Best 12 WinRAR Alternatives In 2022
One of the most used PC features, both for personal and business use, is compression. We need to compress or uncompress files to make them smaller or send them by email. WinRAR is the most popular tool for this job, and millions of people use them. Unfortunately, these tools cost money, and most people would rather use tools that are free. But, like almost everything else, compression tools can be found for free on the internet. There are a lot of free third-party tools on the internet that you can use to compress or uncompress files in different formats. Most of these tools have the same or similar features as WinRAR, but some might have even better features. There are tools for both Windows PC/Mac computers and smartphones. You just have to choose the one that works best for you. Today, we’ll give you a list of the best alternatives to WinRAR. You can choose which one you want to use.
Best WinRAR Alternatives In 2022
We have compiled a list of the Best WinRAR Alternatives. Let’s have a look at the list given below.
1. 7-Zip
7-Zip should be the first one mentioned. It’s a free, open-source tool that anyone can use. High ratio compression is the main reason why so many people like it. It can compress files up to 10% better than other tools, like WinRAR.
Also, if you compress to its native format, 7z, you can get up to 30–70% compression. But these numbers depend only on the kind of file you’re compressing. Formats like 7z, ZIP, GZIP, RAR, TAR, and WIM are easy to zip and unzip.
2. B1 Free Archiver
Another great tool with a very professional look is B1 Free Archiver. It works with a huge number of formats, such as 7z, b1, zip, rar, arj, xpi, jar, txz, and many more. The best part is that it has tools for both desktop and online use. You can either download the desktop tool to compress and uncompress files offline or use the online archiver to compress and uncompress files online without downloading any software.
Online archiver is especially useful when you can’t download software on a PC because of rules (like work PC). Even though it’s free, it comes with some ads when you install it. So be careful and make sure you turn down all the offers if you don’t need them.
3. ExtractNowExtractNow
This tool is free and has a very easy-to-use interface. It can only open files, though. This is a good choice because it is easy to extract multiple files. Drag and drop compressed files onto the tool’s interface, then click “Extract” to unpack them all at once.
There are other tools that can also extract multiple files at once, but this one makes it very easy and makes sure you have to click as little as possible. Like other tools, it can also extract from all popular file types
4. jZip
Similar to 7-Zip, jZip is a free tool with great compression ratios. It works with all of the most common formats, such as rar, zip, 7-zip, TAR, and GZip. Unlike 7-Zip, it has a simpler interface with fewer options. This makes it great for people who are just starting out.
You won’t have a lot of ways to change things. All you can do is easily pack or unpack files. It’s free, but installing it adds the Ask Toolbar as adware. So make sure you don’t install these options if you don’t need them.
5. PeaZip
PeaZip is a powerful tool that is free to use and comes from an open-source project. It can protect files from prying eyes by encrypting them in a strong way. You can easily work on several files at once, and you can choose which files to extract from each file.
You can also add powerful filters to only archive certain types of files. It works with all of the most common formats, like 7z, XZ, BZ2, ZIP, RAR, TAR, and GZ. If you want to replace 7-Zip, this tool is a great choice because it has many of the same features.
6. Hamster Zip Archiver 4
The free Hamster Zip Archiver 4 is a simple but powerful tool. It uses a unique method of compression that gives it a great compression ratio and makes compression two times faster. You can choose the level of compression and protect the files you pack with a password if you want to.
It works with all of the most common compression formats, such as 7z, RAR, ZIP, TAR, XZ, etc. It can also connect to cloud services so that files can be saved and shared over the internet. But it will offer adware while it’s being installed, so keep that in mind.
7. Bandizip
Bandizip is a free tool that doesn’t come with any adware or malware. Before opening a file, it can be checked for viruses, and it can compress files using more than one core. This means that if you have a powerful PC, the tool will be able to use all the cores to compress files faster and better. For the best protection, you can also add strong encryptions like AES 256 and ZipCrypto.
8. Zip Extractor (Chrome Extension)
Zip Extractor is a free Google Chrome extension that lets you unzip files from your computer or Google Drive and put them on Google Drive. It’s a good solution if you don’t want to download apps to your PC and would rather do everything in your browser.
It is easy to use and works with a number of compression formats. But it won’t extract files to your PC, only to your Google Drive. It makes it easy to share the extracted files with other users, and it lets you extract more than one file at once.
9. Ashampoo ZIP Free
Ashampoo ZIP Free is another great piece of compression software that you should check out. It has almost all of the basic features and can unpack over 30 different file types, such as ZIPX, RAR, ARC, NSIS, WIM, and ISO. It also does a great job of packing files into formats like ZIP, 7-ZIP, CAB, and TAR.
Ashampoo ZIP Free can also encrypt all archives (256-bit AES), so I feel confident recommending it as a fast and reliable alternative to WinZip or WinRAR. Ashampoo ZIP Free is a free tool, and before you install it, the activation code for the full version will be sent to the email address you used to sign up for it. It’s one of my favorite things, so you should definitely check it out.
10. Zipware
Zipware is the way to go if you want a tool that is easy to use and works well. It has almost all of the features you could ever want and is very easy to use. The top of the tool has nice, big, colorful buttons that make it easy to find all the options. I know that a lot of people might not like how flashy the interface looks, but trust me, it makes this tool very easy to use. So, if you’re tired of apps like WinZip and WinRAR’s old-fashioned interfaces, Zipware is worth a look.
The best thing about Zipware, though, is that it can scan files for viruses. Yes, Zipware is the only tool on the list that can do that, so remember that. You don’t have to pay anything to use Zipware, but if you want to help it grow, you can make a donation.
If you want to use tools to compress and uncompress files while you’re on the go, you can also get alternatives to WinZip and WinRAR on your Android phone or iPhone.
11. Zip & RAR File Extractor (iOS App)
If you want to open.zip and.rar files on your iOS device, “Zip & RAR file extractor” is a good choice. It’s a simple app for iOS that lets you open.zip and.rar files. It’s also one of the easiest apps to figure out how to use. During my tests, it took me only a few minutes to extract an a.zip file and made an archive. In fact, you can also make zip files that are encrypted, which is really cool.
12. Solid Explorer
Solid Explorer is not necessarily an alternative to compression apps, but it is a feature-rich file explorer that lets you compress and uncompress files on the go. It works with many different formats, such as Zip, RAR, TAR, BZ2, GZ, and ARJ. Also, since it is a file explorer, I think you already know how to use it.
Solid Explorer is mostly a file explorer, so it doesn’t have some important features, like the ability to change compression speed, levels, etc. But it’s still great, and since it can also be used as a great file explorer, I’d highly recommend it.
