Free alternative
A free 7-Zip alternative
A free, open source file archiver for Windows, with console versions for Linux and macOS, that packs and unpacks 7z, ZIP, TAR and other formats and offers a high compression ratio in its own 7z format. Anyfile is a free alternative for many of the same jobs: it opens, edits and converts files in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
7-Zip and Anyfile, side by side
| 7-Zip | Anyfile | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free and open source. Most of the code is under the GNU LGPL, some parts are under the BSD 3-clause licence, and some parts carry an unRAR licence restriction. 7-Zip says you can use it on any computer, including in a commercial organisation, and that you do not need to register or pay. Source | Free, funded by optional donations |
| Free version | Yes. 7-Zip is free software, and its FAQ confirms it can be used in a commercial organisation without registering or paying. Source | Everything is free |
| Free limits | Not stated on their pages | No daily limits; size limits per kind of file (for example 100 MB pictures, 300 MB PDFs) |
| Are files uploaded? | Not applicable: 7-Zip is software you download and install (a Windows installer, plus console versions for Linux and macOS), so archives are handled on your own computer rather than uploaded to a website. Source | No: files are opened and converted in your browser |
| How long files are kept | Not stated on their pages | Never stored: nothing is uploaded |
| Account needed | Not needed: 7-Zip says you do not need to register or pay for it. Source | No |
| Ads | Not stated on their pages | None |
| Platforms | Windows (64-bit x64, 32-bit x86 and 64-bit ARM64 installers), plus console (command-line) versions for Linux and macOS. Source | Any current browser on a computer, tablet or phone; installable as an app |
| Formats | Packs and unpacks 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP and WIM. Unpack only: APFS, AR, ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, CramFS, DMG, EXT, FAT, GPT, HFS, IHEX, ISO, LZH, LZMA, MBR, MSI, NSIS, NTFS, QCOW2, RAR, RPM, SquashFS, UDF, UEFI, VDI, VHD, VHDX, VMDK, XAR and Z. It offers AES-256 encryption in 7z and ZIP formats. Source | 202 file extensions in 17 editors, with 639 one-click conversions |
Facts about 7-Zip come from its own pages, checked on 2026-10-22. Prices and limits change, so follow each source for today’s.
When 7-Zip is the better choice
7-Zip is the better choice for opening RAR files (Anyfile does not open RAR yet) and the many other formats it can unpack, such as ISO, DMG and VHD, and for very large archives on a Windows PC, with Windows Shell integration, a file manager and a command-line version. Anyfile suits quick jobs in the browser with nothing to install, such as previewing and extracting ZIP and 7z or converting between them.