Compare software

bfs vs fd: catalog facts
bfs	fd
Best for: Terminal users who rely on find and want nearby results first	Best for: Finding a file when you remember part of its name
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source, dual licensed under the Apache 2.0 and MIT licences.
macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Breadth-first order finds shallow matches first Drop-in compatible with GNU, BSD, macOS and POSIX find All 3 strengths for bfs Breadth-first order finds shallow matches first Drop-in compatible with GNU, BSD, macOS and POSIX find Existing find syntax works unchanged	One short argument instead of find's syntax Smart case: case-insensitive until your pattern contains a capital All 4 strengths for fd One short argument instead of find's syntax Smart case: case-insensitive until your pattern contains a capital Parallel traversal and parallel command execution Respects gitignore and skips hidden files by default
Keeps find's syntax, which some users find awkward No native Windows support mentioned	Command line only Does not aim to cover all of find's functionality All 4 limitations for fd Command line only Does not aim to cover all of find's functionality The opinionated defaults need flags to turn off Not present by default on any system
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: Apache-2.0
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for bfs github.com/tavianator/bfs Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for fd github.com/sharkdp/fd Catalog checked September 21, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.