BetterZip

BetterZip Software Review

BetterZip is a long-standing and well-regarded file archiver specifically designed for macOS. It goes beyond the basic capabilities of the built-in archiving functions in macOS, offering a comprehensive suite of tools for managing compressed files. User Interface and Ease of Use: The user interface of BetterZip is clean, intuitive, and feels native to macOS. The main window presents a clear view of the contents of an opened archive, similar to a Finder window. Navigating within archives is straightforward, and common operations like adding or extracting files are easily accessible through buttons, menus, or drag and drop. The application integrates well with the Finder context menu, providing quick access to compress or extract files directly from your file browser. This level of integration significantly streamlines workflows for users who frequently work with archives. Core Functionality: At its core, BetterZip excels at handling a wide variety of archive formats. Users can create and extract ZIP, TAR, GZIP, BZIP2, 7-ZIP, and RAR (extraction only of commercial RAR archives due to licensing) archives, among many others. The inclusion of support for less common formats is particularly beneficial for users who receive archives from various sources. One of BetterZip's standout features is its ability to directly manipulate files within archives without requiring a full extraction. This means you can open an archive, view its structure, add new files, delete existing ones, or even edit individual files in your preferred application and save the changes directly back to the archive. This is a major time-saver, especially when dealing with large archives where extracting everything would be time-consuming and consume significant disk space. Previewing files within archives using Quick Look integration is another valuable feature. This allows for a quick glance at images, documents, or other supported file types without the need for extraction, further enhancing efficiency. Advanced Features and Security: BetterZip offers robust security features, primarily through its support for strong encryption. It fully supports AES-256 encryption for ZIP and 7-ZIP archives, providing a high level of data protection. The application includes a password manager to securely store frequently used passwords for encrypted archives, which is convenient for users who manage multiple protected files. The ability to verify the encryption strength of existing archives adds an extra layer of confidence. For users who need more control, BetterZip provides detailed options for creating archives, including selecting compression levels, choosing specific algorithms, and splitting archives into smaller parts for easier transfer or storage. The queue management system is useful for handling multiple operations, allowing the application to process them sequentially without user intervention. Performance: Performance is generally good, with compression and extraction speeds comparable to other leading archiving utilities. The efficiency of the direct archive manipulation and partial extraction features significantly contributes to overall perceived performance by reducing unnecessary operations. Limitations and Considerations: As a trialware product, BetterZip requires a purchase for continued use after the trial period. While the trial is generous, this is a factor for users seeking a free solution. The user interface, while clean, might feel slightly less modern compared to some newer applications, though its functionality is certainly not lacking. Conclusion: BetterZip is a highly capable and well-designed file archiver for macOS. Its comprehensive format support, direct archive manipulation, robust encryption, and seamless macOS integration make it a powerful tool for anyone who regularly works with compressed files. While it is a paid application, the features it provides significantly enhance productivity and security, making it a worthwhile investment for both casual and power users. The ability to manage archives without constantly extracting and re-compressing files stands out as a key differentiator and a major benefit.