If you ask anyone which software they use to archive or extract files on Windows, chances are that they either use WinRAR or 7-Zip. After all, these are the two most popular tools for this purpose. 7-Zip's popularity is due to the fact that it has been around for over two decades, offering an open-source archiving tool that's efficient and gets the job done. It's also totally free of cost, making it the default tool for several Windows users. On the other hand, WinRAR gains points in terms of aesthetics and reliability. It has a polished UI that's easy to use for most people. Plus, it can also open RAR files. That said, it is a paid service, which may put a few people off. Since both tools have their own advantages, I set out to find an alternative that can do both — while still being free to use.

That's when I encountered NanaZip. This is an open-source file archiver that's available for free on the Microsoft Store. It's essentially a fork of 7-Zip — albeit with added features that make it more modern. I decided to download it and replace both 7-Zip and WinRAR on my PC for a week. I'm way past that period now, and NanaZip has become the default app for all archiving and unarchiving needs. It's simple, efficient, and has everything one would ever need from an app of this nature. I'll tell you my usage, so that you can also decide if you want to make the switch.

A perfect mix of both

This is what WinRAR and 7-Zip's lovechild would look like

I use both 7-Zip and WinRAR on my PC for different purposes. 7-Zip is known for its high compression ratio, which is useful when sharing or backing up large files. On the other hand, WinRAR is popular for its easy-to-use interface and support for a wide range of formats, including the proprietary RAR format that's exclusive to the app. NanaZip blends both of them together to create a tool that's efficient, has a slick UI, and integrates well with Windows File Explorer. It supports most popular formats, including 7z, ZIP, TAR, GZ, BZ2, and XZ, among others.

Just like 7-Zip, it's completely open-source and works well with both Windows 10 and 11. There are several real-world instances where NanaZip's improved efficiency proves beneficial. When backing up large files, I noticed that compressing a folder via NanaZip using the 7z format resulted in the overall file size being 800MB less compared to the same file compressed in the RAR format using WinRAR. For larger files, the difference would be even higher.

Lots of perks

But with a few quirks

Since NanaZip is essentially 7-Zip at its core, you get all the benefits of the original software. The more efficient compression mentioned above is a great example of that. But that's where the similarities end. The rest of the package is far from 7-Zip's unintuitive interface. When you open the app, you'll realize that it looks quite similar to WinRAR. It's polished, fast, and has all the required features and shortcuts. It's also extremely lightweight, with the installer file occupying just over 5 MB of space.

NanaZip also adds the ability to create a self-extracting archive (SFX) that makes it easy to share files with those who aren't particularly familiar with computers. Notably, the app can extract RAR files but can't create them, since the format is proprietary to WinRAR. Features like recovery records and repairing damaged RAR files aren't present on NanaZip, but these aren't commonly used features in the first place. WinRAR also has some advanced backup features that help you create incremental backup files at set intervals. If you find that useful, NanaZip doesn't have an equivalent.

It's time to switch from legacy software

Well, the results speak for themselves. The fact that I can archive large files quickly on NanaZip as opposed to WinRAR, while also getting the app for free, makes it an excellent alternative for most Windows users. To add to that, the open-source nature of the app helps establish trust with regard to privacy. Finally, the native Windows integration, just like the two other apps, means that you can continue to extract and archive your files like before. If you don't deal with RAR files often, switching to NanaZip is a no-brainer.