Comprising of 7 free WinZip alternatives, this list provides you with viable solutions for almost every possible hurdle we can think of. Originally developed back in 1989, the Zip extension is one of the most widely adopted compression formats. And over the years, platforms like Windows and Mac OS X have been providing built-in programs that are associated with extracting and adding files into such archives. However, these tools do have their limitations and that’s mainly why the WinZip application is somewhat in high demand. So if you’re looking for a way to extract contents of this format or even create new archives in various other ones, we’ve got a few freeware tools hidden up our sleeves that are likely to give the aforesaid application a run for its money.
1. jZip –
First up on our list of WinZip alternatives is the jZip application. Based on the same technology utilized by 7-Zip, this tool holds capabilities of creating, accessing and extracting contents from compressed archives. Besides the Zip extension, you can even acquire files from various other formats including TAR, GZip, 7-Zip, RAR and ISO. What makes this tool efficient is its capability of creating archives with a high compression ratio. That means you can have all your data in one safe place and even save up on some storage space. jZip is available for various platforms and also comes in a corporate edition.
2. PeaZip –
Besides the Zip extension, there are various other compression platforms available too. Well, the PeaZip application seems to be prepared to tackle most of those options. From creating archives in 7z, Arc, Bz2, Gz, Paq, Pea, Quad/Balz, Tar and Upx formats, you can even access data that’s present in files based on Ace, Arj, Cab, Dmg, Iso, Lha, Rar and Udf extensions along with many others. Furthermore, this tool allows you to convert archives into different formats and even create self-extracting files. The PeaZip, an archiver, is available as a portable download and can be installed on Windows and Linux systems.
3. Quick Zip –
Hosting files in compressed archives is a rather convenient way to share content with others. Well, the main advantage here is that these extensions are capable of hoarding a number of contents. So to access this data, applications like Quick Zip make things somewhat simpler. Through its intuitive and explorer lookalike interface, you can forget about switching between windows to access archives and local system folders. Supporting a wide range of compression extensions including Zip and 7z, this tool allows you to add content to a file via the drag and drop feature or through the toolbar commands.
4. ZipGenius –
What puts the ZipGenius software amongst our WinZip alternatives roster is its compatibility with a wide number of formats as well as the various other features it has to offer. Built for work and daily activities, this application holds an intuitive UI and is capable of integrating itself within the explorer shell. That means you can access a few functions from almost any window. Supporting more than 20 popular compression formats, the application also sports 4 cryptographic algorhythms such as Blowfish, Twofish, AES-256 and CZIP 2 to deliver better protection for sharing files between friends and colleagues without worrying about others tampering with its contents.
5. 7-Zip –
Developed as an open source project, 7-Zip is a freeware tool that holds high compression capabilities in its own 7z format through the LZMA and LZMA2 compressions. To prevent unauthorized access to your archives and provide you with added security, files can be embedded with the AES-256 encryption in 7z and Zip formats. Through its intuitive file manager UI, navigating through files and folders is made more convenient. Additionally, it allows you to pack and unpack contents in 7z, Xz, BZip2, GZip, Tar, Zip and Wim extensions as well as create self-extracting archives for the 7z format. This application is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows.
6. IZArc –
Next to ride along with our WinZip alternatives is the IZArc application. Similar to the other tools we’ve listed out, this one also comes with a number of features. Supporting archives extensions such as 7-Zip, Ace, Arc, and many more, you can conveniently navigate through them from its intuitive UI. Additionally, it allows you to create or modify files by simply using the drag and drop function straight from Windows Explorer. If you’ve got content stored away in CD formats, this software holds capabilities of accessing image files like Iso, Bin, Cdi and Nrg. And to top it all, the 256-bit AES encryption is likely to secure your data from unauthorized use as well.
7. Hamster –
Unlike most other tools that integrate themselves within the Windows Explorer shell, Hamster apparently flaunts a distinct layout that’s stated to be specifically designed with convenience in mind. To give you a personal feel, this archiver supports a wide range of selectable color schemes. Through its support for most popular compression types like Zip, Rar, 7z and many more, you can quickly create new archives in almost any format you desire. And to speed things up, Hamster is apparently optimized to take advantage of multi-core processors that’s stated to double the operation speed.
So now that we’ve jotted down some of the most viable and free WinZip alternatives, it’s time we closed the curtains here. But, before we do so, why not give them a try? It’s not going to cost you. And, do leave in your feedback on these aforesaid tools as well.
