When you want to send large files by email, you'll have to compress them first. Therefore, you'll need a compression tool. Compression programs help you to pack your files into an archive and reduce them to the lowest volume.
There are numerous zip compression tools you can choose from. WinZip is one of the popular zip programs. However, there are alternatives you can use instead of WinZip. 7Zip and WinRAR are two WinZip alternatives you can choose from. So, which one is better between 7Zip and WinRAR? A comparison of the two will help you decide. Read to find out the best program.
What is 7Zip?
7Zip is an open-source file compression tool. The software has AES-256 encryption technology to keep your files secure. Even though the 7z archive is the default format, you can still compress your files into other formats. The free unzip program supports over 30 file formats such as EXT, ISO, 7Z, TAR, ZIP, and much more. Its compression format is in 7Z, which is very fast.
The program is available in more than 60 different languages. The compression tool can integrate with the Windows Explorer menu. Therefore, you can compress your file archives with just a single click. Its drag and drop function makes it easy to drag the files you have chosen. The 7Zip theme manager also allows you to customize the program to your taste.
Features
- It integrates with the Windows shell
- It supports 256-bit AES, which allows you to encrypt files with passwords
- It allows users to create a backup for DVDs and writable CDs
- It supports multiple-core CPU threading
- The file manager effectively manages all your files using options like testing archives, creating archives, and extracting archives
Pros
- It has AES file encryption
- It has a simple user interface
- It supports over 38 formats
- It has a high compression rate
- Great functionality
- It requires less system resources
- It's free to use and download
Cons
- There is no support for archiving files to .rar
- Archives cannot be repaired or scanned
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Table of Contents
- What is 7Zip?
- What is WinRAR?
- Why WinZip is a better option
What is WinRAR?
WinRAR is one of the most popular WinZip alternatives. It supports a wide variety of file formats, such as ARJ, ISO, GZIP, ACE, TAR, and LZH. WinRAR is available on a wide variety of platforms, including macOS, Linux, and Windows. Users prefer it as an alternative because of its reliability, ease of use, and its features.
WinRAR allows you to create RAR and ZIP files. The software also makes it easy to add comments to your archives. It's available in over 50 languages and can automatically select the ideal compression method. It's appropriate for both beginners and tech-savvy users. The waiting time is short because it uses multiple CPU cores to compress and decompress files. With WinRAR, you can estimate the file size you want to have in your zipped archive. You'll also choose an encryption method to protect your archives.
Features
- You can compress files easily and quickly
- You can split your archive files into another volume
- WinRAR has a 256-bit password encryption
- Its compression algorithm helps you to compress executable and multimedia files
- It allows you to save disk space
- It supports multithread CPU decompression and compression
Pros
- It uses less system space
- It supports multiple file formats
- It provides the size estimations for packed files
- It has a shorter compression time
Cons
- It's not available for all operating systems
- It is not free
