Compare software

fzf vs fd: catalog facts
fzf	fd
Best for: Picking one thing out of a list of thousands without scrolling	Best for: Finding a file when you remember part of its name
Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.	Free Free and open source, dual licensed under the Apache 2.0 and MIT licences.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Filters any list at all, because it just reads standard input Shell integration gives instant fuzzy command history and file search All 4 strengths for fzf Filters any list at all, because it just reads standard input Shell integration gives instant fuzzy command history and file search Preview windows and key bindings turn scripts into real interfaces Single binary, with Vim and Neovim plugins included	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
Command line only, and its real power needs shell scripting Fuzzy matching sometimes surfaces a surprising first result All 4 limitations for fzf Command line only, and its real power needs shell scripting Fuzzy matching sometimes surfaces a surprising first result Key binding setup differs per shell The manual is long because the option set is large	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: MIT	License: Apache-2.0
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for fzf junegunn.github.io/fzf github.com/junegunn/fzf Catalog checked September 21, 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.