shortcuts, built-in basic music player, gallery viewer and text editor, no analytics / tracking.
• downsides: Audio music player does not support background activity when you exit the app, and it does not show music player widget during playback in curtain / notification drawer area. Unfortunately, no local network (NAS, SMB) features, FTP and Cloud drives support either.

ES File Explorer IS NOW HISTORY! – OR IS IT?

ES File Explorer app was removed from Google Play Store long time ago — in fact, it happened just two weeks after we had published this article! This was a pure coincidence! You can no longer find it in the largest and official Android Marketplace.