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Files vs File Pilot: catalog facts
Files	File Pilot
Freemium Free and open source under the MIT licence. The Microsoft Store listing is paid as a way…	Freemium Free during the beta, with a paid license also offered.
Windows	Windows
Tabs, dual panes and a column view that Explorer still lacks Colour file tags and a working preview pane	Very small standalone download Fast flattened search across whole drives
Windows only, and it needs a recent Windows 10 or 11 Heavier and slower to start than Explorer	Still in beta (v0.8.5) Windows only
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License: MIT	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.