fman is the minimalist’s dual-pane file manager: keyboard-driven, cross-platform, with a Sublime-style “GoTo” that jumps to folders by frequency and a plugin system for the rest. If you want the same tool on Mac, Windows and Linux and prefer to build up from a small core, fman is a clean choice. cwdio is Windows-only and larger by design: an embedded terminal that follows the panel, verified transfers with a journaled queue, remote servers as folders, git in the list, previews and batch undo — free during the beta, with no telemetry.
Side by side
| cwdio | fman | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | 64-bit Windows 10/11 | Mac, Windows and Linux |
| Licence | Free in beta; Founding Users free forever; one-time tiers at 1.0 | Perpetual licence €39, all future versions; free trial (checked 2026-08-15) |
| Source | Private; binaries and issues public | Closed (plugins are open) |
| Two panels | Yes; per-panel folder tabs, dockable layout | Yes |
| Jump | Ctrl+P go to file; Ctrl+J recent folder by frecency; Ctrl+Shift+P palette | “GoTo on Steroids”: Ctrl+P / ⌘P with frequency-based suggestions |
| Built-in terminal | Yes, two-way working-directory sync; SSH shell on SFTP | No |
| Remote | SFTP and FTP/FTPS as folders | Via plugins where available |
| Archives | ZIP, 7z, RAR, tar read (incl. encrypted); ZIP, 7z, tar.gz create | Via plugins where available |
| Transfers | Verified copy, resume, journaled queue that survives a restart, per-file skip/retry | Standard |
| Undo | Ctrl+Z undoes a batch; overwrite stash; delete to Recycle Bin | — |
| Preview | Space Quick Look: images, video, audio, PDF, CSV tables, Markdown, code, diff, hex | Minimal |
| Search | Name and content, honours .gitignore; Everything when installed | Via plugins |
| Git | Status column, changes, branches, history, push/pull | Not built in |
| Plugins | Own platform, no public marketplace; MCP server/client | Plugin system with community plugins |
| Telemetry | None | Not stated |
Rows marked “via plugins” describe fman’s model rather than a verified plugin list; fman.io is the authority.
Where fman is stronger
- Cross-platform. The same tool and the same keys on three operating systems.
- Minimalism. A small core you extend, rather than a large app you switch parts off in.
- A plugin ecosystem written by its community.
- A single perpetual price covering every future version.
Where cwdio is different
- The terminal follows the panel. Two-way working-directory sync with several shells and SSH on SFTP.
- A lot built in: archives, SFTP/FTP, git, previews, bulk rename, size map, duplicate finder — with no plugin to find first.
- Transfers designed for interruption, a batch undo, an overwrite stash.
- Free while in beta, and free forever for beta users.
Who should pick which
- Choose fman if you need macOS or Linux, or want a minimal core with your own plugins.
- Choose cwdio if you are on Windows and want the terminal, the queue, git and the batteries included.
Switching notes
Ctrl+P is a fuzzy file finder in cwdio; for fman’s folder-jumping habit use Ctrl+J. Ctrl+Shift+P is the palette. F5/F6 copy/move to the other panel, Tab switches, Space previews, Ctrl+` opens the terminal. See the shortcut table and the command palette.
Last checked
fman facts from fman.io (home and buy pages), read 2026-08-15: “Dual-pane file manager for Mac, Windows and Linux”, “GoTo on Steroids” with Ctrl+P/⌘P, plugin system with community-contributed plugins, licence €39, “Licenses are perpetual. They also entitle you to use all future fman versions”, free trial, 60-day refund.