6 Best Free and Open-source Alternatives to WinZip & WinRAR

Are you looking for the best open-source and free WinZip and WinRAR alternatives or the best free compression software? Then you’ve stumbled upon the right place. Here, you’ll find the best WinZip and WinRAR free alternatives, their pros and cons, and why you should install them on your Windows 11/10 or Linux PC.

There are hardly any computer users who haven’t heard the name WinZip. Yes, it is an archive suite, which used to be very popular at the time when having a hard drive of 40 GB was considered to be a luxury. Such archive suits were trendy then to reduce the size of big files and store maximum files within a limited capacity hard drive. I am talking about when cloud computing was a term not even available in the dictionary.  Compact Disks with just 700 MB were used, but burning files to disks wasn’t popular due to the less user-friendly interface and the problems associated with the complete CD-burning process.

Nostalgias apart, WinZip is still popular nowadays, but for a different purpose. Its initial purpose still serves some handful of users, but today, archive suites like WinZip are used to archive files to share them over the internet and save them on the cloud, but hardly for lack of storage on the hard drive. Another great advantage of WinZip-type archive suits is that it can pack multiple files into one file, saving a lot of space and making it easier to share files through any media. The downloader or the one with access to the zip file can unpack them to view them.

Archives bring more security, as the complete package can be encrypted with a password, preventing the hassle of securing or encrypting each file with a password. Archives containing programs and executable files are also safe from virus attacks to a considerable extent but not wholly. But the irony is that few people use WinZip nowadays, as several great open-source and free archive suites are available. WinZip is a free trial and paid software, so people are switching to other open-source and free Zip software. Moreover, WinZip’s alternatives offer excellent archiving performance and are very lightweight.

You might be dilemma about which archive suite to choose when many are available. Though most open-source and free ones are not feature-packed, they will serve your purposes. Let’s find the best open-source, free WinZip alternative for file compression.

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7–Zip

7 zip is free to download software. I have been using 7-Zip for a long time, and I am delighted with its services. It is one of the best free compression software. Don’t get confused with the term 7 in the name, as you can use 7-Zip, not only on Windows 7 but also on other editions of Windows. 7-Zip is completely free to use, and it comes with a minimal user interface, though it offers a robust set of features within the app. On opening the program, you will get a Windows Explorer-like interface, where you can navigate to any folder on your Hard Drive or your network drive to make an archive file.

Just right-click on the file or folder and choose the type of archive you want. It supports archiving files to various formats, which include .zip, .tar, .wim, and .7z. 7z is a unique format supported by 7-Zip, and you can get high-level compression with the .7z format. It is one of the biggest reasons why I love using 7-Zip. Within the program, you can easily navigate to the various folders and open archives like .zip, .7z, .tar, and .rar files internally, which can help you view and unarchive them very quickly.

Pros:

• Very easy-to-use user interface.
• It is very lightweight and fast.
• Multiple compression levels are available.
• Many practical features are available, which can be handy for pro users.
• Support several well-known formats.
• .7z, a vast number of archive programs support files.
• Batch archiving is supported, but you must use a separate package. Get it here.

Cons:

• There is no support for archiving files to .rar, a widely compatible format.
• The support for testing the archives is missing.

Download: https://www.7-zip.org

Availability: Windows

 

PeaZip

PeaZip is another excellent and free alternative to WinZip, or you can even call it another archiving tool to fulfill all your archiving requirements. PeaZip offers a straightforward and easy-to-use interface, similar to 7-Zip’s interface. On the toolbar at the top of the program, you can find some beneficial options, including adding files to the archive, converting archive files, and extracting archives, which are pretty handy for all types of users.

The program offers several great features, and it supports .7z files, which is excellent. Unlike 7-Zip, PeaZip supports several great formats, apart from the normal .zip, .tar, and .wim, which include UPX, ARC, and many others. One great feature of PeaZip is that you can even create self-extracting archive packs. This means archive files will be unarchived when opened, even if no archiving programs are installed within your system. Though not all the programs are impeccable, let’s look at PeaZip’s pros and cons.

Pros:

• Has support for a wide variety of formats.
• It is a very easy-to-use interface, which can even be accessible for novice users.
• It can create self-extracting archives, which can be helpful for users who do not have an archive tool.
• Even after offering several features, the program is very lightweight and fast.

Cons:

• The option for batch processing is not present.
• A self-extracting package is available only for .7z and.ARC archives. It could have supported self-extracting zip files.

Download: http://www.peazip.org/index.html

Availability: Windows, Linux

B1 Free Archiver

B1 Free Archiver is a free and cross-platform file archiver and compression utility. This free archiving software supports numerous formats, including its own B1 format and standard formats like ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, and GZ. The application features a simple and intuitive user interface, making it easy for users to compress and extract files. To secure files, encryption and password protection for compressed files. With Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android support, users can create multi-volume archives split into several parts for easier distribution and storage.

Pros:

• It is entirely free, with no hidden costs or trial periods.
• Wide Format Support
• Multiple operating systems support, ensuring compatibility and convenience.

Cons:

• It lacks some more advanced features than other advanced archivers like 7-Zip.
• B1 archives don’t retain timestamps.

Download: B1 Archive

Bandizip free file archive

Bandizip is a free file archiver and compression utility for compressing and decompressing files. It supports various archive formats, including ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, and ISO. It uses multi-core processing to speed up compression and extraction. The application features a clean and intuitive interface, and it can create multi-volume archives, set password protection, and use AES-256 encryption for enhanced security.

A portable version of Bandizip is available. This allows users to run the program from a USB drive or other portable media without needing installation.

Pros:

Bandizip is available for free
Utilizes multi-core processing for high-speed compression and extraction.
Can handle a large variety of archive formats.
Simple and intuitive interface
Offers strong encryption options

Cons:

• Advanced Features in Paid Version:
• It is primarily designed for Windows, although versions for macOS are also available.

Download: Bandizip (Bandisoft.com)

Zipware: Free zip file opener

Zipware is another great archiving tool with a different user interface, yet it is easy to use. It has ditched the user interface of most other programs of its class, and thus, it is different. It offers a premium look, though you can get all the explorer-like functionalities in the Zipware program. Making an archive file is very easy. You must choose the compression format, change some necessary settings, and get started.

Zipware supports several popular archive formats for unarchiving, and the user using Zipware can archive files in several great formats, including .rar, .zip, .7z, .iso, and many others, to fulfill the requirements of various users. Just like other archiving tools, you can get the option to archive and unarchive files directly from the context menu, which is also a handy feature. Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of the tool and whether it is suitable for you or not.

Pros:

• Supports several practical archiving file formats.
• It supports archiving files to .iso, which can be used to mount them directly as disk images.
• Easy to use and a premium-looking interface.
• Also, support for self-extraction.
• It has support for scanning viruses in archives, but only for files below 32 GB

Cons:

• There is no option to test archive files.
• The interface is different but sometimes gets cluttered and does not support cascading, which can irritate.

Download: https://www.zipware.org/

Availability: Windows

 

Ashampoo Zip Free

If you are looking for a great set of features to archive or unarchive your files without much tech knowledge, Ashampoo Zip Free is the best tool you can choose. It has a very user-friendly interface, and the complex features are explained in simple terms for novice users. The app also comes with a Pro version for power users, but that is not recommended if you are looking for essential archiving tools.

Ashampoo Zip Free has several great features that are handy for both professional and novice users. It can preview zip files or see their contents, saving you time before you start unarchiving multiple ones or finding what you need. This is my favorite feature of Ashampoo Zip Free. However, as an advanced user, I will not recommend using this file for archiving, as it does not come with a massive set of features for them.

Pros:

• Easy and user-friendly interface, quite excellent for beginners and novice users.
• Great for touch-screen devices.
• Allow previewing of files, which is very helpful.
• The tool to repair archives is present.

Cons:

• The options are limited in the free version if compared to other free and open-source archiving tools.
• Being a little different, the user interface can irritate power users.

Download: https://ashampoo-zip-free

Availability: Windows

 Universal Extractor

You might need to unarchive files and folders from an archive; the Universal Extractor can be handy in such cases. As the name suggests, the following software can only help you extract archive files. If you’re looking for ways to keep files in an archive, this software will not help you. You might be thinking, why go for the software when several great open-source and free archiving tools exist?

Not all the archive tools and software support all the archive formats which are available at present. However, the following Universal Extractor supports almost all kinds of archives. It can be helpful for you if you have newly installed your operating system and are looking for a quick solution to unarchive your archived files, which might contain your most important files, software, and drivers necessary for the proper functioning of your new operating system. The application is convenient, easy to use, and lightweight, which can serve its purpose quite well.

Pros:

• A convenient tool that can unarchive archives.
• Lightweight software, which can be helpful for emergencies.
• It supports almost all the archive formats that are available today.
• Nobody should face issues with the simple user interface while working with it.

Cons:

• Though it cannot compress files, it could have come with the option to pack multiple files without any compression.
• The program was last updated in 2010, so its functioning on new operating systems can be questioned. Security issues can also exist, as no patches against the latest attacks exist.
• It could have come with a portable version.

Download: https://filehippo.com/download_universal_extractor/

Other tools

Other great but free zip file openers or archiving and unarchiving tools include jZip and B1 Free Archiver. Both have a very easy-to-use user interface. They are great for both power and normal novice users, and they will not be disappointed.

Another great tool is the Zipware tool, similar to the Universal Extractor, as mentioned earlier in this article. It is a tool for unarchiving files, which can be helpful for many users. However, unlike BandiZip, the application is still getting updates, and the latest version was released in April 2017, which is still close to one year ago.

Among the many archiving and unarchiving tools, you might find several great features that are not even available in the popular WinZip. However, the applications mentioned here are all free and open-source, which makes them the best, considering that they are offered for free. WinZip offers command-line archiving and unarchiving, which can be helpful for users who want to do batch processing or use the command line smartly.

If you need batch archiving and unarchiving, I recommend 7-Zip. The compression levels are also pretty satisfactory.

For self-extracting archives and a ton of extra features, I recommend PeaZip, which is also very easy to use.

Which one should you go for?

For the best compression levels, better than WinRar or .rar compression, I recommend PeaZip and 7-Zip. They offer pretty good compression levels, fulfilling the user’s requirements.

If you do not archive files often but get some archives with essential files from your pals, you don’t need to keep any archiving tools other than B1 Free or Zipware, which is suitable for you.

If you work with CD and DVD images or need to share them with your friends, Zipware is the tool you should choose. This single piece of software will fulfill all your archiving needs without paying for a second software to make .iso files or disk images.

I hope this information helped you a lot, and now you can easily choose the best archiving tools. If you know of any great archive tools, please let me know in the comment section below.

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