Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Total Commander VS RoboCopy

Compare Total Commander VS RoboCopy and see what are their differences

Total Commander logo Total Commander

A Shareware file manager for Windows® 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/Vista/7, and Windows® 3.1.

RoboCopy logo RoboCopy

Robocopy is a free file copy tool that is included with the Microsoft Windows operating system. It allows one to construct complicated instructions to move, or copy files.
  • Total Commander Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-06
  • RoboCopy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-22

Total Commander features and specs

  • Dual-pane Interface
    Total Commander features a dual-pane interface, which allows users to easily drag and drop files between directories, enhancing productivity and file management efficiency.
  • Customizability
    The application offers extensive customization options, including customizing the toolbar, keyboard shortcuts, and file display settings, providing users with a tailored experience.
  • Built-in FTP Client
    Total Commander includes an integrated FTP client, making it convenient for users to transfer files to and from remote servers without needing additional software.
  • Plugin Support
    Total Commander supports a wide range of plugins, adding extra functionalities like additional file system interfaces, file viewers, and archivers to extend the software's capabilities.
  • Powerful File Operations
    It offers advanced file operations such as multi-rename tool, file comparison, and synchronization, which are highly useful for power users managing large sets of files.

Possible disadvantages of Total Commander

  • Outdated Interface
    The interface of Total Commander can appear dated compared to modern file managers, which may be less appealing to new users accustomed to more contemporary designs.
  • Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive features and customizability, new users might find Total Commander overwhelming and may require time to learn and utilize the software effectively.
  • Paid Software
    Total Commander is not free; although it offers a trial version, users need to purchase a license to access the full functionality, which may deter some users looking for free alternatives.
  • Limited OS Support
    While primarily designed for Windows, Total Commander has limited support for other operating systems. Though there are Android and Linux versions, they may not offer the same level of functionality as the Windows version.
  • No Cloud Integration
    Total Commander lacks built-in cloud storage integration, which is a feature increasingly expected by users looking to manage files across multiple cloud services directly from their file manager.

RoboCopy features and specs

  • High Performance
    RoboCopy is designed for efficient and fast file copy operations, making it suitable for copying large volumes of data quickly.
  • Resumable Transfers
    It can resume file transfers after interruptions, reducing the need to restart the copy operation from scratch.
  • Advanced File Selection
    Supports complex file selection criteria, such as filtering by file size, attributes, and last modified date.
  • Mirroring Capabilities
    Can mirror entire directories, ensuring source and destination directories are kept in sync.
  • Logging and Reporting
    RoboCopy provides detailed logs and reports of copy operations, which is useful for auditing and troubleshooting.
  • Multi-threading
    Supports multi-threaded file copying, allowing parallel transfer of multiple files to improve performance.
  • Robust Error Handling
    Offers robust error handling and retry mechanisms, ensuring higher reliability in copy operations.
  • Access Control Compliance
    Preserves file and folder permissions (ACLs), ownership, and attributes, ensuring compliance with access control policies.

Possible disadvantages of RoboCopy

  • Complex Syntax
    The command-line interface can be complex and intimidating for users who are not familiar with command-line operations.
  • No Native GUI
    RoboCopy does not include a graphical user interface (GUI), which may make it less accessible for some users.
  • Overhead for Small Files
    There can be considerable overhead when copying a large number of small files, which may reduce overall performance.
  • Limited Real-Time Monitoring
    Does not offer real-time monitoring or progress indicators in the way that some modern copying tools provide.
  • Potential Data Loss
    Incorrect usage of certain switches (e.g., /MIR) can result in unintended data loss, making it necessary to use caution.
  • Limited Support
    Being a native Windows tool, it primarily supports Windows environments and lacks the cross-platform capabilities of some alternatives.
  • Learning Curve
    It has a steep learning curve for advanced features, requiring users to invest time in understanding its full capabilities.

Analysis of RoboCopy

Overall verdict

  • RoboCopy is generally considered a good and reliable tool for file copying and backup purposes, especially in professional and enterprise environments where data integrity and efficiency are critical. Its advanced capabilities make it a preferred choice for users who require more control over their file transfer processes.

Why this product is good

  • RoboCopy, which stands for Robust File Copy, is highly regarded due to its robustness and advanced features that extend beyond what the standard Windows copy command offers. It supports file mirroring, can resume failed copies, and recognizes NTFS attributes and properties, making it ideal for large data transfer tasks. Furthermore, RoboCopy can handle network interruptions effectively and offers extensive options for logging operations, making it suitable for administrators and power users who need to perform complex file transfer tasks with precision and reliability.

Recommended for

    RoboCopy is recommended for IT professionals, system administrators, and power users who need to perform complex file copy operations, including backing up data, file archiving, and synchronizing directories across different locations. It is particularly useful in environments where robust performance and detailed control over the copy process are necessary.

Total Commander videos

ENG Total Commander Tutorial - Manual: Installation, Multiple Rename ,FTP, Comparing

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Total Commander - Review, Tutorial und Tipps [Part 1]
  • Tutorial - Total Commander - Review, Tutorial und Tipps [Part 2]

RoboCopy videos

Robocopy Backup Tutorial for Windows

More videos:

  • Review - Create A Custom Backup Script With Windows Robocopy by Britec
  • Review - Robocopy vs GS RichCopy 360 Enterprise Backup Software

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Total Commander and RoboCopy)
File Manager
100 100%
0% 0
File Management
29 29%
71% 71
FTP Client
100 100%
0% 0
File Sharing
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Total Commander and RoboCopy

Total Commander Reviews

14 Alternative File Managers To Replace Windows 10 File Explorer
An advanced file manager for Windows 10. Total Commander may not have the most beautiful interface, but its advanced features and dual file windows make file management a snap. The main interface consists of two windows where you can open two folders and exchange and manage files between them seamlessly.
Source: geekflare.com
3 Popular Total Commander Analogs for Linux
In Linux there is no special need for such software, because such actions can be performed with standard solutions. But here we should pay attention to the graphical component of Total Commander — it is familiar to many: it is clear and easy to work in it. That is why users are looking for similar software for Linux.
Source: medium.com
The best file managers for your computer
An also very popular alternative, which you probably already knew by its previous name, Windows Commander. Currently, Total Commander it is used by users all over the world, mainly because it also offers support with Linux partitions, among other things. Its interface is very intuitive and has the most common basic functions. One option to consider.
Source: movilforum.com
8 Best Total Commander Alternatives & Competitors in 2022 (Free & Paid)
Total Commander is not always the best solution for everyone. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the 8 best Total Commander alternatives and competitors.
The best third-party file managers for Android
Like the desktop app, Total Commander enables you to drag and drop individual files and entire subdirectories within your device's internal storage. Take it a step further by downloading plug-ins from Total Commander's website to enable features like FTP and SFTP access and uploads to Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. The app offers customization features akin to that of...

RoboCopy Reviews

Top File Copiers 2022 for Windows 11
RoboCopy, an abbreviation of Robust File Copy, is a command-line based tool. It provides tons of advanced features for complex file copying operations. One of such features is repetitive copy jobs. The tool is also especially helpful for network administrators to copy large files over-the-network. You can use filters to copy only specific file types, rather than all files....
28 Best File Copy Software for Windows
WinRoboCopy is a free graphical user interface for the RoboCopy command. It possesses the following characteristics:
Source: techcult.com
Top 10 best file copy software 2021 [updated]
Unlike the ones above, this is not actually a software app you can download and install on your PC. RoboCopy is the short way to write “Robust File Copy,” it is a command-line utility for copying files from one directory to another in Windows OS. This file copy utility functionally replaces Xcopy with more options to offer. To run this utility, the command is robocopy. It is...
Best File Copy Software for Windows and Mac
Robust File Copy, commonly written as RoboCopy, is a command-line utility that allows Windows PC users to quickly transfer or copy files from one directory to another, and from one Windows PC to another. It is a built-in Windows 10 OS and activated with the command “Robocopy /?” (without quotes) via the CMD terminal.
14 Best File Copy Utility Software for Windows 10, 8, 7 in 2021
RoboCopy is not a particular tool or software for copying files. It is just a command that one can use to copy and move files on Windows. RoboCopy stands for Robust File Copy and is available in almost all versions of Windows after Windows NT 4. It is one of the oldest methods to copy files, and here are the features that RoboCopy command offers.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, RoboCopy seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 50 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Total Commander mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Total Commander yet. Tracking of Total Commander recommendations started around Mar 2021.

RoboCopy mentions (50)

  • Is ultracopier still the very best in terms of open source alternative file copying/merging tool ?
    I used robocopy on a slow network to transfer many gigabyte of data; properly configured with retries and everything worked great. Don't know about your merge needs, so take a look into it and do some tests before actually running it. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Is copying the best way to transfer large amounts of files?
    If you're copying a ton of files that vary in size, using a command prompt robocopy with the multi-thread parameter can make it so you are copying multiple files simultaneously and max out the bandwidth of whatever connection you're using (usb, SATA, ethernet, etc). Source: over 2 years ago
  • Game data to new PC
    This would probably work well. Oblivion mod managers edit load order by modifying dates on the files, and I'm not sure if dragging-and-dropping would keep that info. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Migrating file servers - Robocopy syntax question
    Yes, /mir also deletes files and directories that have been deleted from the source. Here's a list of the switches. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Robocopy Hell - Copy data without NTFS permissions
    My friend you helped me big time. I was able to test more and the U flag on /COPY was the culprit here. Which isn't a huge deal for me so using /COPY:DAT worked great. Turns out this is the default switching for /COPY anyway according to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/robocopy. Source: almost 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Total Commander and RoboCopy, you can also consider the following products

Double Commander - Double Commander is a cross-platform open source file manager with two panels side by side.

TeraCopy - TeraCopy is a compact program designed to copy and move files at the maximum possible speed, providing the user with a lot of features.

FreeCommander - FreeCommander is an easy-to-use alternative to the standard windows file manager. The program helps you with daily work in Windows. Here you can find all the necessary functions to manage your data stock.

FastCopy - FastCopy is the fastest copy, delete, & sync software on Windows.

Directory Opus - Directory Opus for Windows - the Ultimate Windows File manager and Explorer Replacement. DownloadOpus 12: To update to the latest version, simply download and . BuyThank you for your interest in Directory Opus!

Ultracopier - SuperCopier replaces Windows explorer file copy and adds many features: Transfer resuming, transfer...