Top pick: 7-Zip. Switching saves about $35 USD a year.
$34.95 USDa year
$39.95 CAD
Every pick below has a free version.
4 alternatives
The editor’s first choice for most people switching.
Best for a free, no-frills archiver on Windows
Free with no ads or account. The main program is a Windows app; Linux and macOS builds are command-line only. It has no Mac app.
Covers most of the same work, with trade-offs noted on each card.
Best for 7-Zip with a Windows 11 context menu
A 7-Zip fork for Windows 10 (2004) and later, installed from the Microsoft Store or as an MSIX package. Windows only.
Best for one archiver on Windows, Linux and macOS
Free and open source. It runs on Windows, Linux and macOS, which makes it the closest cross-platform match for the WinZip Windows and Mac pair.
Best for archiving on a Mac
macOS only. Free from keka.io; the Mac App Store build is an optional paid copy that supports development.
Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.
How each alternative covers what people use WinZip for. Numbers link to editor notes.
| Feature | 7-Zip | NanaZip | PeaZip | Keka |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compression | ||||
| Create ZIP and ZIPX archives | PartialNote 1Creates ZIP and 7z files; it cannot create ZIPX | PartialNote 2Creates ZIP and 7z files; it cannot create ZIPX | PartialNote 3Creates ZIP; ZIPX is listed as supported but was not tested | PartialNote 4Creates ZIP and 7z files; it cannot create ZIPX |
| Open RAR, 7z, TAR and ISO files | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Security | ||||
| AES-256 encryption | YesNote 5AES-256 for 7z and ZIP archives | YesNote 6AES-256 for 7z and ZIP archives | YesNote 7AES-256, Twofish and Serpent with optional two-factor encryption | PartialNote 8AES-256 for 7z files; ZIP files use legacy Zip 2.0 encryption |
| Sharing | ||||
| Save to and share from cloud storage | NoNote 9No cloud or email sharing built in | NoNote 10No cloud or email sharing built in | NoNote 11No built-in cloud connectors | NoNote 12No cloud connectors; share files from Finder |
| Integration | ||||
| Right-click menu integration | Yes | YesNote 13Adds entries to the Windows 10 and 11 Explorer menu | YesNote 14Adds entries to the system context menu during setup | PartialNote 15Works through Finder services and as the default extraction app |
| Parity score | 70% | 70% | 70% | 50% |
Not covered by any free alternative yet: Create ZIP and ZIPX archives, Save to and share from cloud storage. See all feature gaps
Can each alternative open and save WinZip files?
| Format | 7-Zip | NanaZip | PeaZip | Keka |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .zip | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity |
| .rar | Opens onlyNote 1Extracts RAR and RAR5 but cannot create themPartial fidelity | Opens onlyNote 2Extracts RAR and RAR5 but cannot create themPartial fidelity | Opens onlyNote 3Extracts RAR and RAR5; creating RAR needs WinRAR installedPartial fidelity | Opens onlyNote 4Extracts RAR but cannot create itPartial fidelity |
| .7z | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity |
Switching saves about $35 USD / $40 CAD a year. Prices checked .
Based on WinZip Standard, annual subscription. Price source.
Last verified . Ranking: tier first, then the published score.
Something wrong or out of date? Report outdated info.
WinZip is a product of Corel, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for WinZip: Windows, macOS.