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RAR vs 7z

A side-by-side feature comparison.

Summary

RAR and 7z compete for the same niche: maximum compression with strong encryption. 7z compresses slightly better on most data and is open and free; RAR has recovery records and a larger desktop user base.

Bottom line: 7z for new archives. RAR if you need recovery records or a familiar GUI (WinRAR).

Feature comparison

Feature RAR 7z
License Proprietary Open (LGPL)
Cost Pay to create Free
Compression Excellent Slightly better on most data
Recovery record Yes No
Encryption AES-256 AES-256 + header encryption
Multi-volume Yes Yes
Built-in OS support None Windows 11 only

About RAR

RAR (Roshal Archive) is a proprietary format developed by Eugene Roshal in 1993 and distributed through WinRAR. It typically achieves better compression than ZIP, especially on text and source code, and supports recovery records that can repair partially damaged archives. Creating RAR files requires a paid WinRAR license; extracting them is free in nearly every archiver.

Read the full RAR guide →

About 7z

7z is the native format of the open-source 7-Zip archiver, designed by Igor Pavlov in 1999. It uses the LZMA family of algorithms and almost always produces smaller files than ZIP or RAR. 7z supports solid compression, where many files are compressed as one continuous stream, and AES-256 encryption with optional filename hiding.

Read the full 7z guide →

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