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Ranking

Best File Archivers in 2026

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.

7 products ranked Updated October 2026 How we rank

The ranking

  1. 7-Zip93.5
  2. PeaZip89.0
  3. Keka86.5
  1. 1

    7-Zip

    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

    WindowsFree and open sourceOpen source

    93.5of 100
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  2. 2

    PeaZip

    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

    WindowsLinuxmacOSFree and open sourceOpen source

    89.0of 100
    Visit Alternatives
  3. 3

    Keka

    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

    macOSFree

    86.5of 100
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  4. 4

    WinRAR

    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

    WindowsPaid

    84.5of 100
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  5. 5

    The Unarchiver

    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

    macOSFree

    83.0of 100
    Visit Alternatives
  6. 6

    Ark

    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

    LinuxFree and open sourceOpen source

    80.5of 100
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  7. 7

    Bandizip

    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

    WindowsFree plan, paid upgrades

    78.0of 100
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At a glance

ProductScorePricePlatformsFormats
7-Zip93.5Free and open sourceWindows7z, ZIP, GZIP, TAR; unpacks RAR and ISO
PeaZip89.0Free and open sourceWindowsLinuxmacOS200+ formats; RAR creation needs WinRAR
Keka86.5FreemacOS7z and ZIP with AES-256
WinRAR84.5PaidWindowsRAR, ZIP and many others
The Unarchiver83.0FreemacOSRAR, ZIP, 7z, TAR, RPM, DEB
Ark80.5Free and open sourceLinuxgzip, bzip2, zip, rar, 7z
Bandizip78.0Free plan, paid upgradesWindowsZIP, RAR, 7Z, ALZ, EGG

How to choose file archivers

Creating archives
The Unarchiver only extracts, and 7-Zip cannot create RAR files, so check the formats you need to make.
Operating system
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.
Price
7-Zip, PeaZip and Ark are free and open source; WinRAR is a paid license, and Bandizip charges for advanced editions.
Sharing files
ZIP and 7z open on almost any system, so they suit files sent to people who use other tools.

What the scores weigh

  • Format support for creating and extracting
  • Everyday reliability
  • Platform coverage
  • Price and license
  • Encryption options

Scores are editorial, from 0 to 100, and use these criteria. Full method · Disclosure

About file archivers

Archivers fall into two groups. Full tools such as 7-Zip, PeaZip, WinRAR and Keka both create and extract archives. Extract-only tools such as The Unarchiver read many formats but do not write them, which suits people who receive archives and rarely make them.

RAR is the format that causes the most friction. WinRAR is the tool in this list that creates RAR archives on its own. PeaZip needs WinRAR installed for RAR creation, and 7-Zip only unpacks RAR. For files you send to other people, ZIP and 7z are the safer choices, because most tools open them.

Licensing splits the list. 7-Zip, PeaZip and Ark are free and open source. Keka and Bandizip are free to download, and Bandizip sells paid editions with advanced features. WinRAR is a paid commercial product. The scores are editorial judgments against the criteria, not measurements.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free archiver?
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.
Which archiver can create RAR files?
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.
Does 7-Zip support strong encryption?
Yes. 7-Zip uses AES-256 encryption for 7z and ZIP archives, according to its website.
Which archiver should I use on Linux?
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.