BetterZip vs Keka (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Keka grades higher than BetterZip: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Keka 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
Keka
File archiver for macOS and iOS with drag-and-drop compression
Which one is for you
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
Pick Keka if
- Fits if you make 7Z or ZIP archives on a Mac and don't want to pay for it
- Works for older Macs, since legacy builds go back to Mac OS X 10.4
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Windows, Linux or Android, as it's Apple devices only
- Not for you if you need to create RAR files, because it only extracts them
- Watch out: the iPhone and iPad app is a separate $3.99, and the Mac App Store copy costs $6.49 for the app that's free on keka.io
- Watch out: making Keka your default for extracting needs a separate helper download
How we grade them
| 2.6GPABetterZipGood | 3.0GPAKekaVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$35 once, under a year of the utilities middle subscription at $3.33 a month, with a 30-day trial. | AThe full Mac app is a free download from keka.io, nothing held back. The Mac App Store copy is the same app at $6.49, there to support development, and the iPhone and iPad app is $3.99 once. |
| Free plan and trial | C30-day full-featured trial of a download, and no card or account on record, but no free plan. | AThe website download is the whole macOS app with every format and setting, and tips are optional. Only the iOS app and the Mac App Store copy cost anything. |
| Features | CArchive editing, wide format support and AES-256 encryption, but creating RAR archives depends on a separate utility. | CArchives are its one job: it makes 7Z, ZIP, TAR, ZSTD, DMG and ISO, opens those plus RAR, ZIPX, CAB and MSI, sets AES-256 passwords and splits big files. It's a smaller job than most utilities here, and it can't create a RAR. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but it is a program you install and start using with nothing to set up. | BNo store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: drop files on the Dock icon and they're compressed without the app even opening. Making Keka your default for extracting needs a separate helper download. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac only, needing macOS 13.5 or later, with no Windows or Linux version. | CMac, iPhone and iPad, so one family of devices. No Windows, Linux or Android version and no integrations listed. Legacy builds go back to Mac OS X 10.4. |
| Best for | opening and editing archives on a Mac | zipping and unzipping on a Mac by drag and drop |
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: BetterZip and Keka. How we grade
Where they differ
- BetterZip can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- BetterZip also covers file management.
At a glance
| BetterZip | Keka | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $35 one-time | $3.99 one-time for the iOS app; $6.49 one-time on the Mac App Store |
| Free plan | None | The full macOS app is a free download from keka.io. The site says the Mac App Store copy is the same app, bought to support development, and tips are optional. |
| Free trial | 30-day full-featured trial. | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | MacItBetter | aONe |
| Price read from | macitbetter.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Keka
- There is no Windows, Linux or Android version: Keka is for macOS and, as a separate purchase, iOS and iPadOS.
- The website download is free, but the Mac App Store copy costs $6.49 and the iOS app $3.99 (US prices).
- RAR archives can be extracted, but RAR is not on the list of formats Keka creates.
- Setting Keka as the default extraction app needs a separate helper download.
Key features
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.
Keka
- Drag-and-drop compression
- Files and folders dropped on the Dock icon or the Keka window are compressed, so the app does not need to be opened first.
- Wide format support
- Creates 7Z, ZIP, TAR, GZIP, BZIP2, XZ, LZIP, DMG, ISO, BROTLI, ZSTD, LRZIP, AAR and WIM archives, and extracts those plus RAR, ZIPX, LZMA, EXE, CAB, MSI and more.
- Password protection
- Sets a password on an archive, using AES-256 encryption for 7z files and the legacy Zip 2.0 encryption for Zip files.
- Split archives
- Splits an archive into pieces when it is too large for email or a server. The pieces expand back into the original file.
- Keka for iOS
- A separate iPhone and iPad app compresses, extracts and browses archives, previews their contents and can be reached from other apps through Share Actions.
- Legacy versions
- Older builds stay on the website for Macs that cannot run the current release, going back to a version for Mac OS X 10.4.
Plans
BetterZip
BetterZip 6$35
one-time purchase
Personal use covers up to five household Macs; commercial use needs one license per Mac.
Keka
Website download$0
The full macOS app from keka.io for Mac OS X 10.10 or newer. Tips through PayPal or GitHub Sponsors are optional.
Keka for iOS$3.99
one-time purchase (US App Store)
The iPhone and iPad app, which creates 7Z, ZIP, TAR, ZSTD, GZIP and BZIP2 archives and extracts many more. Requires iOS 15.5 or later.
Mac App Store$6.49
one-time purchase (US Mac App Store)
The same macOS app as the website version, updated through the App Store. Its in-app purchases are tips that add no features.
Ways to pay less
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.
Keka
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, BetterZip or Keka?
As of Nov 12, 2026, BetterZip starts at $35 one-time, and Keka starts at $3.99 one-time for the iOS app; $6.49 one-time on the Mac App Store.
Which has a free plan, BetterZip or Keka?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Keka has a free plan. BetterZip does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do BetterZip and Keka run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Keka lists an iOS app. 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.