7-Zip vs WinZip (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, 7-Zip grades higher than WinZip: 3.0 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
7-Zip grades higher on value for money and the free plan. WinZip grades higher on features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
WinZip
Archiver with encryption, cloud sharing and file management tools
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 WinZip if
- Fits if you want zip, encryption and cloud sharing from one paid program
- Works for IT-managed teams that want a quoted Enterprise edition
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if all you do is unzip files, because free archivers do that for nothing
- Skip it if you won't pay a yearly subscription, since there is no one-time licence
- Watch out: backup, SafeShare, image tools and the system utilities need Pro or Ultimate
- Watch out: prices include VAT, so the amount charged may differ by region
How we grade them
| 3.0GPA7-ZipVery good | 2.4GPAWinZipFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CStandard is $3.33 a month billed yearly, which is this category's typical monthly price. Pro is $5.00 and Ultimate is $10.00. |
| 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. | CThere is a 21-day trial. The page we read doesn't say whether a card is asked for, and there is no free edition after it. |
| 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. | BCompression, extraction, encryption, cloud file management, backup and system utilities across the tiers. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job, though much of it is above Standard. |
| 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. | BInstall it and zip or unzip files with nothing to set up. No store rating is on record. |
| 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. | CWindows and Mac, computers only. No Linux, phone or web version. |
| Best for | opening and making archives on Windows for free | a paid zip tool with cloud and backup extras |
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 WinZip. How we grade
Price against what you get
7-Zip has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. WinZip starts at $3.33 a month and scores 2.7.
WinZip scores higher, and starts $3.33 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other desktop utilities on the chart, none scores higher than 7-Zip for less, and none scores higher than WinZip for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- 7-Zip is open source, according to its own site.
- WinZip also covers file sharing, file management and pDF editing.
At a glance
| 7-Zip | WinZip | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $3.33 per month, billed annually (incl. VAT) |
| 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 | 21-day free trial |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Igor Pavlov | Corel Corporation |
| Price read from | 7-zip.org | winzip.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
WinZip
- Sold only by subscription, billed annually; there is no free edition beyond the 21-day trial.
- The pricing page labels prices as including VAT, so the amount charged may differ by region.
- Backup, SafeShare, image tools and the system utilities suite need Pro or Ultimate.
- Enterprise has no published price and is sold through a quote request.
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.
WinZip
- Compression and extraction
- Zips and unzips files and opens other archive types such as RAR, 7Z, TAR and ISO.
- File and email encryption
- Encrypts files and email attachments, and lists secure, unrecoverable file wiping among its core capabilities.
- Multi-cloud file management
- Browse and manage files across several cloud storage accounts, with batch file conversion.
- Backup and advanced tools
- The comparison table lists automated backups, secure FTP transfers, malware scanning of zip files and PDF and image management.
- System utilities
- Pro and Ultimate bundle the System Utilities Suite: disk and memory cleanup, registry optimization, a driver updater and a speed booster.
- Enterprise controls
- Enterprise adds AES-256-GCM with FIPS 140-3 compliance, an IT-held recovery key and policy enforcement across the organization.
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.
WinZip
Standard$3.33
per month, billed annually (incl. VAT)
Zip, protect, share and manage files; includes WinZip Standard for Windows and Mac, Courier and Ad Remover.
Pro$5.00
per month, billed annually (incl. VAT)
Adds Secure Backup, SafeShare, Image Manager, Duplicate File Finder and the System Utilities Suite.
Ultimate$10.00
per month, billed annually (incl. VAT)
Everything in Pro plus WinZip PDF Pro, the PDF editing and watermarking tool.
EnterpriseCustom
Quote-based edition for IT teams with AES-256-GCM encryption, policy enforcement, recovery keys and volume licensing.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, 7-Zip or WinZip?
As of Nov 13, 2026, 7-Zip is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $3.33 a month for WinZip. 7-Zip is free, and WinZip starts at $3.33 per month, billed annually (incl. VAT).
Which has a free plan, 7-Zip or WinZip?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only 7-Zip has a free plan. WinZip does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do 7-Zip and WinZip run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only 7-Zip lists a Linux app. Both list macOS and Windows apps. 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.