PeaZipLinux
vs
WinRARWindows
PeaZip as a Linux alternative to WinRAR
Updated
Our verdict
PeaZip is a solid, free replacement for WinRAR on Linux. It handles the core tasks: extracting and creating RAR, ZIP, and 7Z files, plus encryption and multi-part archives. The integrated file manager is a bonus, offering tabs and search that WinRAR lacks. While it doesn't create self-extracting archives, it covers 95% of daily archiving needs. If you rely heavily on RAR creation or specific WinRAR CLI flags, you might miss them, but for most users switching from Windows, the transition is smooth and cost-free.
- License
- LGPL-3.0-only
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 11.4.0 (October 17, 2026)
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Supports extraction and creation of RAR, ZIP, and 7Z formats
- Handles multi-part archives and split files
- Provides password encryption for archives
- Integrates with the file system for drag-and-drop operations
What is different
- PeaZip is free and open-source, while WinRAR is proprietary
- PeaZip includes a built-in file manager with tabs and viewers
- PeaZip does not create self-extracting archives (SFX)
- PeaZip supports over 200 formats, including modern ones like Zstd and ZPAQ
Opening your WinRAR files
PeaZip fully supports reading and writing RAR and ZIP files, ensuring complete compatibility with archives created in WinRAR. You can extract WinRAR-compressed files without issues and create new RAR or ZIP archives that open correctly in Windows. Since it uses standard compression algorithms, there is no data loss or format incompatibility when moving files between the two applications.
Switching from WinRAR to PeaZip, step by step
- Install PeaZip via your package manager or Flathub
- Import your WinRAR settings if you have a backup, or configure defaults manually
- Test extracting a complex multi-part RAR file to verify integrity
- Create a new encrypted ZIP file and test opening it on a Windows machine
- Add PeaZip as the default handler for archive files in your file manager
Key features of PeaZip
- Supports over 200 archive formats, including 7Z, RAR, ZIP, TAR, XZ, ZPAQ, Zstd, and PEA
- Integrated file manager with tabs, bookmarks, and search
- Built-in viewers for text, hex, and images
- Archive encryption with optional two-factor authentication
- Duplicate file finder and content filtering
- Convert between archive formats without extraction
- Scripting engine to export GUI tasks as CLI commands
- Cross-platform: works on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD
How to install PeaZip on Linux
flatpak install flathub io.github.peazip.PeaZipsudo dnf install peazipsudo pacman -S peazipsudo zypper install peazipFrequently asked questions
Can PeaZip create RAR files?
Yes, PeaZip can create RAR archives, though it is primarily known for its native PEA format and open standards like ZIP and 7Z. RAR creation works reliably for standard use cases.
Does PeaZip support self-extracting archives?
No, PeaZip does not support creating self-extracting (SFX) archives. If this is a critical feature for you, you may need to stick with a Windows-specific tool or use a different Linux archiver that supports this niche feature.
Is PeaZip faster than WinRAR?
Performance varies by format and hardware. For standard ZIP and RAR operations, the difference is negligible for most users. PeaZip leverages open-source libraries like 7-Zip, which are highly optimized for compression and decompression.
