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A Marta alternative with plain-English search and undo.
Marta is a file manager that Mac users look at when leaving Finder. Here is how Folio compares as a Marta Finder alternative.
If you are comparing Marta with other Finder alternatives, Folio is the option to try when you want undoable operations, archive browsing and search that understands everyday phrasing.
Folio vs Marta
| Folio | Marta | |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | One Explorer-style window with tabs, address bar, sidebar and details pane | Multiple windows and tabs |
| Extensibility | Not a listed feature | Plugins written with a Lua API; five built-in themes you can customize |
| Search | Plain-English queries become removable filter chips (file names only) | Quick Search by substring or regular expression, plus system-wide Look Up |
| Archives | Look inside and extract ZIP, TAR and 7Z; compress to ZIP | Opens and writes ZIP; opens RAR, 7Z, TAR, ISO and others |
| Extras | Not a listed feature | Built-in terminal, disk usage analysis, task queue with pause and resume |
| Price and status | $19 after a 7-day free trial; released as version 1.0.0 | Download is free; the site asks for Patreon support and says Marta is in beta (version 0.8.2) |
| Minimum macOS | macOS 14 | macOS 11.0 |
Marta details from marta.sh, checked October 18, 2026. Features and prices change, so confirm on the official site. Product names belong to their owners.
Which should you choose?
Choose Marta if you want a free, scriptable file manager and are fine with beta software. Choose Folio if you want a released (non-beta) app with plain-English search, undo for every operation and a detail pane.
How to choose
Write down what you do every day, such as searching, moving large batches, browsing archives or working across folders. Then try each app against that list. Folio is a good fit when safe file operations, quick search and a clear price matter most. Read how to choose the best Mac file manager, or see the Commander One comparison.
Questions
Is Folio a Marta alternative?
Folio is a Mac Finder alternative that some people use instead of Marta. Try it free for 7 days to see whether it fits how you work.
Is Folio free like some Marta alternatives?
No. Folio has a 7-day free trial, then a one-time $19 license.
Can I use Folio with Finder?
Yes. Folio works alongside Finder, so you can switch back at any time.
Stop fighting Finder.
Try Folio free for 7 days. Then a license is needed.