If you have ever downloaded or transferred files, you have probably come across the most popular file formats for archiving compressed data: RAR and ZIP files. Both are compression algorithms that reduce file size without changing the content.
In this article, we explain the difference between ZIP and RAR files and whether one is better than the other.
Top 5 differences between RAR and ZIP
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Availability
ZIP has been around much longer than RAR. So it is not surprising that the ZIP archive format is supported by many operating systems: Windows, Mac OS X, DOS, Linux, to name a few. This is the main feature of the format: it can be unpacked by default on all major operating systems.
ZIP is also supported or extended by many other programs, such as 7-Zip (free) and WinZip (shareware). When you need an archive format that works almost everywhere, ZIP is an obvious choice.
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Licensing
The RAR file format is a proprietary format. A third-party software program, WinRAR, is required to open and extract RAR archive contents.
ZIP, on the other hand, is a format supported by many commercial tools, open-source tools, and libraries. You can use ZIP to compress and decompress files, and there is no need to worry about licensing.
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Compression speed
Another difference between ZIP and RAR formats is the speed of compressing files in the archive. Although both RAR and ZIP use very fast compression algorithms to compress and decompress content, they differ slightly in speed and efficiency.
ZIP compression is based on the Deflate lossless compression algorithm. ZIP compression and decompression are fast, whether you use software such as WinZip or the built-in ZIP support in Windows.
RAR compression with WinRAR, on the other hand, is often faster. The RAR format can compress a file more efficiently than the ZIP format. RAR archives are usually smaller than ZIP archives, making RAR a slightly better alternative.
Of course, results vary depending on the archiving application you use, the hardware you run it on, and the types of files you compress.
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Compression ratio
While it is hard to beat the accessibility of ZIP, the compression ratio of RAR is usually better. Using WinRAR often gives a very efficient ratio of compression size to compression time, with a high overall level of compression.
Despite the need for additional software, RAR can compress files more efficiently than ZIP. But keep in mind that the stronger the compression, the longer the process will take.
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Security
Another difference between RAR and ZIP is the ability to password protect the archive. RAR files require WinRAR to compress file contents, which also offers password encryption settings. The built-in support in Windows and macOS does not include password protection. Instead, third-party programs (like 7-Zip or WinZip) are required.
How secure password protection is in a ZIP or RAR file depends partly on the program used. WinRAR and 7-Zip, for example, use AES-256 encryption to protect your data. Security also depends heavily on password quality. A ZIP or RAR archive with AES-256 encryption and a strong, unique password will be securely archived.
Conclusion
RAR has an advantage over ZIP in terms of compression rate, lower data loss risk, stronger encryption, and speed. It also offers error recovery and supports file spanning. Although it is a proprietary format, RAR is a popular choice.
In terms of availability and ease of use, ZIP wins over RAR. ZIP has been around for a long time, making it even more common than RAR. In fact, most archives on the web are ZIP archives. If you need to send an archive to someone and are not sure which file compression app they use, it is usually safer to choose the ZIP format.
To compress and convert any file you have stored online, use the ZIP converter tool from Compress2Go.com. There is no need to download the file to your desktop first.