Keka vs WinRAR
We give Keka a 3.4 GPA and WinRAR a 3.2, out of 4.0. Keka grades higher on the free plan. WinRAR grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Keka
File archiver for macOS and iOS with drag-and-drop compression
WinRAR
Windows archive manager for RAR and ZIP files
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAKekaVery good | 3.2GPAWinRARVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe full Mac app is free from keka.io. 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. Small money either way. | A$29 once for a single-user license, excluding VAT, and the publisher calls it perpetual with no subscription. That's under a year of what paid utilities here typically cost. Buy 2 to 9 and it drops to $21 each. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe website download is the whole macOS app, and tips are optional. Only the iOS app and the Mac App Store copy cost anything. | CThere's no free plan. You get a 40-day trial, which the publisher says can be used free of charge, and then it wants a paid license. |
| Features | AIt does one job, archives, and does it fully. It creates 7Z, ZIP, TAR, ZSTD, DMG, ISO and more, and extracts those plus RAR, ZIPX, CAB and MSI. Add passwords, with AES-256 encryption for 7z files, and splitting for big sends. It opens RAR but can't make one. | AIt creates RAR and ZIP archives and unpacks 7Z, TAR, ISO, CAB and more. Add AES 256-bit encryption, split volumes, self-extracting archives and a recovery record that can rebuild a damaged archive. One job, done fully. It can only create RAR and ZIP, mind. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Drop files on the Dock icon and they're compressed, with no need to open the app first. Making it your default for extracting needs a separate helper download. | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. There's a Wizard mode that walks you through the basics with questions and answers, so nobody has to learn the options first. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac, iPhone and iPad, so one family of devices. There's no Windows, Linux or Android version, and no integrations are listed. Old Macs are looked after, with legacy builds going back to Mac OS X 10.4. | BWindows, plus RAR for Linux, macOS and FreeBSD and a separate RAR app for Android. But only Windows gets the graphical app, and the Linux, macOS and FreeBSD versions are command line only. No integrations are on record. |
| Best for | zipping and unzipping on a Mac by drag and drop | making RAR archives on Windows |
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: Keka and WinRAR. How we grade
Where they differ
- Keka starts at $3.99 one-time for the iOS app; $6.49 one-time on the Mac App Store. WinRAR starts at $29 one-time, single-user license (excluding VAT).
- Keka has a free plan. WinRAR does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Keka lists an iOS app.
- Only WinRAR lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- WinRAR can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| Keka | WinRAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $3.99 one-time for the iOS app; $6.49 one-time on the Mac App Store | $29 one-time, single-user license (excluding VAT) |
| Free plan | 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. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 40-day trial: the publisher says the program can be used free of charge for 40 days |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | aONe | RARLAB (published by win.rar GmbH) |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | rarlab.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Keka
- Mac users who want to create 7Z or ZIP archives by drag and drop
- Sending password-protected or split archives
- Older Macs: legacy builds go back to Mac OS X 10.4
WinRAR
- Anyone who has to create RAR archives, not only open them
- Splitting large files into volumes with a recovery record for transfer or storage
- Organizations buying perpetual per-seat licenses at volume prices
Worth knowing
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.
WinRAR
- The graphical app is for Windows only; RAR for Linux, macOS and FreeBSD is command line only.
- Only RAR and ZIP archives can be created. Other formats, including 7Z, TAR and ISO, can only be unpacked.
- It is a trial product: 40 days of free use, then a paid license. Prices exclude VAT and each computer needs its own license.
- RAR for Android is a separate app, free with ads and with a paid ad-free option.
Key features
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.
WinRAR
- RAR and ZIP archives
- Creates RAR and ZIP archives and unpacks CAB, ARJ, LZH, TAR, GZ, UUE, BZ2, JAR, ISO, 7Z, XZ and Z files.
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Archives can be password protected with AES encryption using a 256-bit key, which the publisher says covers the archive's metadata as well.
- Recovery record and repair
- A recovery record and recovery volumes make it possible to reconstruct archives even after physical damage.
- Self-extracting and multivolume archives
- Creates self-extracting archives and splits archives into volumes. Both are part of the license, with no add-ons to buy.
- Wizard mode and command line
- A Wizard mode reaches the basic archiving functions through questions and answers, and a command line interface ships alongside the graphical one.
- Solid archiving
- The publisher says solid archiving raises the compression rate by 10-50%, especially when packing a large number of small files.
Plans
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.
WinRAR
Single-user license$29
one-time purchase, excluding VAT
One license to use the RAR archiver on one computer. The publisher describes licenses as perpetual, with no subscription.
Multi-user, 2-9 users$21
per user or computer, one-time, excluding VAT
For 2 to 9 licenses. A license is needed for each computer or client workstation where RAR is installed, used or accessed.
Multi-user, 10-24 users$16
per user or computer, one-time, excluding VAT
Per-license price when buying 10 to 24 licenses.
Multi-user, 25-49 users$13
per user or computer, one-time, excluding VAT
Per-license price when buying 25 to 49 licenses.
Multi-user, 50-99 users$10
per user or computer, one-time, excluding VAT
Per-license price when buying 50 to 99 licenses.
Multi-user, 100-999 users$6 to $8
per user or computer, one-time, excluding VAT
$8 each for 100-199 licenses, $7 for 200-499 and $6 for 500-999. Larger orders go through the sales team.
Ways to pay less
Keka
No public discounts listed.
WinRAR
- Lifetime license
Perpetual license with no subscription
The publisher describes WinRAR's license model as perpetual and valid for a lifetime, and says licenses are valid for all language and platform versions.
