Mac users have a love-hate relationship with the native file navigation system i.e. Finder. While there’s no denying that Finder is quite capable, Apple hasn’t been that prompt on adding functionality in a timely fashion. Third-party developers have taken the matter into their own hands and have been pushing out some great Finder replacement apps. So, if you really want your macOS Finder to do more, here are the top 10 Finder alternatives for Mac You can use in 2020.

1. Commander One v2

Commander One v2 is the latest version of the popular Finder alternative Commander One and it’s just great. It is a robust solution for anyone looking for a Finder alternative. It serves a dual-pane file manager for starters, which can make file operations a breeze to perform if you’ve some screen real estate to spare.

In the customization front, users can choose between ten pre-installed themes. If you are feeling artsy, you can also change the looks of elements individually – including fonts, selection and background colour.

The built-in FTP manager allows you to connect to remote FTP servers. Combined with dual-pane navigation, you no longer have to keep moving to and fro to operate data between your local storage and your cloud storage.

Path Finder has been serving the needs of Mac users for the past seventeen years and their iteration, Path Finder 9 brings several enhancements and mark the beginning of a new era for this software. Path Finder also comes with a dual-pane navigation support, which also gives you access to bookmarks and hidden files. Like Commander One, Path Finder also allows you to create custom keyboard shortcuts for swift navigation.

All that said, the biggest differentiator for Path Finder has always been modules and Path Finder 9 ports a completely new and flexible modules structure. You can arrange these modules anyway you like and even customize them booth visually and functionally. This makes Path Finder the most versatile finder alternative that you can find.

Forklift 3 is another great Finder alternative for power users. As with the other two alternatives we’ve seen, it supports dual pane navigation and customizable keyboard shortcuts. It also features breadcrumb navigation like Windows, so you can navigate through your files with breeze.

If your needs warrant a simple Finder alternative with all the basic features, XtraFinder may be the right application for you. Probably the best part about this macOS file manager is the ability to offer quick access to several functions available in the toolbar, menus, and the contextual menu. So, whether you want to show hidden items, hide desktop, create a symbolic link or even copy path, it can let you get your work done faster.

Download: XtraFinder (Free, $4.99)

If you want a highly efficient Finder alternative for macOS, I would recommend you to give a shot to Nimble Commander. Thanks to a range of proficient tools, the file manager looks primed for power users like IT professionals and software developers. Written mostly in C++, Nimble Commander can make a good match with Finder when it comes to snappier performance. Thus, you can deal with dozens of tabs and windows simultaneously without facing any sluggishness.

6. CRAX Commander

Yet another dual-pane file manager that can take on Finder is CRAX Commander. With built-in SVN, FTP, and SSH client, the software has got the versatility to enhance productivity. Thus, you can manage both your local and remote files with ease. Thanks to the customizable view like show/hide panels, sidebar, and menubar, you can fine-tune everything in line with your taste. On the customization front, I think CRAX Commander is a touch better than Apple’s offering courtesy the desired flexibility.

Simply put, DCommander has got all the essential features to be a notable alternative to the stock file manager for macOS. First and foremost, the software comes with a bunch of productivity defining tools to let you amp up your performance. For example, you can quickly track down a specific file type using the advanced search feature and rename several files at one go by making the most of the batch renaming tool. Second, it comes with native editing tools so that you can edit your files right from inside this file manager. And third, it offers FTP SFTP and SCP connections to let you transfer data to servers smoothly. Considering these notable features, DCommander can safely claim to be a user-friendly Finder substitute.

Unlike the other three Finder replacements we’ve seen above, Total Finder is not a stand-alone app. Instead, it integrates with the original Finder application on Mac. TotalFinder features Chrome-style tabs and sports a dual pane navigation. As you might have observed, dual pane navigation is pretty much a standard feature in Finder alternatives.

9. FinderPath

While FinderPath isn’t as feature-rich as Finder, there is a lot to like in this software. For starters, FinderPath has a pretty neat interface which is way easier to master than that of Apple’s offering. Moreover, you can easily copy/paste file paths and also access hidden files or folders without having to dive deep. Thanks to the file completion and suggestion popups, it makes sure the filesystem navigation remains straightforward. And that too without having to go through any learning curve.

What makes HoudahSpot 5 worth taking a close look is a powerful file search. So, if Finder is unable to meet your requirements, you shouldn’t fail to give it a try. You can use this smart Finder alternative to search several folders at one go. Not just that, it also lets you customize columns in the search results list and filter the results to access only the most relevant items and exclude the ones that are irrelevant. Save it for the times where you need to quickly access certain folders! Moreover, this file manager has a clutter-free interface that ensures all of your important files are easily available.

That’s pretty much it! As all these third-party file managers are quite user-friendly, it could be pretty tough to choose any one of them. From my personal experience, I’ve grown to love Path Finder. You do not necessarily have to settle for my words. What I’d recommend you is to check out the feature list of these Finder replacement apps and see which features are likely to benefit you.