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Total Commander VS Midnight Commander

Compare Total Commander VS Midnight Commander and see what are their differences

Total Commander logo Total Commander

A Shareware file manager for Windows® 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/Vista/7, and Windows® 3.1.

Midnight Commander logo Midnight Commander

GNU Midnight Commander is a visual file manager, licensed under GNU General Public License and...
  • Total Commander Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-06
  • Midnight Commander Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29

Total Commander features and specs

  • Dual-pane Interface
    Total Commander features a dual-pane interface, which allows users to easily drag and drop files between directories, enhancing productivity and file management efficiency.
  • Customizability
    The application offers extensive customization options, including customizing the toolbar, keyboard shortcuts, and file display settings, providing users with a tailored experience.
  • Built-in FTP Client
    Total Commander includes an integrated FTP client, making it convenient for users to transfer files to and from remote servers without needing additional software.
  • Plugin Support
    Total Commander supports a wide range of plugins, adding extra functionalities like additional file system interfaces, file viewers, and archivers to extend the software's capabilities.
  • Powerful File Operations
    It offers advanced file operations such as multi-rename tool, file comparison, and synchronization, which are highly useful for power users managing large sets of files.

Possible disadvantages of Total Commander

  • Outdated Interface
    The interface of Total Commander can appear dated compared to modern file managers, which may be less appealing to new users accustomed to more contemporary designs.
  • Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive features and customizability, new users might find Total Commander overwhelming and may require time to learn and utilize the software effectively.
  • Paid Software
    Total Commander is not free; although it offers a trial version, users need to purchase a license to access the full functionality, which may deter some users looking for free alternatives.
  • Limited OS Support
    While primarily designed for Windows, Total Commander has limited support for other operating systems. Though there are Android and Linux versions, they may not offer the same level of functionality as the Windows version.
  • No Cloud Integration
    Total Commander lacks built-in cloud storage integration, which is a feature increasingly expected by users looking to manage files across multiple cloud services directly from their file manager.

Midnight Commander features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Midnight Commander provides a text-based user interface that is relatively easy to navigate, unlike traditional command-line interfaces, which can be intimidating for new users.
  • Two-pane File Manager
    The dual-pane layout allows users to perform file operations such as moving and copying files between two locations effortlessly.
  • Built-in Editor
    Midnight Commander includes a built-in text editor (mcedit) that can be handy for quickly editing configuration files or scripts.
  • Connectivity Options
    It supports various network protocols like FTP, SFTP, and Samba, enabling users to manage files on remote systems as easily as on local drives.
  • Customizability
    Users can customize key bindings, color schemes, and panels to better suit their needs and workflow preferences.
  • Cross-Platform
    Midnight Commander is available on multiple operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, offering a consistent experience across platforms.
  • Search Capabilities
    Advanced search options make it easy to find files and text within files, which is useful for a variety of tasks, from coding to administration.

Possible disadvantages of Midnight Commander

  • Limited GUI Features
    Being a text-based application, it lacks some of the graphical features and mouse interactions available in graphical file managers.
  • Learning Curve
    While more user-friendly than the command line, it still requires some time to learn and get accustomed to the various key bindings and functionalities.
  • Dependency on Terminal
    As a terminal-based application, it requires a terminal emulator, which might not be as efficient or convenient as using a native graphical application for some users.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    For complex file management tasks, it may not offer the advanced features or plugins available in more robust file managers.
  • No Built-in Preview
    Unlike some graphical file managers, it doesn't provide a built-in preview of files (like images or PDFs), which can be a drawback for certain use cases.
  • Dependency on Configuration Files
    Customization often necessitates editing configuration files manually, which could be a deterrent for users who are not comfortable with text-based configurations.

Total Commander videos

ENG Total Commander Tutorial - Manual: Installation, Multiple Rename ,FTP, Comparing

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Total Commander - Review, Tutorial und Tipps [Part 1]
  • Tutorial - Total Commander - Review, Tutorial und Tipps [Part 2]

Midnight Commander videos

EzeeLinux Show 18.15 | GNU Midnight Commander

More videos:

  • Review - 16 - Midnight Commander, Part 1 of 3
  • Review - Midnight Commander || Installation and short review || Ubuntu || Fedora

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Total Commander and Midnight Commander)
File Manager
65 65%
35% 35
FTP Client
64 64%
36% 36
File Explorer
77 77%
23% 23
File Management
50 50%
50% 50

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Total Commander and Midnight Commander

Total Commander Reviews

14 Alternative File Managers To Replace Windows 10 File Explorer
An advanced file manager for Windows 10. Total Commander may not have the most beautiful interface, but its advanced features and dual file windows make file management a snap. The main interface consists of two windows where you can open two folders and exchange and manage files between them seamlessly.
Source: geekflare.com
3 Popular Total Commander Analogs for Linux
In Linux there is no special need for such software, because such actions can be performed with standard solutions. But here we should pay attention to the graphical component of Total Commander — it is familiar to many: it is clear and easy to work in it. That is why users are looking for similar software for Linux.
Source: medium.com
The best file managers for your computer
An also very popular alternative, which you probably already knew by its previous name, Windows Commander. Currently, Total Commander it is used by users all over the world, mainly because it also offers support with Linux partitions, among other things. Its interface is very intuitive and has the most common basic functions. One option to consider.
Source: movilforum.com
8 Best Total Commander Alternatives & Competitors in 2022 (Free & Paid)
Total Commander is not always the best solution for everyone. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the 8 best Total Commander alternatives and competitors.
The best third-party file managers for Android
Like the desktop app, Total Commander enables you to drag and drop individual files and entire subdirectories within your device's internal storage. Take it a step further by downloading plug-ins from Total Commander's website to enable features like FTP and SFTP access and uploads to Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. The app offers customization features akin to that of...

Midnight Commander Reviews

We have no reviews of Midnight Commander yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Midnight Commander seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 28 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Total Commander mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Total Commander yet. Tracking of Total Commander recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Midnight Commander mentions (28)

  • Emacs 2024 Changes
    Dired as a cross-platform file manager. I used to use Midnight Commander but I found it buggy in the end (on MacOS). Since investing time in learning dired it's good enough. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • OpenBSD Desktop
    Midnight Commander is a good TUI file manager. https://midnight-commander.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Antonmedv/walk: Terminal file manager
    Was there something before https://midnight-commander.org/ or was that the OG? - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • How to move a directory to ../ if there is a directory with same name?
    Just use mc (midnight commander) it not only is a terminal based file manager but it will give you the command lines used to do so GNU MIDNIGHT COMMANDER. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • What's that email client doing here?
    Given that you can run shells in Emacs since those are text too, Emacs ends up becoming almost like a Lisp-powered tmux or mc. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Total Commander and Midnight Commander, you can also consider the following products

Double Commander - Double Commander is a cross-platform open source file manager with two panels side by side.

FreeCommander - FreeCommander is an easy-to-use alternative to the standard windows file manager. The program helps you with daily work in Windows. Here you can find all the necessary functions to manage your data stock.

Directory Opus - Directory Opus for Windows - the Ultimate Windows File manager and Explorer Replacement. DownloadOpus 12: To update to the latest version, simply download and . BuyThank you for your interest in Directory Opus!

Thunar - Thunar is a modern file manager for the Xfce Desktop Environment.

XYplorer - File Manager for Windows

fman - An unexpected gift. January 07, 2018 by Michael. One of the nice things that happened last week was an fman user writing in to say that 1) fman "is THE BEST SOFTWARE" (sic). And that 2) he would like to send me a $50 tip.