macOS Finder has served Mac users faithfully since 1984 — but its age is showing. For anyone who regularly moves files between folders, manages projects with complex directory structures, or simply wants a more keyboard-friendly workflow, Finder’s single-pane design quickly becomes a bottleneck. Marta is a modern, native macOS file manager that addresses every one of these frustrations head-on.

Best of all? It’s free.

🗂 What is Marta?

Marta is a dual-pane, keyboard-driven file manager built exclusively for macOS. Developed by Yan Zhulanow, it borrows the powerful two-panel paradigm from classic file managers like Total Commander and Midnight Commander — but wraps it in a clean, native macOS interface. It feels right at home on your Mac while giving you superpowers that Finder simply cannot match.

It is highly customisable, supports themes, and even has its own plugin and scripting ecosystem. But even out of the box, the difference is immediately noticeable.

⚙️ How to Install Marta

Getting Marta up and running takes under two minutes. You have two options:

✨ Why Marta Beats Finder

Here are the features that make Marta a genuine step-change in your file management experience:

Pro tip: You don’t have to remove Finder — it remains the system default for things like the Desktop and disk operations. Simply use Marta as your primary navigation tool for day-to-day file work, and enjoy the best of both worlds.

🏁 The Verdict

Marta won’t replace Finder for every macOS task — but as a daily driver for navigating, organising, and moving files, it is simply in a different league. The dual-pane view alone transforms how you work with files, and features like instant folder creation and keyboard navigation make it feel like a tool built for people who actually use their computer seriously.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated waiting on Finder’s slow animations, losing track of copy destinations, or clicking through five menus just to create a folder — give Marta five minutes. You won’t go back.

What is Marta?

Marta is a free, dual-pane, keyboard-driven file manager for macOS. It replaces Finder’s single-pane window with two side-by-side panels, letting you see a source and destination folder at once and move files between them without juggling windows.

Is Marta free?

Yes. Marta is free and open-source. You can download it directly from marta.sh or install it via Homebrew with brew install --cask marta.

How do I install Marta on macOS?

Download the latest release from marta.sh, or run brew install --cask marta in Terminal if you use Homebrew. If you used the .dmg, drag Marta into your Applications folder, open it, and click Open when macOS asks you to confirm.

Does Marta replace Finder?

Not entirely — Finder stays the macOS default for things like the Desktop and disk operations. Most people run Marta alongside Finder as their primary tool for day-to-day file navigation and organisation, switching to Finder only when needed.