What's the best WinRAR alternative for macOS?

Hello everyone, I recently switched to Mac and found that WinRAR, which I have been using on Windows, can no longer be used on Mac. I am not used to it.


Now I need to find a compression and decompression tool similar to WinRAR for Mac. The requirements are:


  • simple and beautiful interface;
  • It is best to support RAR, ZIP, 7z and other formats;
  • It is not complicated to use and can quickly decompress and compress files.


Does anyone have any good WinRAR alternative for macOS that you can recommend? It is best if you have used it yourself and feel good about it. Thank you!

Mac Pro (2023)

Posted on Mar 18, 2025 3:39 AM

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Posted on Mar 19, 2025 2:40 AM

I have been using FossZIP for almost two years. It supports RAR, ZIP, 7z and other formats. It has a simple interface, simple operation, and fast decompression speed. It is a good WinRAR alternative for Mac!


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Mar 18, 2025 5:30 AM in response to verhumir

Best RAR Extractor that works on Mac Sono… - Apple Community


maybe

WinRAR alternative for macOS? To browse through the content of the archive? : r/MacOS


more WinRAR alternative for macOS - Google-


haven't used rar in many years though, and when I co compress files I usually just use

the build in compressor in the file manager (double commander) that I use

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Mar 19, 2025 2:16 AM in response to verhumir

macOS has its own built-in compression tools, but people often overlook them. Before downloading another app, see if you can just use Finder for basic zipping and unzipping. It’s fast for simple stuff! Not all WinRAR alternative for macOS handle every format like RAR, ZIP, TAR, etc. You want something that gives you flexibility. I once grabbed a tool that didn’t even recognize half the formats I needed. Super frustrating! Some alternatives can be a pain to use—clunky interfaces or hidden features make everything harder than it needs to be. Go for something that feels intuitive. I learned this the hard way after downloading a complex app and spending ages figuring it out.


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Mar 19, 2025 2:07 AM in response to verhumir

If you are looking for WinRAR alternative for macOS, I have the same problem 😂. There is indeed no WinRAR on macOS, but there are still some good alternatives. I have used two and I think they are okay:


  1. FossZIP- This tool has a simple interface, supports RAR, ZIP, 7z and other formats, and is very fast in compression and decompression. You can decompress directly by dragging and dropping, which is very convenient. Although the Mac App Store version is charged, the official website download is free!
  2. The Unarchiver - This is a relatively old WinRAR alternative for macOS on Mac, completely free, and supports various compression formats. It decompresses quickly and has a simple interface, but it can only decompress but not compress RAR files. If you don't need to compress RAR, this is enough.


If you haven't tried these two yet, you can try them first to see which one is more convenient! There are other better WinRAR alternatives for macOS, and you are welcome to recommend them~ 😃

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Mar 19, 2025 1:41 AM in response to verhumir

There are several great WinRAR alternatives for macOS that you can use for file compression and decompression on your Mac. Here are some popular options that meet your requirements for a simple and beautiful interface, as well as support for various formats like RAR, ZIP, and 7z:

1. The Unarchiver

Interface: Simple and clean.

Formats Supported: Supports a wide range of formats, including RAR, ZIP, 7z, and more.

Usage: It integrates well with Finder, allowing you to decompress files with a simple double-click. Just install it and set it as your default unarchiver.

Download: Available for free on the Mac App Store.


2. Keka

Interface: Beautiful and user-friendly.

Formats Supported: Supports RAR, ZIP, 7z, TAR, GZ, and more.

Usage: Allows for quick drag-and-drop compression and decompression. It also has options to customize compression settings.

Download: Free to use, but you can donate for additional features. Available on the official website.

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Mar 19, 2025 1:43 AM in response to verhumir

I am also looking for a good WinRAR alternative for mac. I have tried several before, such as The Unarchiver. They are basically usable but occasionally get stuck, especially when extracting large files. Sometimes the extracted files are damaged or garbled, which is annoying.


I am now considering whether there are better free tools, preferably those that support drag-and-drop decompression and one-click completion. If you find a stable and easy-to-use WinRAR alternative for mac, please recommend it!

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Mar 19, 2025 2:14 AM in response to verhumir

If you don't mind using the command line, there is actually an easier way to use WinRAR alternative for Mac, which is to directly use Homebrew to install unar or rar to process compressed files.


The steps are very simple:


First install Homebrew (if not installed):


bash

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"


Then install the decompression tool, such as unar (specially for decompressing RAR):


bash
brew install unar


The usage is super simple, decompress RAR directly:


bash
unar file.rar


If you need a complete WinRAR alternative for Mac (including compression), you can install rar:


bash
brew install rar


Then use:


bash
rar x file.rar # decompress
rar a archive.rar file.txt # compress


Although it is a command line, it is actually more convenient to use than many GUI tools, especially when batch processing. If you are used to WinRAR's graphical interface, FossZIP or The Unarchiver may be more suitable for you, but if you can accept the command line, this WinRAR alternative for Mac is actually quite useful! 😆

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What's the best WinRAR alternative for macOS?

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