Folder Size

Overview

Folder Size is a Windows utility for locating wasted disk space across folders, drives, and network storage. It is best suited to users who need charts, detailed reports, and the ability to act on files in the same interface. The free edition handles core analysis, while scripting and deeper reporting require a paid license.

Key features

Scans cover local and external hard drives, USB and flash media, SD cards, optical media, NAS, SAN, and network computers or shares. Bar and pie charts make the distribution of storage easier to interpret than a plain directory listing. A File Explorer context-menu command can send a folder and its subfolders directly to Folder Size, which is practical when investigating one project or user directory rather than an entire machine.

Results can be filtered into largest, oldest, newest, empty, and longest-path items. Exports to Excel, CSV, and XML make the findings useful for documentation or further processing. Saved scan data can be loaded later to compare usage and track change over time. File previews, automatic selection, folder exclusions, and Recycle Bin handling add control when deciding what to remove.

This is also an operational file manager: files and folders can be cut, copied, pasted, moved, or deleted without leaving the application. Matching options include binary content, similar content, file size, similar names, and identical name-plus-size combinations, helping users investigate duplicates as well as oversized directories. Symbolic links are not scannable, so environments that rely heavily on link-based folder structures will not receive a complete picture.

The maker states that scans run locally and that names, sizes, and related data are not transmitted. That is a meaningful advantage for confidential drives. Command-line scanning and export automation are restricted to Professional, limiting unattended or scheduled workflows on cheaper licenses.

Pricing

Free costs nothing and includes folder and file size analysis, disk-usage charts, and local and external-drive scanning. It is the sensible starting point for personal cleanup and occasional investigations, but it does not provide the Professional automation capability.

Personal costs $24.95 a month, billed as a one-time fee; the license never expires. This feature-limited lifetime license adds registered-user support and minor version updates. It fits an individual who wants an ongoing desktop license without command-line control.

Professional costs $39.95 a month, also billed as a one-time fee with a license that never expires. It adds a Professional lifetime license, command-line automation, and advanced reporting and export. Choose it when repeatable scripts or richer reporting justify the extra cost.

Corporate costs $499 a month, billed as a one-time fee, and permits unlimited computers within the company or organization. It is aimed at organization-wide deployment rather than a single technician. There is no free trial.

Platforms

Folder Size runs on Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, and Windows Server 2008 or newer. The stated minimum is 1 GB of RAM and 10 MB of disk space. It therefore suits Windows desktops and servers, but not macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS users.

Who it's for

Home users, gamers, photographers, video editors, developers, IT professionals, and businesses can use the broad scan coverage to identify space-heavy content. Personal users should start with Free; administrators managing repeat scans or exports have a stronger case for Professional, while Corporate is intended for unrestricted organizational installation.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Broad storage reach: local, removable, NAS, SAN, and network locations can be examined from one Windows tool.
• Actionable reporting: multiple report types, three export formats, and saved scan history support cleanup and ongoing capacity reviews.
• Privacy-conscious design: scans remain local according to the maker.
• In-app file operations: cleanup does not require switching to another file manager.

Cons

• Windows-only: there is no cross-platform edition.
• Symbolic-link blind spot: linked locations cannot be scanned.
• Automation paywall: command-line scanning and export are confined to Professional.
• Corporate pricing is substantial: the 499.00 USD tier makes sense only for broad company deployment.

Alternatives

For duplicate-focused tools, compare the Duplicate File Finders list. For visual storage investigation, see Disk Space Analyzers.

dupeGuru is a free duplicate finder for Windows, macOS, and Linux, so choose it when cross-platform duplicate detection matters more than Folder Size's storage charts and reporting.

Czkawka is free, ad-free software spanning Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows; it is preferable for broad platform coverage without a paid tier.

Anti-Twin is freeware for private use on Linux, macOS, and Windows, making it a straightforward no-cost duplicate-search option.

Duplicate Files Fixer offers a free scanner with unlimited-file scans but limits removal to 15 duplicates at once, while its paid plan is €35.95 a year; pick it when duplicate removal is the primary task.

fclones, jdupes, and rdfind are free command-line-oriented choices; they suit users who prefer lightweight duplicate matching over a graphical disk-usage workspace.

Space Wizard has a free home-drive plan capped at 100 GB per scan and a paid Pro tier, so it may fit smaller personal scans with a different licensing model.

Verdict

Choose Folder Size if you use Windows and want one application to map storage, produce exportable reports, retain scan history, and perform cleanup across local, removable, and network locations. Its strongest case is the combination of broad scanning and practical file management. Look elsewhere if you need macOS or Linux support, complete symbolic-link coverage, or free command-line automation; those requirements quickly expose the Windows-only scope and Professional-only scripting.