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Far Manager vs Google Desktop

Professional comparison and analysis to help you choose the right software solution for your needs.

Far Manager icon
Far Manager
Google Desktop icon
Google Desktop

Far Manager vs Google Desktop: The Verdict

⚡ Summary:

Far Manager: Far Manager is a free and open-source file manager for Microsoft Windows. It provides a dual-pane interface for easy file navigation, with features like multiple tabs, powerful search and replace, built-in editor and viewer, plugins and customizations.

Google Desktop: Google Desktop was a desktop search application created by Google that allowed users to search the content of their computers. It indexed emails, documents, music, photos, chat logs, and web pages viewed on the computer.

Both tools serve their respective audiences. Compare the features, pricing, and user ratings above to determine which best fits your needs.

Last updated: May 2026 · Comparison by Sugggest Editorial Team

Feature Far Manager Google Desktop
Sugggest Score — —
Category File Management Os & Utilities
Pricing Open Source —

Product Overview

Far Manager
Far Manager

Description: Far Manager is a free and open-source file manager for Microsoft Windows. It provides a dual-pane interface for easy file navigation, with features like multiple tabs, powerful search and replace, built-in editor and viewer, plugins and customizations.

Type: software

Pricing: Open Source

Google Desktop
Google Desktop

Description: Google Desktop was a desktop search application created by Google that allowed users to search the content of their computers. It indexed emails, documents, music, photos, chat logs, and web pages viewed on the computer.

Type: software

Key Features Comparison

Far Manager
Far Manager Features
  • Dual-pane interface
  • Tabs for multiple folders
  • Powerful search and replace
  • Built-in text editor and viewer
  • Plugin support
  • Customizable interface and shortcuts
Google Desktop
Google Desktop Features
  • Desktop search
  • Indexing of emails, documents, music, photos, chat logs and web pages
  • Quick searching across local files
  • Integrated with Google web search
  • Toolbar for quick access
  • Email notification on new results

Pros & Cons Analysis

Far Manager
Far Manager

Pros

  • Lightweight and fast
  • Very customizable
  • Good keyboard support
  • Supports plugins for added functionality
  • Open source with active development

Cons

  • Dated looking interface
  • Steep learning curve
  • Less intuitive than Windows Explorer for casual users
  • Limited support for non-Windows platforms
Google Desktop
Google Desktop

Pros

  • Powerful and fast search capabilities
  • Indexed a wide variety of file types
  • Convenient access from toolbar
  • Seamless integration with Google web search

Cons

  • Resource intensive
  • Privacy concerns around Google indexing local data
  • Limited customization options
  • Discontinued in 2011 with some features moved to Google Drive

Pricing Comparison

Far Manager
Far Manager
  • Open Source
Google Desktop
Google Desktop
  • Not listed

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Learn More About Each Product

Far Manager
Far Manager
Reviews, pricing & alternatives →
Google Desktop
Google Desktop
Reviews, pricing & alternatives →

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