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4.7 star rating
0
Utilities
Compression
What are the best archivers?
17
Options
Considered
197
User
Recs.
Dec 28, 2023
Last
Updated
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17
Options
Considered
Best archivers
Price
Platforms
License
78
7-Zip
Free
Windows, Unix-like (only CLI)
LGPL-2.1-or-later
55
Peazip
Free
Windows, MacOS, Linux, BSD
LGPL-3.0-only
48
WinRAR
-
Windows, Linux, BSD, Android
Proprietary
--
Bandizip
-
WIndows, macOS
-
--
jZip
-
Windows, Linux, BSD, ReactOS
LGPL-2.1-or-later
See Full List
78
7-Zip
My Rec
ommendation
for
7-Zip
My Recommendation for
7-Zip
All
12
Experiences
2
Pros
6
Cons
3
Specs
Top
Pro
•••
Free and open source
7-Zip is licensed under GNU LGPL, and the *.7z format has support across all major operating systems. There should be no trouble opening the archives under any operating system, and no need to deal with messages bugging you to register or pay for the app. Source code can be found here.
See More
Top
Con
•••
GUI looks dated
Could use a new fresh user interface.
See More
Daniel Spencer's Experience
7-zip is a little clunky but the functionality is great for a free tool.
See More
Specs
Platforms:
Windows, Unix-like (only CLI)
License:
LGPL-2.1-or-later
Top
Pro
•••
High compression .7z format
Their own file format .7z that ships with 7-Zip is one of the best compression formats. 7z file format is usually more compact than Zip.
See More
Top
Con
•••
XZ/LZMA2 format inadequate for long-term archiving
LZMA2 is unsafe and less efficient than the original LZMA. Use: 7Z LZMA Non-Solid, RAR 5 LZSS/PPMd Non-Solid, or ZIP Deflate. See here.
See More
Yanis's Experience
Yep, the best !
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Lightweight
Starts quickly.
See More
Top
Con
•••
Does not support data recovery 
It's not possible with 7-zip to add data recovery records to the archive which could repair minor integrity errors.
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Explorer right-click menu integration
Makes it easy to open any archive file, or create new archives, without having to go open another program first.
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Very fast compression/decompression
7z is muli-threaded, allowing it to do very fast compression and decompression.
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Unobtrusive
No nag screen.
See More
Hide
See All
Free
Recommend
73
8
55
Peazip
My Rec
ommendation
for
Peazip
My Recommendation for
Peazip
All
6
Pros
4
Cons
1
Specs
Top
Pro
•••
Supports over 150 archive types
See More
Top
Con
•••
Very clumsy interface
Big buttons and no support for back/forward button on the mouse.
See More
Specs
Platforms:
Windows, MacOS, Linux, BSD
License:
LGPL-3.0-only
User Interface:
GUI
Top
Pro
•••
Supports PAQ8
PAQ8 is the algorithm that is reported as giving the smallest file size on average (but it's very slow to compress).
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Multi-platform
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Open Source (LGPLv3)
Since some time PeaZip is licensed under LGPLv3.
See More
Hide
See All
Free
Recommend
38
3
48
WinRAR
My Rec
ommendation
for
WinRAR
My Recommendation for
WinRAR
All
8
Experiences
1
Pros
3
Cons
3
Specs
Top
Pro
•••
Recovery record
Extra padding on RAR files for more resiliency when data is transmitted, or at rest.
See More
Top
Con
•••
Expensive
See More
IntuitiveGaleru's Experience
Winrar is simple
See More
Specs
Platforms:
Windows, Linux, BSD, Android
License:
Proprietary
Top
Pro
•••
Create and repair (proprietary) RAR format
See More
Top
Con
•••
Ugly, old icon
It still looks like you are using Windows 3.1.
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Can be used after trial period
See More
Top
Con
•••
Annoying reminder popup to buy license on each program launch
See More
Hide
See All
Get it
here
Recommend
21
13
--
Bandizip
My Rec
ommendation
for
Bandizip
My Recommendation for
Bandizip
All
6
Experiences
3
Cons
2
Specs
Top
Con
•••
Adware
See More
HonorableBragi's Experience
Latest version adds nagging / advertisements through update reminders, can't be turned off in Free version.
See More
Specs
Platforms:
WIndows, macOS
Top
Con
•••
Nagware
See More
ExcellentKratos's Experience
Free experience is ruined with the release of version 7
See More
SpiritedLanCaihe's Experience
This is the best and fastest zipping program I have found and its free.
See More
Hide
See All
Get it
here
Recommend
17
2
--
jZip
My Rec
ommendation
for
jZip
My Recommendation for
jZip
All
5
Pros
2
Cons
2
Specs
Top
Con
•••
Default installation options include adware
You can avoid this if you select your options carefully at installation time
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Totally free
See More
Specs
Platforms:
Windows, Linux, BSD, ReactOS
License:
LGPL-2.1-or-later
Top
Con
•••
Avast! Antivirus automatically deletes the installer because of the optional adware installer included in it
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Sleek interface
See More
Hide
See All
Get it
here
Recommend
--
BetterZip
My Rec
ommendation
for
BetterZip
My Recommendation for
BetterZip
All
7
Pros
4
Cons
3
Top
Pro
•••
Cleans up Archives for better cross OS interoperability
Remove Mac specific files from archives for archives that look and behave well on Windows.
See More
Top
Con
•••
Limited create / edit archive formats
BetterZip can create archives with these formats: ZIP, TAR, TGZ, TBZ, TXZ (new), 7-ZIP, and — using the external commandline utility — RAR.
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Direct Mode
Allows editing an archive without decompressing Direct Mode lets you add files to archives without additional steps like saving. This is especially useful for large archives. You can also directly delete files from archives, rename files inside an archive, and move them around – all without recompressing.
See More
Top
Con
•••
Not free
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Presets and automated workflows
Powerful features allow automation of common tasks. For example archives with applications in them can be extracted to the desired Application folder, then the archive itself will be placed in the trash, and BetterZip will exit all with the click of a button. Applescript can also be used to do more complicated tasks.
See More
Top
Con
•••
Only available for macOS
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Quick Look functionality
Quick Look is great, it lets you look inside the archive fast to see how it is organized or if there are any suspicious files you would rather not have extracted.
See More
Hide
See All
$19.95
Recommend
1
--
ArcThemALL!
My Rec
ommendation
for
ArcThemALL!
My Recommendation for
ArcThemALL!
All
1
Pros
1
Top
Pro
•••
Free and open source
See More
Hide
FREE
Recommend
2
--
ExtractNow
My Rec
ommendation
for
ExtractNow
My Recommendation for
ExtractNow
All
5
Pros
5
Top
Pro
•••
Lightweight
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Auto-delete old zip files after extraction options
See More
Top
Pro
•••
In-depth settings
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Batch processing from windows explorer's right-click menu
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Minimalist interface
See More
Hide
See All
0
Recommend
1
--
HaoZip
My Rec
ommendation
for
HaoZip
My Recommendation for
HaoZip
All
4
Pros
2
Cons
2
Top
Con
•••
Discontinued
Latest release was version 3.0 in July 2012.
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Has a built in image viewer
As in jpeg photos etc..
See More
Top
Con
•••
Potentially dangerous
alternativeto.com warns of possible virus in hao.zip, and that firefox & google chrome have reported the website serving haozip as dangerous.
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Advanced features
Hao Zip offers the largest feature set and capabilities for a free archiver/ unarchiver.
See More
Hide
See All
Get it
here
Recommend
2
2
--
TUGZip
My Rec
ommendation
for
TUGZip
My Recommendation for
TUGZip
Hide
Get it
here
Recommend
1
--
B1 Free Archiver
My Rec
ommendation
for
B1 Free Archiver
My Recommendation for
B1 Free Archiver
All
3
Pros
3
Top
Pro
•••
Webapp unarchiver available on their website
A great and unique utility for someone who is on a locked down public workstation, or on someone else's computer, one can unarchive using the B1 Online Archiver here.
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Multiplatform
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Free
See More
Hide
See All
Get it
here
Recommend
1
1
--
Winzip
My Rec
ommendation
for
Winzip
My Recommendation for
Winzip
All
2
Cons
1
Specs
Top
Con
•••
Not free
There is no free version of WinZip.
See More
Specs
Platforms:
Windows
Hide
Get it
here
Recommend
3
3
--
ZipItFree
My Rec
ommendation
for
ZipItFree
My Recommendation for
ZipItFree
Hide
Get it
here
Recommend
1
--
Rar Zip Extractor Pro
My Rec
ommendation
for
Rar Zip Extractor Pro
My Recommendation for
Rar Zip Extractor Pro
All
3
Pros
2
Cons
1
Top
Pro
•••
Formats for packing: "*.zip", "*.gz", "*.bz2", "*.7z", "*.xz", "*.iso", "*.lzma", "*.cpio", "*.ar", "*.lzip", "*.lzop", "*.lz4".
See More
Top
Con
•••
Not free
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Formats for unpacking: "*.zip", "*.7z", "*.bz2", "*.bzip2", "*.gz", "*.gzip", "*.tgz", "*.tar", "*.rar", "*.xz", "*.cab", "*.iso", "*.lzma", "*.cpio", "*.ar", "*.lzip", "*.lzop", "*.lz4".
See More
Hide
See All
$2.99
Recommend
1
--
Zipware
My Rec
ommendation
for
Zipware
My Recommendation for
Zipware
Hide
Get it
here
Recommend
--
Ashampoo Zip Free
My Rec
ommendation
for
Ashampoo Zip Free
My Recommendation for
Ashampoo Zip Free
Hide
Get it
here
Recommend
--
Hamster free zip archiver
My Rec
ommendation
for
Hamster free zip archiver
My Recommendation for
Hamster free zip archiver
All
3
Pros
1
Cons
2
Top
Con
•••
Installs adware
Yandex Search, plugin and toolbar installed once you uninstall it.
See More
Top
Pro
•••
Modern design
See More
Top
Con
•••
Closed source
See More
Hide
See All
Get it
here
Recommend
1
2
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