Compare software

plocate vs bfs: catalog facts
plocate	bfs
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source.
Linux, Command line	macOS, Linux, Command line
Very fast file name lookups Smaller index than mlocate	Breadth-first order finds shallow matches first Drop-in compatible with GNU, BSD, macOS and POSIX find
Linux only Results are only as fresh as the last index update	Keeps find's syntax, which some users find awkward No native Windows support mentioned
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0-or-later	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

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