7-Zip
Zip, unzip and password-protect files and folders on your own computer.
Cost
Completely free
Free and open source, no limits, no account.
Open source
Yes
The code is public. Anyone can inspect it, and it cannot be taken away from you.
Your data
Stays on your computer
Nothing is uploaded. This matters for anything confidential.
Use it for this
Opening the .rar, .7z or .tar.gz file someone sent you that Windows refuses to open, and packing a folder into one file small enough to email.
Do not use it for this
Mac users — Keka does the same job there.
A moment where you would reach for it
Compressing a 40-file project folder into one archive to attach to an application email.
How hard is it to pick up?
Anyone can use this on day one.
Worth knowing before you use it
Runs on your machine. Nothing is uploaded. Its password protection actually encrypts the contents, unlike simply zipping a folder.
About this entry
Checked on 1 Sept 2026. Prices and free limits change without warning, and often quietly. Treat everything above as a starting point and confirm on the official site before you rely on it.
Nothing here is sponsored. A tool appears because it solves a real problem, not because someone paid for it to be listed.