Mac file manager comparisonBurrow vs ForkLift
ForkLift is a long-standing dual-pane file manager and transfer client. Both apps open SFTP servers and network shares; ForkLift also uploads over FTP, connects to cloud storage such as Amazon S3 and Google Drive, and syncs remote folders. Burrow brings more tools to the files themselves.
Features side by side
| Feature | Burrow | ForkLift |
|---|---|---|
| Panes side by side | ✓Yes Up to four, as a 2×2 grid | ✓Yes Two panes, side by side or stacked |
| Tabs and saved layouts | ✓Yes Tabs, and workspaces that save tabs and panes | ✓Yes Tabs and workspaces |
| Command palette | ✓Yes ⌘K: every command, folder and setting | ◐Partly Quick Open |
| Servers: SFTP, FTP and cloud storage | ✓Yes SFTP through your own ssh; SMB, AFP, NFS and WebDAV shares; FTP read-only. No FTP upload, and no S3 or cloud storage APIs | ✓Yes SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, S3, Backblaze B2, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, SMB, AFP, NFS |
| Archives | ✓Yes Makes zips; opens zip, tar, gz, 7z and rar; looks inside first | ✓Yes Browses archives and compresses |
| Batch rename | ✓Yes Find and replace, regular expressions, live preview | ✓Yes Multi-Rename: regex, numbering, dates, presets |
| Compare and sync folders | ✓Yes Either way, both ways, or mirror, with one undo | ✓Yes One- or two-way, local or remote, saved as Synclets |
| Disk space map | ✓Yes A treemap of any folder, and every drive | ?Not listed |
| Duplicate finder | ✓Yes Grouped by wasted space | ?Not listed |
| Built-in terminal | ✓Yes A real shell that follows your folder | –No Opens Terminal, iTerm, Ghostty and others |
| Git | ✓Yes Review, stage, commit, branches, pull, push, history | ✓Yes Git status in the file list |
| Markdown notes | ✓Yes Editor, daily notes, tasks, wikilinks | ?Not listed |
| Folders as tables and boards | ✓Yes Table, board, gallery and calendar views | ?Not listed |
| Image tools | ✓Yes Remove Background, Copy Text, convert, resize, @1x–@3x | ?Not listed |
| Finder tags | ✓Yes The same tags Finder uses | ✓Yes |
| Drop shelf | ✓Yes Hold files while you browse | ?Not listed |
"Not listed" means ForkLift's own site doesn't mention it, not that it's missing. Burrow's column links to the article in its guide.
Price and platform
| Burrow | ForkLift | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19, once | From $19.95, once |
| What it covers | 2 Macs, a year of updates; keeps working after | 1 Mac and a year of updates ($19.95); household or 5-Mac licenses, and 2-year options, cost more |
| Free trial | 14 days, everything included | Free trial (length not stated) |
| Requires | macOS 15 or later, Apple silicon or Intel | macOS 14.6 or later |
| Where to get it | Download from tryburrow.app | Download from binarynights.com; also in Setapp |
Where ForkLift is stronger
- FTP upload and cloud storage services: Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox. Both apps open SFTP servers and SMB, AFP, NFS and WebDAV shares.
- Sync that works with remote folders too, saved as reusable Synclets.
- Runs on macOS 14.6 Sonoma too; Burrow needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later.
- A household license and a 5-Mac business license, and it's in Setapp.
Where Burrow is stronger
- A ⌘K palette with every command, folder and setting, and up to four panes.
- SFTP through your own ssh config, keys and agent (1Password's too), and a built-in terminal that opens on the server, in the folder you're in.
- Git review: diffs, staging, commits, branches, pull and push, beside your files.
- Markdown notes, daily notes and tasks, and folders as tables and boards.
- Image tools: Remove Background, Copy Text, convert, resize and @1x–@3x sets.
- A disk-space treemap and a duplicate finder.
Which one suits you
ForkLift suits people who work with cloud storage such as Amazon S3 and Google Drive, upload over FTP, or sync remote folders every day.
Burrow suits designers and developers whose files live on their Mac or an SFTP server, and who want notes, image tools and git in the same window. You can try it free for 14 days.
ForkLift's details come only from its own pages, checked on 2 November 2026: ForkLift home page, ForkLift store, ForkLift manual, ForkLift version history. Burrow's come from its guide. If something here is out of date, email [email protected] and we'll fix it.