{ "slug": "file-archivers", "name": "File archivers", "title": "Best File Archivers in 2026", "category": "system-utilities", "filter": null, "available_filters": [ "free", "open-source", "windows", "macos", "linux" ], "page": "https://listme.name/best/file-archivers", "json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/lists/file-archivers.json", "updated": "2026-10-10", "intro": "Archive tools differ in which formats they create, which they only open, and whether they cost money. This ranking weighs format support and everyday use first, then platform reach, license and encryption.", "criteria": [ "Format support for creating and extracting", "Everyday reliability", "Platform coverage", "Price and license", "Encryption options" ], "specs": [ { "key": "formats", "label": "Formats", "type": "text" }, { "key": "platforms", "label": "Platforms", "type": "text" }, { "key": "open_source", "label": "Open source", "type": "bool" }, { "key": "cost", "label": "Cost", "type": "text" } ], "how_to_choose": [ { "point": "Creating archives", "detail": "The Unarchiver only extracts, and 7-Zip cannot create RAR files, so check the formats you need to make." }, { "point": "Operating system", "detail": "7-Zip, WinRAR and Bandizip are Windows tools, Keka and The Unarchiver are for macOS, and Ark is for Linux. PeaZip runs on all three." }, { "point": "Price", "detail": "7-Zip, PeaZip and Ark are free and open source; WinRAR is a paid license, and Bandizip charges for advanced editions." }, { "point": "Sharing files", "detail": "ZIP and 7z open on almost any system, so they suit files sent to people who use other tools." } ], "faq": [ { "q": "What is the best free archiver?", "a": "7-Zip is the default free choice on Windows. PeaZip is the free option that also runs on Linux and macOS, and Keka is the free pick for Mac users who create archives." }, { "q": "Which archiver can create RAR files?", "a": "WinRAR creates RAR archives on its own. PeaZip creates them only when WinRAR is installed, while 7-Zip and The Unarchiver cannot create RAR files." }, { "q": "Does 7-Zip support strong encryption?", "a": "Yes. 7-Zip uses AES-256 encryption for 7z and ZIP archives, according to its website." }, { "q": "Which archiver should I use on Linux?", "a": "Ark is KDE's archiver, and PeaZip runs on Linux as well. Both are free and open source, and PeaZip also covers Windows and macOS." } ], "entries": [ { "rank": 1, "score": 93.5, "verdict": "The default free archiver on Windows, with a high compression ratio in the 7z format and AES-256 encryption. It creates 7z, ZIP and GZIP but not RAR, so RAR files need WinRAR or PeaZip.", "best_for": "Free, open-source archiving on Windows", "spec": { "formats": "7z, ZIP, GZIP, TAR; unpacks RAR and ISO", "platforms": "Windows", "open_source": true, "cost": "Free" }, "product": { "slug": "7-zip", "name": "7-Zip", "kind": "app", "website": "https://www.7-zip.org/", "page": "https://listme.name/software/7-zip", "tagline": "Free open-source archiver with a high compression ratio for Windows", "summary": "7-Zip is a free, open-source file archiver for Windows with a high compression ratio. It packs 7z, ZIP, GZIP, TAR and WIM archives and unpacks many more formats, including RAR and ISO.", "developer": "Igor Pavlov", "platforms": [ "windows" ], "pricing": "open-source", "price_note": "Free to use, including in commercial organizations", "free_to_use": true, "open_source": true, "license": "LGPL", "strengths": [ "Free and open source under the LGPL", "High compression ratio in the 7z format" ], "limits": [ "Official builds are for Windows only", "Creates 7z, ZIP, GZIP, TAR, XZ and WIM but not RAR" ], "checked": "2026-10-10", "connected_to_publisher": false } }, { "rank": 2, "score": 89, "verdict": "The strongest free cross-platform option, with portable builds for Windows, Linux and macOS and support for more than 200 formats. RAR creation needs WinRAR, and fake packages circulate, so download from the official site.", "best_for": "Free archiving across Windows, Linux and macOS", "spec": { "formats": "200+ formats; RAR creation needs WinRAR", "platforms": "Windows, Linux, macOS", "open_source": true, "cost": "Free, LGPL-3.0" }, "product": { "slug": "peazip", "name": "PeaZip", "kind": "app", "website": "https://peazip.github.io/", "page": "https://listme.name/software/peazip", "tagline": "Free open-source archiver with portable builds for Windows, Linux and macOS", "summary": "PeaZip is a free, open-source file archiver for Windows, Linux and macOS. It opens and extracts more than 200 formats and offers file compression and encryption, under the LGPL-3.0 license.", "platforms": [ "windows", "linux", "macos" ], "pricing": "open-source", "price_note": "Free and open source for private and professional use", "free_to_use": true, "open_source": true, "license": "LGPL-3.0", "source": "https://github.com/peazip/PeaZip", "strengths": [ "Free and open source under LGPL-3.0", "Runs on Windows, Linux and macOS" ], "limits": [ "Creating RAR archives needs WinRAR installed", "Fake packages circulate, so download from the official site" ], "checked": "2026-10-10", "connected_to_publisher": false } }, { "rank": 3, "score": 86.5, "verdict": "The best free choice for Mac users who create and extract archives, with AES-256 encryption for 7z files. It is Mac only, and a Mac App Store version sits alongside the free website download.", "best_for": "Mac users who create and extract archives", "spec": { "formats": "7z and ZIP with AES-256", "platforms": "macOS", "open_source": false, "cost": "Free download" }, "product": { "slug": "keka", "name": "Keka", "kind": "app", "website": "https://www.keka.io/en/", "page": "https://listme.name/software/keka", "tagline": "Free macOS file archiver with AES-256 encryption for 7z files", "summary": "Keka is a file archiver for macOS made by aONe. It creates and extracts archives, including 7z files with AES-256 encryption, and is free to download from the developer's website.", "developer": "aONe", "platforms": [ "macos" ], "pricing": "free", "price_note": "Free to download; App Store version or a tip supports development", "free_to_use": true, "open_source": false, "strengths": [ "Free to download from the developer's website", "AES-256 encryption for 7z files" ], "limits": [ "Runs on macOS only", "Older Macs need a legacy build from the website" ], "checked": "2026-10-10", "connected_to_publisher": false } }, { "rank": 4, "score": 85.5, "verdict": "Free, MIT-licensed 7-Zip derivative for Windows 10 and 11 that puts the 7-Zip formats into a modern Windows interface. It is Windows only, and Windows 10 on ARM needs the x64 emulation option.", "best_for": "Windows users who want 7-Zip in a modern interface", "spec": { "formats": "Same family as 7-Zip", "platforms": "Windows 10 and 11", "open_source": true, "cost": "Free" }, "product": { "slug": "nanazip", "name": "NanaZip", "kind": "app", "website": "https://github.com/M2Team/NanaZip", "page": "https://listme.name/software/nanazip", "tagline": "Modern Windows archiver derived from 7-Zip under MIT", "summary": "NanaZip is a free, MIT-licensed file archiver for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Its GitHub page describes it as a 7-Zip derivative for the modern Windows experience.", "platforms": [ "windows" ], "pricing": "open-source", "price_note": "Free MIT-licensed archiver for Windows 10 and 11", "free_to_use": true, "open_source": true, "license": "MIT", "source": "https://github.com/M2Team/NanaZip", "strengths": [ "MIT licensed, with source on GitHub", "Derived from 7-Zip for Windows 10 and 11" ], "limits": [ "Windows only", "Windows 10 on ARM needs the emulation option, per its README" ], "checked": "2026-10-10", "connected_to_publisher": false } }, { "rank": 5, "score": 84.5, "verdict": "The established commercial choice for creating RAR archives on Windows, with Unicode file name support and interfaces in more than 40 languages. It is a paid license, so people who only extract files can use 7-Zip for free.", "best_for": "Windows users who create RAR archives and pay", "spec": { "formats": "RAR, ZIP and many others", "platforms": "Windows", "open_source": false, "cost": "Paid license" }, "product": { "slug": "winrar", "name": "WinRAR", "kind": "app", "website": "https://www.win-rar.com/", "page": "https://listme.name/software/winrar", "tagline": "Commercial archiver for RAR and ZIP files on Windows", "summary": "WinRAR is a commercial archiver from win.rar GmbH that creates and opens RAR and ZIP archives. It works with many other archive formats and is available in more than 40 languages.", "developer": "win.rar GmbH", "platforms": [ "windows" ], "pricing": "paid", "price_note": "Paid commercial license sold by the vendor", "free_to_use": false, "open_source": false, "strengths": [ "Creates and opens RAR and ZIP archives", "Available in more than 40 languages" ], "limits": [ "Paid commercial license, not open source", "Positioned for Windows on its own site" ], "checked": "2026-10-10", "connected_to_publisher": false } }, { "rank": 6, "score": 83, "verdict": "A free extractor for Mac that opens RAR and dozens of other formats, including RPM and DEB packages. It only extracts archives, so use Keka when you need to create them.", "best_for": "Mac users who mainly open archives sent to them", "spec": { "formats": "RAR, ZIP, 7z, TAR, RPM, DEB", "platforms": "macOS", "open_source": false, "cost": "Free" }, "product": { "slug": "the-unarchiver", "name": "The Unarchiver", "kind": "app", "website": "https://theunarchiver.com/", "page": "https://listme.name/software/the-unarchiver", "tagline": "Free macOS app that extracts RAR, ZIP, 7z and dozens of other formats", "summary": "The Unarchiver is a free app for macOS that extracts RAR, ZIP, 7z, TAR and many other archive formats. It also opens package formats such as RPM and DEB that macOS does not open natively.", "platforms": [ "macos" ], "pricing": "free", "price_note": "Free for Mac; the vendor says it will stay free", "free_to_use": true, "open_source": false, "strengths": [ "Free for Mac, and the vendor says it will stay free", "Opens RAR and dozens of other formats" ], "limits": [ "Extracts archives but does not create them", "Runs on macOS only" ], "checked": "2026-10-10", "connected_to_publisher": false } }, { "rank": 7, "score": 80.5, "verdict": "KDE's archive manager for Linux, which previews archive contents without extracting them. It supports gzip, bzip2, zip, rar and 7z, and it suits KDE Plasma users best.", "best_for": "Linux users on the KDE Plasma desktop", "spec": { "formats": "gzip, bzip2, zip, rar, 7z", "platforms": "Linux", "open_source": true, "cost": "Free" }, "product": { "slug": "ark", "name": "Ark", "kind": "app", "website": "https://apps.kde.org/ark/", "page": "https://listme.name/software/ark", "tagline": "KDE's archive manager for gzip, bzip2, zip, rar and 7z", "summary": "Ark is KDE's free archiving tool for Linux. It opens gzip, bzip2, zip, rar, 7z and other archives, and it can preview file contents without extracting them.", "developer": "KDE", "platforms": [ "linux" ], "pricing": "open-source", "price_note": "Free and open source; installed from Linux software stores", "free_to_use": true, "open_source": true, "license": "GPL-2.0-or-later", "source": "https://github.com/KDE/ark", "strengths": [ "Previews archive contents without extracting", "Free and open source under GPL-2.0-or-later" ], "limits": [ "Runs on Linux only", "Best fit for the KDE Plasma desktop" ], "checked": "2026-10-10", "connected_to_publisher": false } }, { "rank": 8, "score": 80, "verdict": "A GPL-2.0 archiver front end for Linux and FreeBSD that works outside KDE and GNOME. Its repository says it supports all common archive formats, and it covers Linux and FreeBSD only.", "best_for": "Linux users outside KDE and GNOME", "spec": { "formats": "All common archive formats", "platforms": "Linux, FreeBSD", "open_source": true, "cost": "Free" }, "product": { "slug": "xarchiver", "name": "Xarchiver", "kind": "app", "website": "https://github.com/ib/xarchiver", "page": "https://listme.name/software/xarchiver", "tagline": "Desktop-independent archiver front end for Linux", "summary": "Xarchiver is a desktop-environment-independent archiver front end for Linux and FreeBSD. Its repository says it supports all common archive formats, and it is licensed under GPL-2.0.", "platforms": [ "linux" ], "pricing": "open-source", "price_note": "Free GPL-2.0 archiver for Linux and FreeBSD", "free_to_use": true, "open_source": true, "license": "GPL-2.0", "source": "https://github.com/ib/xarchiver", "strengths": [ "GPL-2.0 licensed, with source on GitHub", "Works outside the KDE and GNOME desktops" ], "limits": [ "Linux and FreeBSD only", "Format support is described in general terms" ], "checked": "2026-10-10", "connected_to_publisher": false } }, { "rank": 9, "score": 79, "verdict": "The archive manager for the MATE desktop under GPL-2.0. It covers Linux with the MATE desktop only, and its repository page does not list the archive formats it handles.", "best_for": "MATE desktop users who need an archive manager", "spec": { "formats": "Not stated on its repository page", "platforms": "Linux (MATE)", "open_source": true, "cost": "Free" }, "product": { "slug": "engrampa", "name": "Engrampa", "kind": "app", "website": "https://github.com/mate-desktop/engrampa", "page": "https://listme.name/software/engrampa", "tagline": "File archiver for the MATE desktop under GPL-2.0", "summary": "Engrampa is a file archiver for the MATE desktop on Linux, published by the MATE project under GPL-2.0. Its GitHub page describes it as a file archiver for MATE.", "platforms": [ "linux" ], "pricing": "open-source", "price_note": "Free GPL-2.0 archive manager for the MATE desktop", "free_to_use": true, "open_source": true, "license": "GPL-2.0", "source": "https://github.com/mate-desktop/engrampa", "strengths": [ "GPL-2.0 licensed, with source on GitHub", "Matches the MATE desktop" ], "limits": [ "Built for MATE rather than as a general archiver", "Format list is not stated on its repository page" ], "checked": "2026-10-10", "connected_to_publisher": false } }, { "rank": 10, "score": 78, "verdict": "A free Windows archiver for ZIP, RAR, 7Z, ALZ and EGG files. Advanced features need a paid edition, and the site does not describe it as open source.", "best_for": "Windows users who need ALZ or EGG support for free", "spec": { "formats": "ZIP, RAR, 7Z, ALZ, EGG", "platforms": "Windows", "open_source": false, "cost": "Free, paid editions" }, "product": { "slug": "bandizip", "name": "Bandizip", "kind": "app", "website": "https://www.bandisoft.com/bandizip/", "page": "https://listme.name/software/bandizip", "tagline": "Free Windows archiver for ZIP, RAR, 7Z and other formats", "summary": "Bandizip is a Windows archiver from Bandisoft that handles ZIP, RAR, 7Z, ALZ and EGG files. It is available for free, and paid editions add advanced features.", "developer": "Bandisoft International Inc.", "platforms": [ "windows" ], "pricing": "freemium", "price_note": "Free to download; paid editions add advanced features", "free_to_use": true, "open_source": false, "strengths": [ "Free to download for Windows", "Handles ZIP, RAR, 7Z, ALZ and EGG" ], "limits": [ "Windows only", "Advanced features need a paid edition" ], "checked": "2026-10-10", "connected_to_publisher": false } } ], "notes": [ "Scores are editorial, 0 to 100. Entries with product.connected_to_publisher true are made by or connected to the publisher and receive a disclosed ranking lift: https://listme.name/methodology" ], "source": "https://listme.name", "license": "Free to read and cite with attribution to listme.name.", "docs": "https://listme.name/developers" }