7-Zip vs BetterZip (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, 7-Zip grades higher than BetterZip: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
7-Zip grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
BetterZip
Mac archive tool for creating, browsing and extracting files
Free trial · from $35 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick 7-Zip if
- Fits if you're on Windows and need to open or make archives without paying
- Works for companies, since it's allowed on commercial computers with no registration
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on a Mac or Linux and want windows and buttons, as those downloads are console only
- Not for you if you need to create RAR archives, since it only unpacks them
- Too light for anyone who wants a support line, because help is a forum and bug reports on SourceForge
- Not for you if you want it on a phone or in a browser, as there's no mobile or web version
Pick BetterZip if
- Fits if you open and edit archives on a Mac every day
- Works for people who want Finder integration and encryption
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Windows or Linux, as it is Mac only
- Skip it if you are on an older Mac, as it needs macOS 13.5 or later
- Watch out: creating RAR archives needs a separate command-line utility
- Pricey if you upgrade, at $15 to $25 from older versions, and commercial use needs one licence per Mac
How we grade them
| 3.0GPA7-ZipVery good | 2.6GPABetterZipGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AIt costs nothing, at home or at work. 7-Zip is free and open source, a plain download, and you can put it on any computer, including one in a commercial organization, with no registration or payment. | A$35 once, under a year of the utilities middle subscription at $3.33 a month, with a 30-day trial. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe complete archiver is free. There's no paid edition and nothing held back, so there's no limit to run into. | C30-day full-featured trial of a download, and no card or account on record, but no free plan. |
| Features | CArchiving is one job and 7-Zip covers it: packs 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP and WIM, unpacks RAR, ISO, DMG and more, does AES-256 encryption and self-extracting archives. The listing names the limits too. It can't create RAR files, and the graphical app and File Manager are Windows only. | CArchive editing, wide format support and AES-256 encryption, but creating RAR archives depends on a separate utility. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating is on record, but on Windows there's nothing to set up: it adds its commands to the shell and brings its own File Manager, so nobody has to type anything. On Linux and macOS it's a console version, which does mean commands. | BNo store rating on record, but it is a program you install and start using with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | CIt's a program for computers and nothing else: Windows, Linux and macOS, with no web version and no phone apps. Three desktop systems is still one kind of device, and the only integration on record is FAR Manager. | CMac only, needing macOS 13.5 or later, with no Windows or Linux version. |
| Best for | opening and making archives on Windows for free | opening and editing archives on a Mac |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: 7-Zip and BetterZip. How we grade
Where they differ
- 7-Zip is open source, according to its own site.
- BetterZip can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- BetterZip also covers file management.
In commonmacOSFile compression
At a glance
| 7-Zip | BetterZip | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $35 one-time |
| Free plan | Free, open-source software. No registration or payment is needed on any computer, including one in a commercial organization. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day full-featured trial. |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Igor Pavlov | MacItBetter |
| Price read from | 7-zip.org | macitbetter.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
7-Zip
- The graphical app and File Manager are for Windows; the Linux and macOS downloads are console versions only.
- RAR archives can be unpacked but not created; RAR is listed under unpacking-only formats.
- Help comes through the forum, bug reports and feature request systems on the project's SourceForge page.
BetterZip
- Requires macOS 13.5 or later and has no Windows or Linux version.
- Creating RAR archives depends on a separate command-line utility.
- Upgrades from older major versions cost $15 to $25; commercial use needs one license per Mac.
Key features
7-Zip
- 7z format with LZMA and LZMA2
- Creates 7z archives using LZMA or LZMA2 compression. The format supports solid compression, Unicode file names and compressed archive headers.
- Wide format support
- Packs and unpacks 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP and WIM, and unpacks many more formats, including RAR, ISO, DMG, CAB, MSI, VHD and VMDK.
- AES-256 encryption
- Archives in the 7z and ZIP formats can be encrypted with AES-256.
- Windows shell integration and File Manager
- Integrates with the Windows shell and includes its own File Manager for browsing and working with archives.
- Command line version
- A command line version ships with the Windows release, and console builds are offered for Linux and macOS on x86 and ARM processors.
- Self-extracting archives
- Can create self-extracting archives in the 7z format.
BetterZip
- Edit inside archives
- Add, delete, rename and edit files in place; changes made in an external app are saved back to the archive.
- Wide format support
- Creates ZIP, DMG, TAR, 7-Zip, XAR and ISO archives, and RAR through an external command-line tool. Opens over 30 formats.
- AES-256 encryption
- Encrypts archives and keeps archive passwords in a built-in encrypted password manager.
- Presets and filters
- Presets store format, destination and rules; filters skip files such as .DS_Store by name, path, size or age.
- Finder integration
- Adds a Finder menu, toolbar button and Share extension, and a Spotlight importer indexes file names inside archives.
- Automation
- Presets can run from Shortcuts, workflows or the command line, with optional shell or AppleScript steps.
Plans
7-Zip
7-Zip$0
The complete archiver for Windows, plus console versions for Linux and macOS. Most of the code is under the GNU LGPL.
BetterZip
BetterZip 6$35
one-time purchase
Personal use covers up to five household Macs; commercial use needs one license per Mac.
Ways to pay less
7-Zip
No public discounts listed.
BetterZip
- Other savings
Also sold through Setapp
The buy page says BetterZip is also available on Setapp, a subscription with a selection of Mac apps.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, 7-Zip or BetterZip?
As of Nov 12, 2026, 7-Zip is free, and BetterZip starts at $35 one-time.
Which has a free plan, 7-Zip or BetterZip?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only 7-Zip has a free plan. BetterZip does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do 7-Zip and BetterZip run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only 7-Zip lists Windows and Linux apps. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.