Strata Files

Strata Files is a native, open-source file manager built to replace Finder, with the search and disk tools Finder has never had.

Why it makes the list

It's fully local and MIT licensed — no accounts, no tracking, no servers — and runs natively on Apple silicon with AppKit and Swift.

Key features

• Plain-English search — an index of your home folder and Applications with as-you-type results and filters.
• Accurate folder sizes — real sizes that update live as files change, no more spinning Finder "Calculating size…".
• Disk Usage map — a visual map of where your space went, plus Large Files and Duplicates tools.
• Command palette and shortcuts — ⌘K for commands, ⌘1–⌘5 to switch views, all shortcuts customizable.
• Five views — Icons, List, Columns, Gallery, and Disk Usage, with an optional dual-pane mode.
• Developer tools — inline git status, a project inspector, and support for SFTP, S3 buckets, and containers.
• File operations — a pause/resume copy queue with verification, plus an undo-able history.
• Extras — batch rename, archive browsing, Finder tags, workspaces, and command-line access.
• Privacy — an encrypted local index and history, with no analytics.
• Optional Apple Intelligence — on-device document summaries, with a key-sentence fallback when it's unavailable.

Pricing

Free and open source (MIT license) — every feature included, no paid tier. Requires macOS 26 Tahoe on Apple silicon. Downloads are on GitHub rather than the Mac App Store.