Best xplr Alternatives ranked by AI · updated Aug 2026

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xplr is a terminal-based file manager for users who want keyboard-driven navigation and extensive customization. It uses Lua plugins and configuration to support previews, file operations, and workflow automation.

Developer: Sayan N. and contributors Price: Free 🎯 github.com/sayanarijit/xplr

💼 File Manager 🔓 Open Source Terminal command line tui

Top 6 xplr alternatives

Yazi

Yazi contributors

💡 Pick it for a faster, more polished terminal file manager with stronger previews and a growing plugin ecosystem.

Yazi is a terminal file manager for users who want fast, keyboard-driven filesystem navigation. It provides a modern two-pane interface, asynchronous operations,...

Pros

More capable for copying, moving, deleting, and batch-managing files than Broot
Provides richer previews and a more complete file-manager workflow
Written in Rust with asynchronous file operations

Cons

Less focused on displaying an entire directory tree than Broot
More configuration-heavy than Broot for simple browsing
Requires a terminal with compatible preview tools for its best experience

Free

Alternatives to Yazi → Visit site

ranger

💡 Pick it for mature vi-style navigation, extensive documentation, and a larger community than xplr.

ranger is a console file manager with VI key bindings. It provides a minimalistic and nice curses interface with a view on...

Free

Alternatives to ranger → Visit site

lf

lf contributors

💡 Pick it when you want a compact, fast, shell-friendly file manager with fewer built-in abstractions.

lf is a terminal file manager with a minimal, ranger-like interface and vi-style controls. It targets experienced command-line users who want fast...

Pros

Very fast startup and low resource consumption
Simple configuration and strong shell integration
More effective than Broot for routine file operations

Cons

Less discoverable and polished than Broot for new users
Built-in features are more minimal than Yazi's
Tree visualization is weaker than Broot's

Free

Alternatives to lf → Visit site

nnn

💡 Pick it for minimal resource usage, very fast startup, and practical Unix-tool integration.

nnn is a software product that...

$XX.XX

Alternatives to nnn → Visit site

Vifm

💡 Pick it for a mature dual-pane interface and deep Vim-style controls rather than xplr's broader hackability.

Vifm is a file manager with a vi-like keybindings that is written in C with a ncurses interface. It provides a vi-like...

Free

Alternatives to Vifm → Visit site

Broot

Canop

💡 Pick it for fuzzy searching, tree exploration, and directory analysis instead of xplr's highly programmable panel workflow.

Broot is an interactive terminal utility for exploring directory trees, searching files, and navigating the filesystem. It is aimed at command-line users...

Pros

Combines tree visualization, fuzzy search, and directory navigation
Supports file previews and size-aware directory exploration
Offers shell integration for changing directories from the interface

Cons

Requires terminal familiarity and shell integration setup
Less suitable for two-pane file management than dedicated terminal file managers
Smaller ecosystem and user base than tools such as Yazi or Midnight Commander

Free

Alternatives to Broot → Visit site

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