+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Criterion | WinRAR | WinZIP |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Support of Windows 2000 | WinRAR is the first | Currently no support |
| file formats | archiver to FULLY | |
| | support Windows 2000 | |
| | file formats. No | |
| | other archiver | |
| | currently supports | |
| | NTFS streams. | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Support of NTFS file | Yes | No |
| security information | | |
| (Win NT 4.0, 2000) | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| MULTI-Language system | WinRAR versions in | WinZIP only in English, |
| | English, German, | German and Japanese |
| | Spanish, Japanese, | |
| | Korean, Polish, | |
| | Russian, Italian, | |
| | Czech and Portuguese. | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Self-Executable (SFX) | Integrated | Limited functions |
| files | | integrated, additional |
| | | module for an additional |
| | | fee of $49,- |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Compression Ratio | RAR typically 15-30% | |
| | better than ZIP | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Applications *.exe | Slightly Better | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Windows driver *.dll | Better | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Game | Better | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Graphics | Much Better | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Mp3 | Same | Same |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Text | Significantly Better | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Video CD | Slightly better | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Compression speed | Same in ZIP mode, | Dependent on file type |
| | slower in RAR mode | and compression settings |
| | | WinZIP compresses either |
| | | slightly or much faster |
| | | than WinRAR in RAR format |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Multimedia Optimization | Yes | No |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Solid archiving | WinRAR was the FIRST | No solid archives. |
| technology: Copying all | archiver to | |
| files into a single | integrate Solid | |
| data stream before | archiving technology | |
| compression. Higher | to a single package. | |
| compression ratio (10% | Other products are | |
| - 60%) especially when | playing a catch-up. | |
| compressing many small | | |
| files. | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 64-bit compatibility | Full 64-bit file | 32-bit file operations |
| | operations: higher | |
| | file limits and sizes | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Maximum archive size | File sizes in | Up to 4GB in ZIP format |
| and file size for | RAR/Win32 limited by | |
| archiving | OS. Significantly | |
| | larger than 8Tb | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Maximum number of files | Billions of files, | Much less |
| for compression into a | limited by Operating | |
| single archive | system only | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Drag & drop | Full support | Full support |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Windows Explorer Shell | Full integration | Full integration |
| Integration | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Supported formats to | RAR, ZIP | ZIP |
| extract AND compress | Self/Extracting | |
| without specialized | archives | |
| external applications | | |
| present | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Supported formats to | CAB, ARJ, LZH, TAR, | ZIP, CAB, TAR, Z, GZ, |
| extract without | GZ, TGZ, ACE, UUE, | TAZ, and TGZ, and |
| specialized external | XXencoded and ISO 9660| UUencoded, XXencoded, |
| applications present | CD-Rom volumes | BinHex, and MIME files |
| | | (base64, plain/text, and |
| | | quoted-printable) |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Storing information | Yes | Yes |
| about the last update | | |
| and name of the archive | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Adding archive comments | Yes | Yes |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Authenticity | Yes | No |
| verification | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Recovery of physically | Yes | No |
| damaged archives | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Support of recovery | Yes | No |
| volumes | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Locking of archives to | Yes | No |
| prevent further changes | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Password Protection | Yes | Yes |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Encryption Strength | Industry Standard AES | Very weak |
| | with 128-bit keys | |
|--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Windows GUI & Windows32 | Both | Windows GUI and very |
| Console | | simple Windows32 Console |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Saving compression | Yes | No |
| options to personal | | |
| compression profiles | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Generate archive name | Yes | No |
| using the current date | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Synchronize archive | Yes | No |
| contents | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Supports long file names | Yes | Yes |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Multiple disk spanning | Multiple volumes | Multiple disk spanning |
| (multiple volumes | archives can be | only directly to fit |
| archive) | created on the hard | removable storage units |
| | disk and can be | |
| | configured to fit | |
| | any size of | |
| | removable storage | |
| | units | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| ANSI esc-sequence | Yes | No |
| support in comments. | | |
| This allows color | | |
| comments and other ANSI | | |
| features without the | | |
| need for an ANSI-driver. | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Wizard | Yes | Yes |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Browser Support Add-On | Yes | Yes |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Inclusion of external | No | Yes |
| anti-virus programs | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Favorite Folders | Yes | Yes |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Easy use and low | Easy due to included | Easy due to included |
| learning intensive | wizard | wizard |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Email compressed files | Yes, in both GUI and | Yes |
| | Console mode versions | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Price | Cheaper for the same | More expensive for the |
| | functionality | same functionality |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Single User | 29$ self/extractor is | 29$ WinZip; Self |
| | included | Extracter 49$ |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 2 computers | 23$ | 22$; Self-Extractor |
| | | 5Pack: 199$ |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 3-5 computers | 20$ | 22$; Self-Extractor |
| | | 5Pack: 199$ |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 6-9 computers | 17.50$ | 22$; Self-Extractor |
| | | 5Pack: 199$ |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 10 to 24 computers | $13.70 | $17 |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 25 to 49 computers | $10.00 | $14 |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 50 to 99 computers | $7.50 | $10 |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 100 to 199 computers | $5.40 | $7 |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 200 to 499 computers | $4.60 | $7 |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 500 to 999 computers | $3.10 | $6 |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| 1000 to 9999 computers | $2.70 | $4 |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Above 10000 | All-inclusive local | $4 |
| | and national site | |
| | licenses | |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
For a complete performance comparison, please see the benchmark page.
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