File compression tools have become a must-have nowadays with an increasing number of users learning and using archives. Archives are convenient files that can compress multiple, variety of files under one file with noticeably reduced size on disk. This can help users to save space and organize their data on their PCs or Macs.
While the Windows Explorer can already handle .ZIP archives or create .ZIP folders, it lacks many functionalities in other areas such as:
- Providing easy methods to securely encrypt archives
- Doesn’t support other popular extensions like RAR, 7Z, ISO, etc
- Well designed interface for easier understanding
- Repairing corrupted archives
So if you are a power user and utilize archives a lot, you should check out this list of file compression software programs that provide a lot more features and functionality than Windows Explorer.
Quick Overivew
12 Best file compression software
1. 7-Zip
7-Zip is a free, open-source file compression software. 7-Zip is written in C++ and developed by Igor Pavlov in 1999. This immensely popular tool is regularly updated and has an extremely huge user community which makes 7-Zip the first software to recommend on our list.
Some features-
- Very small file size with no compromise in features
- Strong encryption (AES-256) for ZIP and 7z format
- In-built file manager
- 7z compression format has a high compression ratio with LZMA and LZMA2 compression
- Can compress in 7z, ZIP, TAR, BZIP2, GZIP, and WIM formats
- Support for 87 languages
Supported Systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, ReactOS
File size: 1.2 MB (32-bit), 1.4 MB (64-bit)
2. WinRAR
It is hardly possible that you haven’t heard the name of WinRAR. WinRAR is the world’s most popular compression tool with over 500 million downloads worldwide! You can use this trialware for free for 40 days with a full set of features. Initially released in 1995, WinRAR has been the preference of many when it comes to feature-rich file compression software.
Some features-
- Faster extraction/compression than most of the competition
- Supports the popular formats like RAR, ZIP, CAB, ARJ, LZH, TAR, GZip, UUE, ISO, BZIP2, Z and 7-Zip
- Automatic recognition of best compression method for certain files
- You can split archives into separate volumes using WinRAR
- Its 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard and authenticated signature technology ensures that your data is safe
Supported Systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, FreeBSD
File size: 3.1 MB
3. WinZip 24
WinZip is another very famous trialware file compression tool. If you are looking for a reliable paid file compression software, WinZip is the easiest to recommend because of its extensive list of features.
Some features-
- Quickly search files stored locally, on your network, or in your cloud storage using the in-built search feature
- Effortlessly combine multiple PDFs into a single one
- Well optimized for your system for better performance
- Along with all the conventional formats, you can also open and unzip POSIX TAR files
- Well designed user interface with support for touch-enabled devices.
Supported Systems: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
File size: 1 MB
https://www.winzip.com/win/en/
4. IZArc
IZArc is one of the software in this list that supports around 50 extensions of archived files, so if you come across a lot of archived files with different extensions, this program might come handy. IZArc is a completely free and trustworthy tool you can conveniently use.
Some Features-
- IZArc is very easy to use with context-sensitive help and a configurable toolbar
- Drag and drop interface is present for convenience
- You can repair broken archives and scan for viruses
- Encryption using AES-256-bits
Supported Systems: iOS, Windows
File size: 5.2 MB (Windows)
https://www.izarc.org/downloads
5. PeaZip
PeaZip is a free to use, cross-platform alternative to the tools in this list. With PeaZip, you can read 200+ archive file types and you can also use add-ons with this software to enhance the features and options.
Some Features-
- PeaZip can also be used as a file manager which is very similar to Microsoft Windows explorer
- You can use the optional UNACE and UNRAR plugins with the add-on feature of PeaZip
- Strong data security with AES, Twofish, and Serpent
- You can also customize PeaZip with themes as add-ons
Supported Systems: Windows, Linux, BSD
File size: Variable
https://giorgiotani.github.io/PeaZip/
6. PowerArchiver
ConeXware’s PowerArchiver is a paid file compression utility that is offered in 30 languages. Mainly built for business, PowerArchiver can still be used as personal file management and compression solution.
Some Features-
- 60+ compression format with the fastest ZIP/ZIPX engine
- Built-in FIPS 140-2 validated encryption
- Support for .PA format which has best-in-class compression, data deduplication, and very secure encryption
- Other features like FTP client, office plug-in, data/audio burner, cloud services, backup suite, and virtual ISO.
Supported Systems: Windows
File size: 38 MB
https://www.powerarchiver.com/
7. jZip
jZip file compression utility is a completely free software based on Igor Pavlov’s 7-Zip source code. jZip offers a clean and simple user interface that can be used even by a beginner or casual PC user. Moreover, downloading and installing jZip is also very easy.
Some Features-
- Very fast compression engine allows you to reduce the time taken in compressing/extracting an archive
- It is based on the very powerful 7-Zip compression software and hence you can expect the same level of speed and optimization
- Small file size and low memory usage so that you can multitask while extracting/compressing huge files
Supported Systems: Windows
File size: 1 MB
8. Bandisoft’s Bandizip
Bandizip is a clean and simple but robust file compression software. You can either get a free version with lifetime support or the paid version which has additional features.
Some Features-
- You can easily recover uncorrupted data from a corrupted archive
- Manage frequently used passwords
- Preview images in the archive manager itself without the need of extracting
- You can use Bandizip’s advanced brute force algorithm to recover the password of encrypted archives
- Scan for malware in the archive itself before extracting
- Uses multiple cores on your PC to provide unmatched speed (up to 6 times faster than the competition).
Supported Systems: Windows, macOS X
File size: 256 KB (Online Installer)
https://www.bandisoft.com/bandizip/
9. The Unarchiver
The Unarchiver is the WinRAR for Mac OS. It is the most popular archive manager/compression utility for mac systems. It is available for free and you can get it on the official website or the apple store.
Some Features-
- Support for over 50 file types
- The unarchiver has a clean and simple user interface which is very easy to get comfortable with
- You can use The Unarchiver’s code on other OSes using the command line
- It is fast and optimized for Mac devices
Supported Systems: macOS X
File size: 22 MB
10. MacItBetter BetterZip 5
BetterZip 5 is one of the more advanced archive software for Macs, unlike the simple and clean Unarchiver. BetterZip provides a plethora of features for power users.
Some Features-
- You can take a quick look at the contents without extracting first
- Extract sounds and images from PDFs or Flash files
- Security features like strong AES-256 bit encryption and password manager
- BetterZip can generate passwords similar to Mac’s Safari browser
- Finding and sharing features come handy
- BetterZip can intelligently filter unwanted files during extraction from an archive
- You can use AppleScript to automate BetterZip and make your work a lot easier.
Supported Systems: macOS X
File size: 15.9 MB
11. KGB Archiver
KGB archiver is an old software that is discontinued now and doesn’t get any updates. But the reason it is worth mentioning in this list is that it is the most unique and powerful compression tool in the world and we are not exaggerating.
Developed by Tomasz Pawlak in Visual C++ language, KGB utilizes the PAQ6 algorithm for lossless compression and extremely high compression ratios.
Some Features-
- Ten levels of compression, from very weak to maximum
- Easy to use, explorer-like user interface
- Can compress large files to extremely small files without losing data
- It has the widely used and extremely secure 256-bit encryption
Supported Systems: Windows, UNIX
File size: 3.7 MB
https://sourceforge.net/projects/kgbarchiver/
12. Zipware
Zipware is a simple, fast, and free to use file compression software for Windows. It has been downloaded by half-a-million users and it is a trusted software. You can even use Zipware for free to commercial use.
Some Features-
- Easily update existing archives
- You can scan archives for virus or malware in Zipware
- Built-in file manager with drag-and-drop support
- Supports a wide range of Windows operating systems like 10, 8, 7, Vista, 2003, XP for both 32 and 64 bit OS
- Password manager to store multiple passwords in one Advanced Encryption Standard file
- Supported Checksum calculators: MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256
Supported Systems: Windows
File size: 3.3 MB
Conclusion
I hope you liked the software we picked for you on this list. Comment below which one are you going for and in case you have suggestions, please let us know in the same or contact us.
