Filelight

Filelight is a free disk-space analyzer for Linux and Windows that maps storage as concentric rings. It suits people who want to find large files and folders visually and deal with them in one place. Choose another tool if application-size reporting is central to your cleanup.

Overview

Filelight scans a selected folder or disk and shows how its contents occupy space in a ring-shaped treemap. This makes it useful for tracing a crowded drive into the folders contributing to it, while file and folder details help identify individual targets. Since the app can also delete files and folders, it connects inspection to cleanup without requiring a separate file manager.

That focused workflow has a clear boundary: Filelight does not show application sizes. It is therefore a good fit for locating space consumed by files and folders, not for comparing installed applications by footprint. The visual map is its defining way to understand storage; readers who want application-level sizing should look elsewhere.

Key features

Concentric-ring treemap: The ring view makes the relationship between folders and their contents visible, helping users navigate from an overfull area to its contributors. It is less appropriate for someone who prefers a conventional size-sorted report.

File details and deletion: Filelight displays information about files and folders and can remove selected items. That keeps the cleanup path short, though users should identify a target carefully before deleting it.

Local, removable, and remote scans: Scanning removable media extends the tool beyond the internal drive. Remote scans can be useful for network storage, but the handbook warns that NFS or Samba scans may generate high network traffic; avoid them where that impact is unacceptable.

Exclusions and settings: Users can exclude selected folders, remote filesystems, or removable media, and adjust scan and appearance settings. These controls help keep scans focused and the display configured to preference.

File-manager integration and command line: Filelight integrates with Dolphin, Konqueror, and Krusader. It can also be started from a command line with a folder name, which is useful for opening a scan directly at a chosen location.

Pricing

Filelight costs free. The free plan is the application itself, described as free and open-source under GPL-2.0+. There is no paid tier, trial period, seat charge, or usage quota in the plan. That makes it a straightforward choice for individual users and organizations that need its file-and-folder scanning scope, rather than application-size reporting.

Platforms

Filelight runs on Linux and Windows. Linux users can install it through Discover or another AppStream application store, a distribution package manager, or Flathub. Its file-manager integrations are with Dolphin, Konqueror, and Krusader. KDE's general privacy position is that its software does not transfer information from users' devices except after an explicit user action; third-party distributors may modify software in ways that affect that policy.

Who it's for

Filelight is best for Linux or Windows users who want a visual way to investigate disk usage, inspect file and folder details, and remove unwanted items. Linux users working with the named KDE file managers have an additional integration fit, and command-line users can launch a scan for a particular folder. It is a weaker choice for anyone whose main question is which applications consume the most space, or who needs remote scanning without potentially high network traffic.

Pros and cons

Pro — A direct route from discovery to cleanup: The ring map, file and folder details, and deletion capability put identification and removal in the same application.

Pro — Broad scan targets with useful exclusions: Local, removable, and remote disks are supported, and exclusions let users omit folders or media they do not want scanned.

Pro — No-cost, open-source plan: The free plan has no paid-plan trade-off or trial deadline to weigh.

Con — No application-size view: Users comparing installed apps by storage footprint will need a different tool.

Con — Remote scanning may burden the network: NFS and Samba scans can generate high traffic, limiting their suitability on constrained or sensitive networks.

Alternatives

TreeSize is a Windows alternative with a free plan and free trial; its free plan is for private, non-commercial use. Consider it if that Windows-focused option better matches your needs.

WizTree offers a free plan and supports macOS and Windows. Its listed Individual Supporter Code is $25 a month, with codes that do not expire and a perpetual personal-use license; choose it if those platforms and terms suit you better.

FolderSizes has a free plan and a Windows Personal Edition license for $30 as a one-time purchase. That license is perpetual for personal and home-network use, excludes organizations, and includes lower-priority support; it may fit a home user seeking those terms.

Disk Analyzer Pro supports macOS and Windows and has a free personal edition with local-drive usage reports, deletion of unwanted files and folders, and duplicate-file reports. Pick it if those reports or platforms are a better match.

SizeTrend has a Windows free plan that keeps core local-analysis features free, including local drive and folder scans and an overview with cleanup and storage recommendations. Consider it if that recommendation-oriented local workflow is more useful than Filelight's ring map.

LumaDisk is another freemium alternative with a free plan and free trial for macOS and Windows.

WinDirStat is free for personal or commercial use on Windows; choose it if you want a free Windows alternative.

SpaceMonger is a paid Windows alternative with a free trial.

See more options in Disk Space Analyzers.

Verdict

Choose Filelight if you use Linux or Windows and want a free visual tool that can scan disks, explain file and folder usage, and let you delete cleanup targets. Its focused scope is compelling for file-level storage work, but the lack of application sizes and the network cost possible with remote scans are strong reasons to choose another analyzer when those needs matter.