The Bandizip Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Bandizip in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Bandizip
The Insider’s Guide
Archiver for Windows and Mac that opens 40+ formats including RAR
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Bandizip’s own pages.
Made by Bandisoft International Inc. · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Bandizip’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Bandizip’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade
Bandizip creates and extracts archives such as ZIP, 7Z and TAR and opens more than 40 formats, including RAR and ALZ. The Windows edition is free with ads, and paid editions add features such as repair, password recovery and a password manager. The Mac version is sold through the Mac App Store.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Bandizip, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Install it and extract archives with nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for a free archiver on Windows
Bandizip opens more than 40 archive formats, and the Windows edition is free.
- 2
Paid plans start at $0.99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $0.99 per month (Mac, Bandizip 365); Windows Professional $30 one-time.
- 3
There is a free plan
Windows edition is free to download and use, with ads; paid editions remove them and add Professional-only features.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
Windows and macOS.
- 5
Many formats
Creates ZIP, 7Z, ZIPX, TAR, TGZ, ISO and self-extracting EXE, and extracts 40+ formats, including RAR, ALZ and EGG.
- 6
Multi-core compression
Uses several processor cores for compression, which the vendor says is up to 6 times faster on Windows.
- 7
Large and split archives
Supports archives over 4 GB and multi-volume compression for splitting a file across email attachments.
- 8
A 3.0 GPA, above 154 of 186
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Bandizip you could make: file compression. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Bandizip at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $0.99 per month (Mac, Bandizip 365); Windows Professional $30 one-time
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows
- Made by
- Bandisoft International Inc.
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for a free archiver on Windows
Bandizip opens more than 40 archive formats, and the Windows edition is free. But the free edition shows ads, repair and password tools need the $30 Professional licence, and the Mac version creates fewer formats and is sold only through the Mac App Store.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | The Windows edition is free to download and use. Professional is $30 one-time, and the Mac edition is $21.99 or $0.99 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The Windows edition is free and fully usable, with ads. Professional-only features need paying. |
| Features | B | ZIP, 7Z and TAR creation, 40+ formats opened, AES-256, split archives and editing without extracting. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. |
| Ease of use | B | Install it and extract archives with nothing to set up. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Windows and Mac, computers only. No Linux, phone or web version. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Bandizip is for
- Fits if you want a free Windows archiver that opens RAR, ALZ and 40 other formats
- Works for compressing large or split archives on a Windows PC
Who it is not for
- Tight if ads bother you, as the free Windows edition shows them
- Skip it if you use Linux, because no version is listed
- Watch out: repair, password recovery and the password manager are Professional, $30 one-time
- Watch out: the Mac edition creates ZIP, 7Z, TAR, GZ and TGZ only, and is sold only on the Mac App Store
Good to know
Good for
- Windows users who want a free archiver with wide format support
- Mac users who need RAR, ALZ or EGG files opened
- Offices that need a per-PC commercial license
Worth knowing
- The free Windows edition shows ads, and Professional-only features need a paid license.
- The Mac edition is sold only through the Mac App Store, as a one-time purchase or subscription.
- No Linux version is listed.
- The Mac edition creates fewer formats than Windows: ZIP, 7Z, TAR, GZ and TGZ.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$0.99
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Bandizip has a free plan. Paid plans start at $0.99 per month (Mac, Bandizip 365); Windows Professional $30 one-time.
The Windows edition is free to download and use.
Windows Free
$0
Compress and extract common formats on Windows. The vendor says a license removes the ads in this edition.
Windows Professional
$30
one-time, per user, up to 5 PCs
No ads, plus password manager, archive repair, password recovery, image preview and antimalware scan.
Windows Enterprise
$20
one-time, per PC, minimum 2
Commercial edition for organizations, sold per single-PC license with a minimum purchase of two.
Mac (one-time)
$21.99
one-time, Mac App Store
Bandizip for macOS as a one-time purchase on the Mac App Store, with the Mac feature set.
Mac (Bandizip 365)
$0.99
per month, or $6.99 per year, Mac App Store
Subscription version with the same functions as the one-time purchase, with a 1-week free trial.
The free plan
Windows edition is free to download and use, with ads; paid editions remove them and add Professional-only features.
Read from bandisoft.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
Bandizip plus Honeycam package, 20% off
The Windows buy page sells a Bandizip and Honeycam bundle at $55.20 instead of $69.
Stated on bandisoft.comAnnual discount
Bandizip 365 yearly plan
The Mac App Store lists Bandizip 365 at $0.99 monthly or $6.99 yearly, against $11.88 for twelve monthly payments.
Stated on apps.apple.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and Windows
Archiver for Windows and Mac that opens 40+ formats including RAR. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, file management, file compression.
Nothing in the listing is missing from the job.
- Many formats
- Creates ZIP, 7Z, ZIPX, TAR, TGZ, ISO and self-extracting EXE, and extracts 40+ formats, including RAR, ALZ and EGG.
- Multi-core compression
- Uses several processor cores for compression, which the vendor says is up to 6 times faster on Windows.
- Large and split archives
- Supports archives over 4 GB and multi-volume compression for splitting a file across email attachments.
- AES-256 encryption
- Password-protect archives with AES-256, and test an archive's integrity before opening it.
- Edit without extracting
- Add, delete or rename files inside an archive without unpacking it first, and preview contents from the archive list.
- Professional extras
- Paid editions add a password manager, repair of corrupted ZIP files, brute-force password recovery and image thumbnails.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Bandizip is made by Bandisoft International Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
154/186
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Bandizip's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 55 of 186) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 111).
Its paid plans start at $0.99 a month, against a middle price of $2.99 for the category: 4 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Bandizip’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 55 of 186
- BFree plan and trialAbove 75 of 186
- BFeaturesAbove 113 of 186
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 111 of 186
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 desktop utilities. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Bandizip is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Bandizip you could make: file compression. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade. It costs $11.88 a year.
What you could make
- File compression: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A file manager working directly on your disk.
- A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Bandizip’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
WinZip, 7-Zip, WinRAR, PeaZip and Keka
The 5 tools Bandizip is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
WinZip
Free trial · from $3.33/mo
Archiver with encryption, cloud sharing and file management tools.
- Bandizip has a free plan. WinZip does not, though it has a free trial.
- WinZip also covers file sharing and pDF editing.
- 3.0GPA
7-Zip
Free
Free, open-source file archiver with the 7z format.
- Only 7-Zip lists a Linux app.
- 7-Zip is open source, according to its own site.
- Bandizip also covers file management.
- 2.8GPA
WinRAR
Free trial · from $29 one-time
Windows archive manager for RAR and ZIP files.
- Bandizip has a free plan. WinRAR does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only WinRAR lists Linux and Android apps.
- WinRAR can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 3.2GPA
PeaZip
Free
Free file archiver for Linux, macOS and Windows.
- Only PeaZip lists a Linux app.
- PeaZip is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Keka
Free plan · from $3.99 one-time
File archiver for macOS and iOS with drag-and-drop compression.
- Only Bandizip lists a Windows app.
- Only Keka lists an iOS app.
- Bandizip also covers file management.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Bandizip free?
Bandizip has a free plan. Windows edition is free to download and use, with ads; paid editions remove them and add Professional-only features.
How much does Bandizip cost?
Bandizip lists 5 plans. Windows Free: $0.
What platforms does Bandizip work on?
Bandizip is available on Windows and macOS.
Does Bandizip offer any discounts?
Bandizip publicly lists the following: Bandizip plus Honeycam package, 20% off; Bandizip 365 yearly plan.
Does Bandizip have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Bandizip is listed for Windows and macOS.
Does Bandizip have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Bandizip is listed for Windows and macOS.
Is Bandizip open source?
Bandizip is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Bandizip work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Who makes Bandizip?
Bandizip is made by Bandisoft International Inc.
What are the alternatives to Bandizip?
The closest alternatives to Bandizip in our directory are WinZip, 7-Zip, WinRAR, PeaZip and Keka.
How does Bandizip compare with other desktop utilities?
Bandizip's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 27.
Is Bandizip good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Bandizip A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $0.99 a month, against a middle price of $2.99 for the category: 4 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Bandizip?
The plain part of Bandizip you could make: file compression. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Bandizip’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Bandisoft's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Bandisoft International Inc. Prices change, so check bandisoft.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Bandizip, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/bandizip
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Bandizip: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/bandizip
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/bandizip/guide
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See our other guides
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- Just Color Picker Insider's GuideFree portable color picker and editor for Windows and macOS3.2 GPA
- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Mos Insider's GuideFree Mac menu bar utility for smooth mouse wheel scrolling3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Bandizip’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Bandizip is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Bandisoft International Inc. Prices and plans change: check bandisoft.com before you buy.