Best free ZIP utility?

I rarely use the ZIP option to extract files, but I'm sure there will be a need for it at some point in the future. Since I rarely use it, it isn't anything that I would want to "purchase". But from an effectiveness and a simplicity standpoint, what free ZIP utility would you suggest to try? The "drop and drag" feature is especially nice, and is something that I would want in a utility of this type....so what products would you recommend that I try?

 

I really like zip central. very easy to use and it has a built in installer for exe files. you can get it here


(edited url)

 

Hi JRCATES

If you are running Windows XP it has limited zip capability built in.

That said, yep Zip Central is great, the only problem I had with it was that I found I needed to open a wider range of files that it could handle. For instance files with .RAR extensions. (it's been a while since I updated Zip Central so maybe it's widened its scope ?).

I have since found this program 7Zip which seems able to fill in most of the gaps.

 

Thanks for the link, bigc...that was one that I hadn't come across before.

And eyes-open, I see from the link for Zip Central that the current version is 3.0, do you recall what version you had? Also, the link for 7Zip doesn't seem to indicate if it has drop and drag capability, what can you share with me about that?

And is this the same product as the one that you had provided the link for, bigc? I noticed one is called Zip Central while the other is ZipCentral (kind of like Spyware Blaster and SpywareBlaster). Ah, the tricks these vendors will use to play with names......

 

It is this one here version 4.01

 

You can find some comparisons here:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm
#24

 

I recommend Izarc
http://www.webattack.com/get/izarc.shtml

 

Another Freeware Archive program is Zip Genius

Download Page

BTW - It also comes with a file splitter - Cutter 4

 

My vote goes for 7-Zip http://www.7-zip.org/

 

I second that, 7-Zip is free, fast, simple, no bloat.

 

I use IZarc!

 

The Version of ZipCentral I have is 4.01 Freeware (©1998 - 2002). I am fairly confident that this is actually the last version available (just checked a couple of sites). ZipCentral does claim to support Drag & Drop, also it creates self-executing zip files. In other words you can compress a file, creating an exe.file which you can then send to another party. This party will not require software - they simply have to click the .exe and follow any instructions.

Below is from FAQ on 7Zips site:_

Just to mention it isn't necessarily an either/or situation. I have ZipCentral as my default with 7zip set up to pick up on files like .rar that ZipCentral can't.

 

Another compression utility that I've found the best so far is TUGZip. Features include:

• Supports ZIP, 7-ZIP, A, ACE, ARC, ARJ, BH, BZ2, CAB, CPIO, DEB, GCA, GZ, IMP, JAR, LHA (LZH), LIB, RAR, RPM, SQX, TAR, TGZ, TBZ, TAZ, YZ1 and ZOO archives.
• Supports BIN, C2D, IMG, ISO and NRG disc-images.
• Support for external plug-ins.
• Windows® shell integration, e.g. drag & drop, shell context menu and drop handlers.
• Create 7-ZIP, BH, BZ2, CAB, JAR, LHA (LZH), SQX, TAR, TGZ, YZ1 and ZIP archives.
• Support for the Deflate64 algorithm which allows you to create ZIP archives larger than 4GB.
• Script support which allows you to make automated backups.
• Basic features like: add, extract, delete, rename, run, view, checkout, install, test, comment, SFX, virus-scanning, disk-spanning and much more.
• Repair corrupted archives.
• Can extract multiple archives at once using Multi Extract.
• Encrypt archives using 6 different algorithms. Blowfish (128-bit), DES (56-bit), Triple DES (168-bit) and Rijndael (128-bit, 192-bit and 256-bit).
• Create self-extracting encrypted archives.
• Automatic updates using the "Web Update" function.

 

These are really all great suggestions, thanks to each of you for all of your help

After all of the reviews that I read, I was leaning towards ZIPGenius or IZArc, with TUGZip in the picture as an outside consideration (as well as ExtractNow). I decided to download ZIPGenius to give it a try, and other than the 17 mb size of the download, it looks very impressive. Features include drag and drop, the ability to integrate anti-virus scanning, and many more. It has a VERY (and I mean VERY) detailed online Help file, with pages upon pages of in-depth detailed info. I also like the idea that they have a help "forum"......very nice GUI as well. Don't know precisely how effective it ultimately will be, but judging from everything that I have seen so far, I'm amazed this is a freebie utility! Seems more like it should be around $29 like many of the others. The developer has put a lot of work and effort into this one, that's for sure.....

 

I've been using ZipGenius for a while now and love it. My reaction was the same as yours, couldn't believe it's free.

 

Isn't that an oxymoron: a 17 MB Zip Utility

 

Yeah my zipcentral is 1.29 mbs and works great

 

What a bloat Hog

WinZip comes in at 1.20 mb

-rich

 

I liked the screenshot of ZipCentral, and anytime big c suggests a product it carries a lot of weight....but I simply couldn't find very much information from their site! They need to do a better job with their web design.

WinZip carries a cost, and that is what kept me from considering it.

But yep, there's something to be said for programs like WinZip and ZipCentral that come as such a small package. 17 mb is an awefully lot, but like Notok said, it's really hard to believe that it is free (considering all of the features and details that went into, well...everything!). Haven't used it yet, though, that will be the true test

 

TugZip that P2K suggested is also very good. The GUI isn't the prettiest but it very nicely serves it's purpose, which is the most important thing.

Grant it ZipGenius is rather large for a archive utility, but the suite does offer a lot, the password manager, file splitter, and the included skins do take up allot of space.

If you were to consider a paid option, skip WinZip and try WinRar ... both offer 30 day trials, IMHO WinRar is the best hands down, but there are a lot a free alternatives. Heck you can have more than one installed, I have a few ... but I won't say how many.

 

I did use ExtractNow and ZipGenius before TUGZip - ExtractNow had a very limited interface though it did its job while I found ZipGenius to be buggy (I was running a beta version though) and bloated.

TUGZip is leaner (3.6MB installer, 10.5MB application) and offers more configuration control (e.g. being able to set what options to add to the Windows Explorer right-click menu). The only criticisms I'd make is heavy memory usage when compressing to 7-zip format and the "mixed" View style is rather awkward (but I find the Classic and Explorer styles much easier).

7-Zip is leaner still but uses a truly garish pink highlight on selected files.

 

I also recommend the TUGZip, like Paranoid2000

 

i've used TUGZip for awhile and love it. one thing i can add in it's favour is the support. i had a configuration problem with it once and was helped by the developer the same day i posted for help.

 

Don't let that keep you away. I bought a license in the early nineties and it is still valid and even comes with support (two years ago I lost the license key and got a new one)