Chad contributes to free-backup-software.net. More on this topic can be found at Free ZIP Programs and Recover Deleted Files
Free ZIP Program Comparison!
Free ZIP Programs - OK, OK, I understand, WinZIP, PKZip as well as StuffIt are potent ZIP tools with a lot of incredibly unnecessary features. But come on! How many compression formats do we actually need? Furthermore, they're all quite expensive at $30. For the occasional compression and manual data backup requirements, the software below really should be perfectly adequate - and 100 % free is good too!
BTW, if you are using ZIP applications to backup your data, you might like to look in our free Backup Software roundup. Those applications are made to work invisibly backing up important computer data so that you never need to remember to get it done manually. If the data has already been corrupted and the cause it just deleted files or damaged file, you might need to have a look at our roundup of 100 % free Data Recovery Software. This can help you save a lot of money over the commercial services by companies like "DiskDoctors" and "InterData". (That are still useful for severe hard disk failure caused from physical damage.)
JustZIPit
simple, powerful, lightweight, cute girl
JustZIPit is the extreme peak of simplicity - it's got no interface whatsoever besides a progress bar. Just right-click a file in Explorer and select "JustZIPit" from the context-menu. That's all you have to know in order to use this little zip program!
Simple but potent! JustZIPit is blazingly fast and also invisibly integrates full ZIP-64 technology to easily deal with the most enormous ZIPs. JustZIPit is not limited like the majority of ZIP applications - when JustZIPit is creating a ZIP file, if it detects that an archive won't fit into the standard ZIP-32 size, it automatically goes to ZIP-64 and keeps going. You will not have any idea that it is there - but you can safely ZIP up the total contents of the Library of Congress if you're bored. ;)
JustZIPit is a simple, powerful and free ZIP software - want some fries with that?
Free for Personal Use
100 % Free for Organizations
No Adware/Spyware
View Files before Unzipping
Supports ZIP-64 (huge ZIPs)
ZIP Context Command
ZIP-to-Email Command
Self-Extracting Archives
Password Encryption
Non-ZIP Formats
I just like this small ZIP application - it's all about hiding the power inside a "get out of my way" design.
JustZIPit
Download JustZIPit (340k)
CAM UnZIP
medium powered, full-featured, just a little kludgy
Cam UnZip was fairly easy to utilize, the user interface is not as professional as WinZIP but pretty full featured - not the best freeware ZIP program but adequate for almost all ZIP-creation needs.
Even though I find this sort of ZIP program a bit cluttered, CAM UnZIP seems fairly solid. No Spy ware, no adware it's absolutely free (but donations are welcome.) Funnily, I had the hardest time finding a link on their site to truly download the program. It's there on the left panel of the home-page, just keep searching (or click the link download link here. ;)
Totally Free for Personal Use
Free for Organizations
No Adware/Spyware
View Files before Unzipping
Supports ZIP-64 (huge ZIPs)
ZIP Context Command
ZIP-to-Email Command
Self-Extracting Archives
Password Encryption
Non-ZIP Formats
Overall, I found CAMZip to be a fairly good ZIP program if you need a WinZIP replacement.
CAM UnZIP
Download CAM UnZIP (855k)
BigSpeed Zipper
quite interesting, fairly effective, off-the-wall features
BigSpeed Zipper is among those ZIP programs difficult to easily evaluate. Sure it's got the fundamental features and it is a little weak on some features I do believe are crucial... however it has a lot of additional features that I've never even talked about! I'm still trying to determine the usefulness of a number of them. As an example, you can view the items in a ZIP file online BEFORE downloading. Now that is sort of cool!
As far as interface goes, it's pretty non-standard ; however, sometimes a non-standard interface is the result of really cool features that would not fit into a normal interface. (Although usually, it is just due to bad design.) You move ahead and make up your own mind, its totally free.
Free for Individual Use
100 % Free for Organizations
No Adware/Spyware
View Files before Unzipping
Supports ZIP-64 (huge ZIPs)
ZIP Context Command
ZIP-to-Email Command
Self-Extracting Archives
Password Encryption
Non-ZIP Formats
Overall, I had been intrigued by BigSpeed's innovation and liked just what I saw nevertheless the program is still somewhat clunky for normal ZIP work. I additionally would like to find context menu commands!
BigSpeed Zipper
Download BigSpeed Zipper (748k)
Optimal Archive
full-featured, sold features, intrusive advertising
When I first read the specs on Optimal Archive, I became pretty excited. It reminded me of a classic favorite of my "ZIPMagic" - which made ZIP files looks as if folders. Okay, Optimal Archive has many of the very same capabilities. It is a very efficient set of scripts despite support for non-ZIP formats for example TAR ARJ and RAR. ;)
However, I am not sure I would classify it as freeware. It isn't that it installs noxious adware or spyware but instead it's itself an advertisement. Every time you utilize it you have to click through an advertising screen which gets old quite fast.
Totally Free Private Use
Totally Free for Organizations
No Adware/Spyware
View Files before Unzipping
Supports ZIP-64 (huge ZIPs)
ZIP Context Command
ZIP-to-Email Command
Self-Extracting Archives
Password Encryption
Non-ZIP Formats
If it weren't for the intrusive advertising, Optimal Archive will be a great ZIP program. As it is, I do not think I will be using Optimal despite its many great features.
Optimal Archive
Download Optimal Archive (1670k)
7-ZIP
WOW! - full-featured, powerful, innovative
7-Zip is eventually starting to get the popularity it should get. This freeware ZIP program is the only one in it's pack to really push the bar on technology. Although 7-Zip is best known for its support of high-compression non-ZIP technology (7Z), it also does a more satisfactory job than WinZIP or PKZip on standard ZIP compression! Take a look at their compression comparison chart on their homepage: 7-zip.org.
I still found their browsing interface a little bit of a kludge nevertheless they have provided an "Add to Archive" command on the context menu that makes it pretty simple to ZIP up any folder. Furthermore, not all ZIP tools support creating of SFX (self-extracting) files but this one does. 7-Zip will automatically use its superior 7Z compression inside the SFX files -- resulting in a compact package that actually slaughters the competition (WinZIP SFX Maker ~ $60). In this instance, the free app is way better than the commercial app. Well done 7-Zip!
If you would like technical support, you'll have to register at US $20 but otherwise the program is unrestricted and contains no intrusive advertising. 7-ZIP can also create TAR files just in case you ever want to kill a mastodon.
100 % Free for Private Use
100 % Free for Organizations
No Adware/Spyware
See Files prior to Unzipping
Supports ZIP-64 (huge ZIPs)
ZIP Context Command
ZIP-to-Email Command
Self-Extracting Archives
Password Encryption
Non-ZIP Formats
Overall, 7-Zip is my favorite power-user ZIP program -- and if you want to create compact SFX files, a must-have app!
7-ZIP
Download 7-ZIP (899k)
ZIPGenius
Too full-featured, powerful but confused
ZIPGenius is a perfect example of a program that mis-diagnosis the problem. The issue is not that WinZIP costs too much, it's too jumbled with needless functionality! However, if you love the clutter, you will love ZIPGenius a lot more. I have never seen an application shown such a capability for "feature creep".
ZIPGenius' ZIP features are really solid with excellent security features, 7-ZIP format support, built-in SFX support, ZIP-64 support etc. Included as well are image viewing features, twain (scanner) management, a slide-show builder, support for OpenOffice docs, multi-language, CD-R writing, FTP uploading, and basically everything else but a kitchen sink (which they promise to include in the next update!).
100 % Free for Personal Use
Free for Organizations
No Adware/Spyware
View Files prior to Unzipping
Supports ZIP-64 (huge ZIPs)
ZIP Context Command
ZIP-to-Email Command
Self-Extracting Archives
Password Encryption
Non-ZIP Formats
ZIPGenius is really a vast project and seems to be very well executed but I personally don't like software that tries to be everything.
ZIPGenius Home
Download ZIPGenius (6.44mb)
IZArc
Powerful, simple, decent interface
IZArc support a lot of compression formats. Just look at this amazing list of acronyms: 7-ZIP, A, ACE, ARC, ARJ, B64, BH, BZ2, BZA, CAB, CPIO, DEB, ENC, GCA, GZ, GZA, HA, JAR, LHA, LIB, LZH, MBF, MIM, PAK, PK3, RAR, RPM, TAR, TAZ, TBZ,
TGZ, TZ, UUE, WAR, XXE, YZ1, Z, ZIP, ZOO.
IZArc also has good AES encryption for those who require it and best of all, it features a fairly darned good interface -- not to cluttered but instead straightforward! I am very impressed. (I was NOT impressed with their site's interface however. How does that work?)
Free for Personal Use
100 % Free for Organizations
No Adware/Spyware
View Files before Unzipping
Supports ZIP-64 (huge ZIPs)
ZIP Context Command
ZIP-to-Email Command
Self-Extracting Archives
Password Encryption
Non-ZIP Formats
Overall, IZArc is a superb power-user ZIP application -- a fantastic WinZIP alternative!
IZArc Home
Download IZArc (6.44mb)