The Best File Folders

Pendaflex Classic File Folders – 100 Pack

Simple, Affordable, and Effective

These file folders may look average at first, but their functionality is sure to impress you.

Best Classic Folders

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If you want something simple, these Pendaflex file folders are for you. They’re the typical manilla folders you’ve seen in offices throughout your life, but they’re designed to perform better than the rest.

These file folders have tabs in three different positions (left, center, and right), so you can easily view your labels whenever you need to. They’re the perfect letter size for documents, bills, and more (8-1/2″ x 11″), and they’re available at an extremely affordable price. What could be better than all of that?

Pros:

• These are made of durable, 11-point paper
• Made in the USA
• The paper material is easy to write on with any type of utensil (no special labeling supplies needed)

Cons:

• These don’t have hanging features, but they do fit inside of most hanging file folders for even deeper organizational capabilities

AmazonBasics Hanging File Folders – 25 Pack

The Ones That'll Fit Perfectly in Your Filing Cabinet

These high-quality file folders are easy to use and easy to hang.

Best Hanging Folders

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If you’re specifically in the market for hanging file folders, you won’t want to miss this set of 25 from AmazonBasics. These are typical paper file folders with durable metal tips for hanging. They’ve even got plastic-coated tabs for interchangeable labels, in case you’ll be switching up the purposes of these folders time after time.

These file folders are a nice and neutral olive green color. They are legal size, ensuring they’ll be the perfect fit for even your most important paperwork. They’re also available at an extremely affordable price when you consider their functional features and impressive durability.

Pros:

• These file folders are made with partially recycled materials, making them a more eco-friendly purchase than other brands available today
• The legal-size option is slightly larger than letter-size one, giving you a bit more space for paper storage
• The bottoms of the file folders are designed to extend, allowing them to hold large stacks of paper at a time

Cons:

• These only come in olive green, though the color does fit in most spaces well

Pendaflex Two-Tone Color File Folders – 36 Pack

Bring On the Organization

What better way is there to organize than by color?

Best for Color Organization

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Another option from Pendaflex, these file folders come in four different colors, so you can live out your organizational dreams in your home or office.

These file folders come in blue, red, green, and yellow. They each have two separate tones (on the front and the back) so you can easily tell where one file stops and the next begins. The easy-to-label tabs just add to these folders’ organizational capabilities.

Pros:

• These file folders have 1/3 tabs on the left, center, and right sides, so you can easily find the one you need at any point in time
• The bright colors make the chore of filing more enjoyable for many people
• The folders are made in the United States

Cons:

• These don’t have many unique features besides the different colors they’re made in

Dunwell Colored Plastic File Folders – 24 Pack

Plastic File Folders That Won't Break Apart

These file folders will last for ages, as they're too durable to rip or tear.

Most Durable

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Paper file folders perform well in many circumstances, but they also tend to break as time goes on. If this happens to you often (or if you’ve got a habit of stuffing way too many papers into one single file), you’ll definitely want to check out these ultra-durable alternatives.

These file folders are made completely of plastic, ensuring they won’t rip or tear when you use them. They are letter size with 1/3 cut tabs on the left, center, and right side, and they come in six bright, organizable colors. These file folders even have erasable tabs, so you can re-label them over and over again if you’ve got a dry erase marker on hand.

Pros:

• You can choose between a multi-color pack or sets of a single color when you place your order
• You’ll get 24 file folders with your purchase, giving you plenty of filing opportunities to start

Cons:

• These file folders do not hang, but they will fit inside of other hanging file folders if you need that feature for your current filing setup
• These have a higher price point due to the more durable material that they’re made of

AmazonBasics Expanding File Folders – 25 Pack

We'll Hold All the Things

These file folders expand, allowing you to store as much as you need in each one.

Best Expanding

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If you’ve got tons and tons of papers that need to be stored together, you may want something larger than the products reviewed above. If this sounds like you, you’re sure to love this set of expanding file folders from AmazonBasics.

These folders look like typical file folders from the front and back, but they’ve got accordion-style sides to grow with the number of papers you place inside. Each folder holds up to 400 sheets and you get 25 folders with your purchase. Talk about organizational space, right?

Pros:

• These file folders also work well for holding a small number of papers, since their sides are able to stay either stretched out or scrunched together
• The price point is affordable when you consider the amount of storage you get

Cons:

• These file folders only come in brown

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of file folders work best in a filing cabinet?

If you’ve got a filing cabinet to fill up, you will want to start with hanging file folders. You can then fill those with typical file folders, as these tend to fit inside of the hanging version and provide additional organizational capabilities.

Do I need letter-size or legal-size file folders?

The answer to this question relies mainly on what you are storing. Letter-size file folders will hold papers that measure 8 1/2″ x 11″ or smaller, while legal file folders will hold documents that are a bit larger. If you’re just storing regular mail, bills, and paperwork, letter-size will likely work just fine.