Built for power users who demand the best. Every feature has been carefully designed to make file management faster, more efficient, and more enjoyable.
See two folders at once. Copy files in one keystroke.
The classic orthodox file manager design that power users love. Side-by-side directory panels, F5 to copy, F6 to move, Tab to switch panes. No more dragging between Finder windows.
Your terminal follows your files. Your files follow your terminal.
Navigate in the file browser and the terminal cd's automatically. Run cd in the terminal and the file browser follows. Works with zsh, bash, and fish. Toggle with backtick (`). No competitor does this.
Your servers, your cloud, your files. All in one place.
SFTP/SSH for any Linux/Unix server. FTP/FTPS for legacy support. Amazon S3 plus MinIO, DigitalOcean Spaces, Backblaze B2. Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive via native mounts.
Vim-style hjkl keys and arrow keys work simultaneously. Quick type-to-filter, Cmd+G for path with Tab autocomplete. Navigate thousands of files without touching your mouse.
Three modes: Spotlight for instant metadata search, Deep Search for content grep with regex, or Hybrid mode that combines both. Find any file, search inside any file.
Browse ZIP, 7z, and RAR archives like regular folders. Press Enter to "open" an archive, copy files out with standard operations. Includes .jar, .ipa, .apk support.
Compare two files side-by-side with syntax highlighting. See additions, deletions, and modifications at a glance. Navigate between changes with keyboard shortcuts.
Access protected system files using Apple's SMJobBless for secure privilege escalation. One-time authorization, then seamless access to /System, /Library, and more.
Extend with JavaScript plugins. Add custom context menu items, create new file providers, automate workflows. Sandboxed execution with granular permissions.
Full Git support built in. See file status badges (M/A/D/?/!) in the file list, color-coded by state. Stage, unstage, revert, and commit directly from the app.
Lazy-loading table view handles massive directories without breaking a sweat.
Swift + AppKit with C++ core. No Electron bloat. Instant launch, minimal memory.
All file operations run in background. UI never blocks. Cancel anytime.
Cmd+T for new tab, each with its own history. Click to switch, drag to reorder.
Press Space to preview any file using macOS Quick Look. No app switching.
Cmd+Z works for copy, move, delete, rename. Complete operation history.
Compare Captain's Deck with other popular macOS file managers.
| Feature | Captain's Deck | Finder | Path Finder | ForkLift 4 | Commander One | Nimble Commander |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interface | ||||||
| Dual-Pane View | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tabs | Unlimited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dark Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Retro/DOS Theme | Norton Commander | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Split Orientation (H/V) | Both | N/A | Both | Both | Both | Both |
| Navigation & Keyboard | ||||||
| Vim-style Keys (hjkl) | Yes | No | No | No | No | Partial |
| Arrow Key Navigation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Quick Type-to-Filter | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Go To Path Dialog | With autocomplete | Basic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Terminal & CLI | ||||||
| Built-in Terminal | Full PTY | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Terminal-Pane Sync | Bidirectional | N/A | One-way | One-way | One-way | One-way |
| Remote & Cloud Storage | ||||||
| SFTP/SSH | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Pro | Yes |
| FTP/FTPS | Yes | Connect only | Yes | Yes | Pro | No |
| Amazon S3 | Yes + MinIO, DO, B2 | No | No | Yes | Pro | No |
| Google Drive | Native mount | Via app | Yes | Yes | Pro | No |
| Dropbox/OneDrive | Native mount | Via app | Yes | Yes | Pro | No |
| Archives | ||||||
| ZIP Browsing | Yes | Preview only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 7z Support | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RAR Support | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Search | ||||||
| Spotlight Search | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Content/Grep Search | Yes + Regex | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hybrid Search Mode | Spotlight + Deep | No | No | No | No | No |
| File Operations | ||||||
| Visual Diff Viewer | Side-by-side | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| Admin/Root Mode | SMJobBless | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Undo/Redo | Full history | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Quick Preview (Space) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Git Integration | Full | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Technical | ||||||
| Native macOS App | Swift + AppKit | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | C++ |
| Large Directory Support | 1M+ files | Good | Good | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Plugin System | JavaScript | No | No | No | No | No |
| Pricing | ||||||
| Price | $19.99 | Free | $36 | $29.95 | Free / $29.99 | $24.99 |
| Free Trial | 14 days | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| One-time Purchase | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Every feature has been carefully designed for power users who demand the best.
Inspired by Norton Commander and Midnight Commander. Two panes show different directories simultaneously. Copy and move files between them with a single keypress. Switch panes with Tab, operate on files with function keys.
The integrated terminal stays in sync with your file browser. Navigate in the GUI and the terminal follows. Run 'cd' in the terminal and the pane updates. OSC 7 escape sequences enable seamless integration with zsh and bash.
Connect to Amazon S3, MinIO, DigitalOcean Spaces, Backblaze B2, and any S3-compatible storage. Browse buckets like local folders. Upload and download with progress tracking. Pre-configured for popular providers.
Combines Spotlight's speed with deep content search. First, instant results from the Spotlight index. Then, supplement with grep-style content search. Find files by name or search inside them with regex support.
Compare two files side-by-side with syntax highlighting. See additions, deletions, and modifications at a glance. Navigate between changes with keyboard shortcuts. Perfect for code review and file comparison.
Access system files with elevated privileges. Uses SMJobBless for secure privilege escalation. One-time authorization, then seamless access to protected directories. No sudo prompts cluttering your workflow.
Extend Captain's Deck with JavaScript plugins. Add custom context menu items, create new file providers, or automate workflows. Sandboxed execution with granular permissions. Build exactly what you need.
Nostalgic DOS blue interface with configurable retro effects. Optional scanlines, CRT curvature, and phosphor glow. Perfect DOS VGA fonts for authenticity. Take a trip back to the golden age of file management.
Comprehensive Git support built right in. See file status badges (M for modified, A for added, D for deleted, ? for untracked, ! for ignored) with color-coded highlighting. Branch name displayed in the header. Stage, unstage, revert files from the context menu. Open the Git Status Panel to see all changed files, stage all or unstage all with one click, and commit with a message. Double-click any file to see a visual diff against HEAD.
Try Captain's Deck free for 14 days. No credit card required.