Zip Vs. RAR: Understand the Difference Between ZIP and RAR
Various types of file formats exist in the computer systems that we use. Out of all of them, we use the archive file formats for storing various types of files into a single container. RAR and ZIP are basically archive file formats. There is a significant difference between ZIP and RAR. Here, ZIP is a standard type of format that any OS can enable. On the other hand, we need various supplementary tools to process any given RAR file format.
What is ZIP?
ZIP is a type of archive file format that provides support for lossless data compression. Phil Katz developed this format back in 1989. The ZIP format is pretty popular among all, and several software utilities support it. For example, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows come with built-in support for ZIP. The best part about the ZIP file format is that one can easily open it with any of the programs that create these files.
In other words, ZIP files act as containers of data- with various files compressed together (zipped) with the help of Zip compression. The ZIP archives, along with file compression, also help in file encryption (with passwords). They can also split the archives in no time. One can zip or compress various files together using various methods like DEFLATE, BZIP2, PPMd, WavPack, LZMA, etc.
What is RAR?
The term RAR files is an acronym for Roshal Archive Compressed files. It is basically a file format of proprietary archive type. A RAR file is capable of containing various files as well as folders together. But you can’t open a RAR file just like that. You would need third-party software for opening and extracting the content present in the archive.
In other words, RAR is a type of native format (file format) of the archiver of WinRAR that can easily store multiple files after compressing them. All we need to do here is unpack the content present in a RAR file format for accessing the files present in it. In general, the RAR format works way better than the ZIP format default support in compressing data.
Difference Between ZIP and RAR
| Parameters | ZIP | RAR |
| Meaning and Basics | ZIP is a standard type of file format that can easily work with various types of implementations. | RAR is a proprietary type of file format that requires any third-party software to function on any given system. |
| Developer | Phil Katz developed the ZIP file format. | Eugene Roshal developed the RAR file format. |
| Year of Invention | The ZIP files came into existence in 1986. | The RAR files came into existence in 1993. |
| Rate of Compression | The rate of compression in ZIP files is low. | The rate of compression in RAR files is high. |
| Support for Software | The operating system can alone handle the decompression, opening, and extraction of the ZIP files. | One requires various third-party software for handling the RAR files. |
| Decomposition | The process of decomposition is impractical in the case of ZIP files. | Decomposition is possible in the case of RAR files. |
| Extension and Filename | The .zipx and .zip is the filename extension for ZIP format. | The .r01, .r00, .rev, .rar are the filename extensions for RAR format. |
| Protection (Password-Based) | The ZIP files provide password-based protection for its content. | The RAR files do not provide password-based protection for the content present in them. |
| Programs for Creation | One can create ZIP files using various programs like Freebyte Zip, WinZIP, WinRAR, etc. | The creation of RAR programs depends on just one program, i.e., WinRAR. |
| Encryption Algorithm | This file format makes use of the ZIP 2.0 algorithm for encryption. It is relatively weaker. | The RAR file format makes use of a much more efficient algorithm for encryption, known as AES-128. |
| Compression Algorithm | The ZIP file format makes use of the DEFLATE algorithm for compressing data. It is much less efficient as compared to the newer methods of compression. | The RAR file format makes use of a compression algorithm. It is comparatively much more efficient and substantially better than the DEFLATE method of compression in ZIP. |
| The Popularity of File Format | The ZIP format is comparatively much more popular because it came into existence much long ago. Thus, a lot of archive files present on the internet are ZIP files. | The RAR file format is comparatively new. Thus, it is not as popular as the ZIP format. Still, it is very popular. |
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FAQs
ZIP is a standard type of file format that can easily work with various types of implementations. RAR is a proprietary type of file format that requires any third-party software to function on any given system. Phil Katz developed the ZIP file format.
Which is better, RAR or ZIP? ›
Typically, the RAR format provides better compression than ZIP, especially in the solid mode. WinRAR multi-volume archives in the RAR format allow more functions such as self-extracting archives.
Why do people use RAR and not ZIP? ›
RAR is generally better at data compression than the default support for ZIP files. ZIP is an archive file format created by Phil Katz as a standard format for lossless data compression. RAR is a proprietary archive file format for lossless data compression developed by Eugene Roshal.
Can you convert a RAR to ZIP? ›
Can I convert RAR files? WinZip lets you convert RAR files into other archive file formats such as ZIP and Zipx files. This is ideal for when you are working with somebody who doesn't have WinZip.
Can you open RAR files with ZIP? ›
Right-click the RAR file you want to convert and select Open with > WinZip. Click the down arrow next to Unzip to and select the folder location where you want to save the contents. Then click Unzip to start unpackaging the original .
Should I replace WinRAR with 7zip? ›
Is WinRAR better than 7-Zip? WinRAR can provide a faster speed and a variety of decompressed formats than 7-Zip. However, it's not free and can support only ZIP and RAR for compression. Meanwhile, 7-Zip can zip and unzip on Mac and PC both.
Can Windows open RAR files? ›
Native RAR support for Windows 11
But Windows 11 actually features built-in support for RAR, so there's no need for specialized extraction tools. Here's how to open a RAR file with Windows 11: Step 1: Launch File Explorer and locate the RAR file you'd like to extract. Then, double-click to open the RAR.
Do people still use RAR? ›
Yes. People who don't know any better alternatives continue to use it, and continue to recommend it to other people.
Why can't I use RAR files? ›
If you can't open a RAR file, it's probably because you don't have the right software. Windows, macOS, and other standard operating systems do not have an integrated RAR extraction tool. To open a RAR file, you need to download an app.
What are the benefits of RAR files? ›
RAR file compression offers several benefits, including smaller file sizes, faster file transfer, better file organization, password protection, and multiple compression options. If you need to save disk space or transfer files over the internet, RAR file compression is a great option.
Zipping a file using the built in Windows function:
- Locate the file or folder that you want to zip.
- Press and hold (or right-click) the file or folder, select (or point to) Send to, and then select Compressed (zipped) folder.
- A new zipped folder with the same name is created in the same location.
The main features of 7-Zip
Unpacking only: APFS, AR, ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, CramFS, DMG, EXT, FAT, GPT, HFS, IHEX, ISO, LZH, LZMA, MBR, MSI, NSIS, NTFS, QCOW2, RAR, RPM, SquashFS, UDF, UEFI, VDI, VHD, VHDX, VMDK, XAR and Z.
Why use ZIP instead of RAR? ›
ZIP is a standard type of file format that can easily work with various types of implementations. RAR is a proprietary type of file format that requires any third-party software to function on any given system.
Can Windows 10 open RAR files by default? ›
rar files are not natively supported by Windows, and that another software is required to open them. Note: This is a non-Microsoft website.
Should I use WinZip or WinRAR? ›
Both RAR and Zip files are useful when it comes to organizing and transferring files, but each file type has its limitations. To take full advantage of the benefits of all compressed file types, WinZip is a Windows user's best bet.
Which compression method is best? ›
Maximum compression speed results
At maximum compression level, ZIPX is the fastest format, followed by RAR, ARC, and 7Z, ZPAQ being the slowest. Using moderate compression settings, RAR and ARC emerge as the fastest formats.
What is the most secure ZIP format? ›
256-bit AES is stronger than 128-bit AES, but both of them can provide significantly greater security than the standard Zip 2.0 method described below. An advantage of 128-bit AES is that it is slightly faster than 256-bit AES, that is, it takes less time to encrypt or decrypt a file.
Are zip files better? ›
Zipped (compressed) files take up less storage space and can be transferred to other computers more quickly than uncompressed files. In Windows, you work with zipped files and folders in the same way that you work with uncompressed files and folders.
