Open RAR, 7z and other archives, and create compressed files.
Free app that opens almost any archive format
Extracts a wide range of archive formats, including RAR, 7z, Zipx, Tar, Gzip, XZ, CAB, ISO and split files, plus many older formats like StuffIt. It only extracts; it does not create archives.
Our take Install this on a new Mac and you will rarely need anything else for opening archives. It cannot create archives, so pair it with Keka if you need 7z or encrypted files.
Freeby MacPaw Way Ltd
Free archiver that creates 7z, Zip and more
Creates archives in formats including 7z, Zip, Tar, Gzip, XZ, ZSTD, DMG and ISO, with AES-256 encryption for 7z and archive splitting. It extracts over 30 formats, including RAR.
Our take The best free choice if you also need to make archives, especially password-protected ones. The App Store copy is the same app and a way to support the developer.
Free; $6.49 on the Mac App Store as of Oct 2026by aONe
Paid archiver for browsing and editing archives
Creates, opens and edits archives in over 30 formats, letting you preview and extract individual files without unpacking everything. It adds Finder and Quick Look integration, presets and automation.
Our take For people who work with archives daily and want to look inside or modify them without extracting. Overkill if you just open the odd RAR file.
$35 one-time as of Oct 2026by MacItBetter
Open, preview and create archives on recent macOS
Opens RAR, Zip, 7z and dozens of other formats, previews contents without extracting, and creates archives with AES-256 encryption.
Our take A modern-looking alternative to BetterZip. The current version requires macOS 26, so it is not an option on older Macs.
Price not confirmed here, see the vendor site (checked Oct 2026)by Mapache Softworks GmbH
No app in this category matches that filter.
| App | Price | Model | Open source | App Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Unarchiver |
Free | Free | – | Yes |
| Keka |
Free | Free | – | Yes |
| BetterZip |
$35 | Paid | – | – |
| Archiver |
Paid | Paid | – | – |
Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude or any AI assistant that can open links. It reads the list, asks about your Mac and budget, and suggests a short list.
Help me choose the right archive tool for my Mac. Read https://dockpicks.com/archive-tools/ and its plain-text version, https://dockpicks.com/archive-tools.md. Ask me which Mac I have, what I use it for and my budget, then recommend a short list from that page with the free and paid trade-offs, and say if the tool built into macOS is enough.