I used multiple apps to check my storage and here are the results:
Samsung My Files app - Says 187 GB used:
Google Files app - Says 167 GB used:
File Manager Plus app: Says 164 GB used:
SD Maid - Says 147 GB used and also shows total space incorrectly at 496 GB:
While I can understand minor differences between individual library sizes, this kind of difference makes it impossible to rely on. Each app is not only reporting wide differences between individual categories, but also in total storage used and free space available.
If I have to pick one, I'll go with the stock app by virtue of the fact that it is a system app and has access to areas that 3rd party apps don't.
On top of all these, the Media Storage app is showing 88 GB used:
This is, however, an Android system bug that is incorrectly reporting the space occupied by Media Storage app. What I know is there is no duplication of files and the bug does NOT affect the free space reported, atleast in my case. This is purely a reporting error.
Even iOS has a similar bug, where the system often reports numbers incorrectly. But there, there are no 3rd party apps available for comparison.
Despite all the technological advancements, there are still plenty of bugs and room for improvement.
