ExpanDrive alternative: Peekaboo vs ExpanDrive
By Vishva Variya · Updated
ExpanDrive turns cloud and server storage (S3, Backblaze B2, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, SharePoint, Box, SFTP and more) into drives in Finder that stream files on demand, built on Apple’s File Provider, with a command-line tool for scripts. It’s free for personal use. Peekaboo isn’t a connector: it takes the cloud drives your providers’ apps already sync and shows them in one sidebar and one search with everything else on the Mac.
Looking for ExpanDrive itself? It’s at www.expandrive.com.
- ExpanDrive price
- Free for personal use; Business $29 a month for up to 10 users
- ExpanDrive requires
- macOS 11 or later
- Peekaboo
- $24.99 one-time (launch price $9.99 until Nov 13), 14-day trial, macOS 14+
ExpanDrive figures from expandrive.com, expandrive.com/mac and docs.expandrive.com, verified 2026-11-07.
Why pick Peekaboo over ExpanDrive?
Different jobs
ExpanDrive gets storage onto your Mac, including buckets and servers. Peekaboo helps you find, sort and clean what’s already there, cloud drives included, so the two can run side by side.
One search, every drive
Plain-English search covers Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box and iCloud Drive with the rest of your files, and a drive Spotlight doesn’t index is walked directly, within limits.
Downloaded or cloud only, at a glance
Every file shows whether it’s on the Mac, only in the cloud, uploading or in conflict. Remove Download frees the copy and keeps the file.
Peekaboo vs ExpanDrive, job by job
| Job | ExpanDrive | Peekaboo |
|---|---|---|
| Connecting storage | ExpanDrive: S3, B2, Wasabi, SharePoint, Nextcloud, SFTP, FTP, WebDAV and the big clouds | Peekaboo: Uses the drives your providers’ apps already sync |
| Scripting | ExpanDrive: Command-line tool | Peekaboo: peekaboo command and Shortcuts actions for files on the Mac |
| Search | ExpanDrive: Spotlight on mounted files | Peekaboo: Plain-English search across drives and the Mac |
| Freeing local space | ExpanDrive: Pin or unpin the offline cache | Peekaboo: Remove Download, plus Clean Up for the rest of the Mac |
| Price and macOS | ExpanDrive: Free personal; Business $29 a month; macOS 11 or later | Peekaboo: One-time per Mac after a 14-day trial; macOS 14 or later |
The honest verdict
For S3 buckets, SFTP servers, SharePoint or a team with shared storage, ExpanDrive is the tool and Peekaboo isn’t one. For finding files across the Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive folders you already have, and keeping their downloads in check, Peekaboo is the simpler fit, and many people would use both.
ExpanDrive vs Peekaboo: questions
Is ExpanDrive free?
- Its site lists a free plan for personal use and a Business plan at $29 a month for up to 10 users, as of November 7, 2026. It needs macOS 11 or later.
Can Peekaboo connect to S3 or SFTP?
- No. Peekaboo shows cloud drives that macOS already manages through the providers’ apps. For S3, SFTP or WebDAV, a connector like ExpanDrive is what you need.
Does ExpanDrive download every file?
- No. Its Mac page says files are streamed on demand, with an offline cache where you can pin files to keep them local.