Working Copy alternative for Mac, iPad & iPhone
EmpiricCommander vs Working Copy
Working Copy is the deepest Git client on iOS, full stop - if your iPad time is mostly branching, merging, and resolving conflicts, it is superb and hard to beat. EmpiricCommander comes at it from the other side: it is a full dual-pane file manager with SFTP, S3, and cloud connections that now also does a clone-edit-commit-push Git workflow, on Mac, iPad, and iPhone under one license. If Git is one part of a day that also involves servers and files, this is the honest split.
$29.99 one-time · no subscription · macOS, iPad & iPhone
Working Copy is iPad & iPhone only
Working Copy is Git-repo focused
Covers Mac + iPad + iPhone
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
An honest side-by-side - including where Working Copy comes out ahead.
Depth of Git vs. breadth of workflow
Working Copy is a Git client that happens to browse files. It is deep: SSH remotes, full branch and merge, stash, a commit history graph, submodules, conflict resolution, and a polished diff viewer. For pure iOS Git, it is the reference.
EmpiricCommander is a file manager that happens to do Git. Its iPad Git workflow is focused - clone an HTTPS repo, edit in the built-in editor, stage, commit, and push - but it sits inside dual-pane file management with SFTP, S3, WebDAV, Google Drive, and SMB. If your work is Git and only Git, Working Copy goes deeper; if Git is one lane of a wider file workflow, EmpiricCommander keeps it in one app.
- Working Copy: SSH, merge, stash, history graph, submodules
- EmpiricCommander: clone / edit / commit / push over HTTPS
- EmpiricCommander adds SFTP, S3, WebDAV, Drive, SMB in the other pane
- Repo on one side, a server or bucket on the other, drag between them
Honest note: for pure Git depth on iPad - SSH keys, merge tooling, stash, and a history graph - Working Copy is ahead of EmpiricCommander's iPad Git today. EmpiricCommander's Git graph and stash are on the macOS app.
One app across Mac, iPad, and iPhone
Working Copy is iOS and iPadOS only. EmpiricCommander is native on macOS, iPadOS, and iOS, and a single $29.99 purchase covers 1 Mac, 1 iPad, and 1 iPhone. The macOS app is where the fuller Git surface lives - a branch/merge topology Log graph, stash, branch switching, SSH remotes, and a terminal - so a repo you clone on the iPad is one that the Mac opens with the deeper toolset.
It also means your SFTP servers, S3 buckets, and cloud connections are the same saved profiles on every device, not a separate setup per app.
- Native Mac, iPad, and iPhone apps, one license
- Fuller Git surface (graph, stash, SSH, terminal) on macOS
- Shared connection profiles across devices
- 7-day free trial, no credit card
Pricing and platforms
EmpiricCommander is $29.99 one-time per major version with a 7-day no-card trial, covering Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Working Copy is free to install with a one-time Pro unlock to enable pushing and other pro features, on iOS and iPadOS only.
Working Copy's feature set and pricing reflect early 2026 and its iOS-only availability - check the App Store for the current release. EmpiricCommander's iPad Git is HTTPS + token today; SSH, Log graph, and stash are macOS-only.
Which One Is Right for You?
No tool wins on every axis. Here is where each genuinely fits.
Choose EmpiricCommander if
- You want Git plus SFTP, S3, and cloud file management in one app
- You want the same workflow (and license) on Mac, iPad, and iPhone
- Your iPad Git is mostly clone, edit, commit, and push over HTTPS
- You want a dual-pane file manager, not a Git-first client
- You value one $29.99 price across three devices
Choose Working Copy if
- Your iPad work is deep Git: branching, merging, stashing, submodules
- You need SSH remotes or a commit history graph on the tablet itself
- You want the most mature, git-native iOS client and nothing more
- You don't need SFTP, S3, or general file management alongside Git
Frequently Asked Questions
Is EmpiricCommander a Working Copy alternative?
Yes, if you want Git alongside real file management. EmpiricCommander does a clone-edit-commit-push Git workflow on iPad inside a dual-pane file manager with SFTP, S3, WebDAV, and cloud connections, and runs on Mac too. Working Copy remains the deeper choice for pure iOS Git - SSH, merge, stash, and a history graph.
Does EmpiricCommander do everything Working Copy does?
No, and we won't claim it. Working Copy is deeper on pure Git - SSH remotes, merge tooling, stash, a commit history graph, and submodules. EmpiricCommander's iPad Git is focused on clone, edit, commit, and push over HTTPS, but it adds a full file manager and remote connections Working Copy doesn't have, plus a Mac app with the fuller Git surface.
Can I use SSH keys like in Working Copy?
On iPad, EmpiricCommander authenticates over HTTPS with a personal access token, not SSH; SSH remotes are supported in the macOS app. Working Copy supports SSH on iOS. If your host offers HTTPS-with-token (GitHub, GitLab, and most do), the iPad workflow works.
Does EmpiricCommander run on the Mac? Working Copy doesn't.
Yes. EmpiricCommander is native on macOS, iPadOS, and iOS, and one $29.99 license covers all three. The macOS app has the fuller Git surface - branch/merge Log graph, stash, branch switching, SSH remotes, and a terminal. Working Copy is iOS and iPadOS only.
Is EmpiricCommander a subscription?
No. It is a one-time $29.99 purchase per major version with a 7-day free trial that needs no credit card, covering 1 Mac, 1 iPad, and 1 iPhone.