Comparison · Android
Files by Google vs Slidebox: what 5,685 reviews say
Short answer
Files by Google averages 3.86 stars across 2,937 US and UK reviews; Slidebox averages 3.99 across 2,748. Slidebox has the smaller share of 1–2★ reviews (19% against 24%). The widest gap is slowness, crashes and bugs: 22.7% of Files by Google's low ratings against 8.3% of Slidebox's. Files by Google is free.
Last updated
Files by Google vs Slidebox: the numbers side by side
| Files by Google | Slidebox | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms in our data | Android | Android and iPhone |
| What it is | file manager with a cleaning tab | swipe photo organiser |
| Reviews analysed | 2,937 | 2,748 |
| Average rating | 3.86 | 3.99 |
| 5★ share | 58.8% | 59.1% |
| 1–2★ share | 24% | 19% |
| Billing share of 1–2★ | 3.5% | 16.7% |
| Reviews saying "scam", "fraud" or "rip-off" | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Developer replies (Google Play) | 17.5% | 2.2% |
| Prices on the store (US) | none listed | App Store (US) in-app purchases from $1.99 to $49.99; Google Play (US) $0.99 to $49.99 per item |
Where do Files by Google and Slidebox differ most?
- Files by Google's unhappy reviewers mention slowness, crashes and bugs roughly twice as often as Slidebox's: 22.7% against 8.3% of 1–2★ reviews.
- On billing, trials and cancelling, Slidebox draws 16.7% of its 1–2★ reviews, while Files by Google draws 3.5%.
- Files by Google's unhappy reviewers mention the app not working or doing little more often as Slidebox's: 26.9% against 15.2% of 1–2★ reviews.
- Slidebox's unhappy reviewers mention a paywall before the app does anything useful about 5 times as often as Files by Google's: 5.2% against 1% of 1–2★ reviews.
- On ads, pop-ups and pushy screens, Slidebox draws 6.9% of its 1–2★ reviews, while Files by Google draws 3.1%.
Both are compared on Android, where both have enough reviews. Files by Google browses and shares files and suggests old chat-app photos, duplicate files and other items to delete; Slidebox lets you swipe through photos one at a time to delete them or file them into albums, and compares similar shots side by side.
Are Files by Google and Slidebox improving?
Files by Google went from 3.26 stars in 2026-Q2 to 4.34 in 2026-Q4, with billing at 4.1% of its latest 1–2★ reviews. Slidebox went from 3.61 stars in 2025-Q3 to 3.44 in 2026-Q3, with billing at 27.3% of its latest 1–2★ reviews. On Google Play, Files by Google's developer answers more unhappy reviewers (57.6% against 6.1%).
Where are Files by Google and Slidebox alike?
Their reviewers agree on deleting photos or files the user wanted and support that doesn't answer: on each, the two apps are within two points of each other (2.4% vs 3.5%; 2.3% vs 1.7%). 18.4% of Files by Google's reviews are 1★ and 58.8% are 5★; for Slidebox the split is 13.5% and 59.1%, so the share of very angry reviewers is similar.
What do happy users praise in each?
30.5% of Slidebox's 4–5★ reviews say organising photos, compared with 3% for Files by Google. 37.7% of Slidebox's 4–5★ reviews say it works, compared with 19.1% for Files by Google. 27% of Slidebox's 4–5★ reviews say it is easy to use, compared with 11.2% for Files by Google.
Which is cheaper, Files by Google or Slidebox?
Files by Google: no prices listed. Slidebox: App Store (US) in-app purchases from $1.99 to $49.99; Google Play (US) $0.99 to $49.99 per item. Files by Google costs nothing to use. Billing makes up 3.5% of Files by Google's 1–2★ reviews and 16.7% of Slidebox's.
What reviewers say about Files by Google and Slidebox
- Files by Google: "bug fixes?! after downloading the update on some phones, it wouldn't clean. had to disable it. on other phones, refused to use this update." (1★, Google Play, US, Jul 2026)
- Files by Google: "please refund all my money back to my opay bank account balance" (5★, Google Play, US, Oct 2026)
- Slidebox: "ok, sucriptions are but generally ok app. while sometimes videos bug and olay in background prewview but good enough to get job done" (4★, Google Play, US, May 2026)
- Slidebox: "subscription service is a dealbreaker, I would pay 10 bucks for this app but I won't pay 2$ a week" (1★, Google Play, US, Feb 2026)
Picked from the slowness, crashes and bugs and billing, trials and cancelling themes, where the two differ most.
Should you choose Files by Google or Slidebox?
On ratings alone, the two are close on ratings, so choose on price and on which features you need. If slowness, crashes and bugs is what worries you most, Slidebox has the better record on it.
Frequently asked questions
Is Files by Google better than Slidebox?
Slidebox has fewer unhappy reviews (19% 1–2★ against 24%). Neither figure measures cleaning quality directly; they show how reviewers felt.
Which has fewer subscription complaints?
Files by Google: billing is 3.5% of its 1–2★ reviews, against 16.7%.
Sources
- Files by Google, Google Play (checked 31 October 2026)
- Slidebox: Photo Cleaner App, US App Store (checked 31 October 2026)
- Slidebox - Photo Cleaner, Google Play (checked 31 October 2026)
Related
More in App comparisons
GalleryJury is coming soon to Android
It keeps the best shot from every burst and clears the clutter around it. 50 free photos to try, then $5 for 5,000 photos or $15 for 20,000. Pay once, nothing renews. No subscription.