BetterZip alternatives for Mac
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
If $35 for BetterZip 6 is more than you want to spend on archives, Keka is the best free replacement for creating 7z and ZIP files, and The Unarchiver is free for opening almost anything. FileDial is a paid middle option that makes, splits, locks and checks archives from a Finder dial alongside PDF and photo tools. None edits inside archives like BetterZip.
Why people look for a BetterZip 6 alternative
- Price: $35 is a lot if you only zip and unzip a few times a month, when free tools cover the basics.
- Requirements: BetterZip 6 needs macOS 13.5 or later.
- Upgrade cost: major versions are paid upgrades, $15 from version 5, per MacItBetter's buy page.
About BetterZip 6: An archive manager from MacItBetter that previews, edits, creates and extracts archives, with a Quick Look extension, presets and AES-256 encryption. Platforms: Mac, macOS 13.5 or later for BetterZip 6.. Price: $35 personal license (up to five Macs in one household); upgrades $15 from version 5; 30-day full trial and 30-day money-back guarantee; also in Setapp.. Where files are processed: A desktop app that works on archives on your Mac.
Every BetterZip 6 tool, and its FileDial equivalent
| BetterZip 6 | FileDial (offline) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Preview archive contents | Extract › List contents | Writes a text listing; nothing is extracted |
| Extract | Extract › Extract here | Into a folder named after the archive; the note does not list formats |
| Extract encrypted archives | Extract › Extract with password… | Into a folder named after the archive |
| Open split files | Archive › Join split parts | Finds the other parts next to this one and writes the whole file |
| Create ZIP | Archive › Make ZIP | New copy beside the original |
| Create 7-Zip | Archive › Make 7Z | New copy beside the original |
| Create TGZ | Archive › Make TAR.GZ | New copy beside the original |
| Create DMG | Archive › Make disk image (DMG) | Compressed read-only DMG |
| Create ISO | Archive › Make ISO | ISO 9660 + Joliet image |
| Create Zstandard | Archive › Compress with Zstandard | file.zst with the zstd tool when it's installed, else .tar.zst |
| AES-256 encryption | Archive › ZIP with password… | Stronger (AES-256) needs 7-Zip or The Unarchiver |
What FileDial does not replace:
- Editing and browsing inside archives: BetterZip adds, deletes, renames and edits files in place, saves external edits back to the archive, previews through a Quick Look extension and shows image archives and comics without extracting. FileDial only writes a text listing.
- Passwords and presets: BetterZip has a built-in password manager and presets usable from several places, including the command line.
- Formats: BetterZip creates TBZ, TXZ, TZ, Brotli and XAR, opens winmail.dat, and can create RAR with an external utility. FileDial's extract note does not list formats.
Details about BetterZip 6 come from its own website, checked 2026-11-09. FileDial tool names match the app exactly.
The best BetterZip 6 alternatives for Mac
1. Keka
Keka creates 7Z, ZIP, TAR, GZIP, BZIP2, XZ, LZIP, DMG, ISO, Brotli, Zstandard, LRZIP, AAR and WIM and extracts about 32 formats including RAR. It encrypts 7z with AES-256 and can split archives. It runs on Mac OS X 10.10 or newer.
- Free, with a long list of formats to create
- Drop files on the Dock icon to compress
- ZIP passwords use legacy Zip 2.0 encryption, per its site
- Archives only
2. The Unarchiver
MacPaw's free extractor lists ZIP, ZIPX, RAR (including encrypted and multi-volume), 7z, CAB, ISO and BIN images, plus old Mac formats such as StuffIt and Compact Pro. It needs macOS 10.13 or later.
- Very wide format list, including legacy Mac formats
- Free, on the Mac App Store or as a direct download
- Built for extracting; its site describes opening archives, not making them
3. FileDial
FileDial makes ZIP, 7Z, TAR.GZ, DMG and ISO archives, splits them with Archive › Split into 1 GB ZIP parts, locks them with Archive › ZIP with password…, and checks them with Developer › Test archive integrity. It works on 2 Macs for $20 once.
- Integrity checks, checksums and listings
- Same app covers PDFs, photos and video
- Needs macOS 14 or later on an Apple silicon Mac
- Cannot browse or edit files inside an archive
4. Finder (Archive Utility, built in)
Apple's guide: Control-click a file or folder and choose Compress to make a .zip, or double-click a .zip to expand it into the same folder. Several items go into Archive.zip.
- Nothing to install
- ZIP opens everywhere
- ZIP only from the Compress command
- No passwords, splitting or format choice
What only BetterZip does
BetterZip's strength is working inside archives. MacItBetter lists a free Quick Look extension to preview contents in Finder, an image viewer for image archives and comics, in-place adding, deleting and renaming, external edits saved back into the archive, presets, AES-256 encryption and a password manager. If you handle archives as part of your work, for example editing a file inside a client's ZIP, it is worth the price and none of the alternatives below replaces it.
A personal license covers up to five Macs in one household, which is generous, and there is a 30-day full trial.
Free replacements for the basics
Most people use an archiver for two things: making a ZIP or 7z, and opening something a person sent them. Keka does the first for free, creating 7Z, ZIP, TAR, DMG, ISO, Zstandard and other formats, with AES-256 for 7z and splitting. The Unarchiver does the second for free, with a very long list of formats including RAR and legacy Mac archives. Together they cost nothing.
Where FileDial fits
FileDial is not a better BetterZip. It is a broader Mac tool whose archive jobs are single steps: Archive › Make 7Z, Archive › ZIP each file separately, Archive › Deliverable package…, which makes a ZIP with a README.txt and a SHA-256 manifest inside, and Extract › List contents to see what is in an archive without extracting it.
The case for it is the rest of the dial. If you also compress PDFs, convert photos or shrink videos, the same app handles those, offline, for $20 once.
- Select the archive in Finder.
- Hold the right Option key and move to Extract.
- Choose Extract › List contents to read what is inside.
- Then choose Extract › Extract here, or Extract › Extract with password… for a locked archive.
- Open the folder named after the archive.
Older Macs and licensing
Requirements narrow the field. BetterZip 6 needs macOS 13.5 or later, FileDial needs macOS 14 or later on an Apple silicon Mac, and Keka and The Unarchiver both run on much older systems. If you manage a household of Macs, BetterZip's five-Mac personal license is generous; FileDial's license covers 2 Macs; Keka and The Unarchiver cost nothing on any number.
Finder for plain ZIP
If you only ever see ZIP files, you may not need an app at all. Apple's guide shows how: Control-click and choose Compress to make one, double-click to open one. Add Keka or The Unarchiver when a 7z or RAR arrives.
Questions
Is there a free alternative to BetterZip?
Yes, two cover most uses. Keka is free from its site and creates 7Z, ZIP, TAR, DMG, ISO and other archives. The Unarchiver is free and opens a very wide range of formats, including RAR. Neither edits files inside an archive, which is BetterZip's main advantage.
How much does BetterZip cost?
MacItBetter lists BetterZip 6 at $35 for a personal license covering up to five Macs in one household. Upgrades are $15 from version 5, $20 from version 4 and $25 from older versions. There is a 30-day trial, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and it is also offered through Setapp.
Can I see what is in a ZIP without extracting it on a Mac?
Yes. BetterZip's Quick Look extension previews contents in Finder. FileDial's Extract › List contents writes a text listing and extracts nothing. In Terminal, the built-in unzip command with the -l option lists a ZIP's contents. Listing first is a good habit for archives from unknown senders, because you see file names and types before anything lands on your disk.
Does BetterZip 6 run on older macOS versions?
MacItBetter's BetterZip 6 announcement says it requires macOS 13.5 or later. FileDial needs macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon. Keka runs on Mac OS X 10.10 or newer and The Unarchiver on macOS 10.13 or later, so they suit older Macs.