Keka vs The Unarchiver

Keka can create archives in 14+ formats including 7Z, ZIP, TAR, GZIP, BZIP2, XZ, LZIP, DMG, ISO, BROTLI, ZSTD, LRZIP, AAR, and WIM. Offers customizable compression levels and the ability to create encrypted archives.

The Unarchiver is extraction-only and cannot create archives of any format. This is a fundamental limitation for users who need to compress files for sharing or storage.

Keka extracts 30+ formats including 7Z, ZIP, ZIPX, RAR, TAR, GZIP, BZIP2, XZ, LZIP, DMG, ISO, BROTLI, ZSTD, LRZIP, LZMA, EXE, CAB, WIM, MSI, PAX, JAR, WAR, IPA, XIP, APK, APPX, XPI, WPRESS, IS3, CPGZ, CPIO, CPT, and SPK.

The Unarchiver supports 50+ formats including all common archives plus many legacy and obscure formats like ARJ, LZH, StuffIt (SIT), Compact Pro, and various disk image formats that Keka may not handle.

Offers AES-256 encryption for 7z files and Zip 2.0 legacy encryption for ZIP files. Users can set passwords easily through the interface, making Keka ideal for sharing sensitive documents securely.

Can extract password-protected archives including encrypted ZIP and RAR files. However, it cannot create encrypted archives—only extract them. Supports batch password entry for multiple files with the same password.

Offers seamless drag-and-drop compression from the Dock icon, optional Finder context menu integration via KekaExternalHelper, and clean extraction directly to the source folder or a custom location. Supports macOS 10.10+.

Integrates so seamlessly it feels like part of macOS. Automatically handles archive file associations without launching a main window. Opens files directly from Finder with a simple double-click, just like Apple's built-in Archive Utility but with far broader format support.

Fully optimized for Apple Silicon (M3/M4) with native performance. Fast compression and extraction across all supported formats. Splitting and joining large files is efficient and preserves data integrity.

Known for exceptional extraction speed—reviews consistently note it matches or exceeds Apple's built-in utility while handling many more formats. Very lightweight with minimal resource usage during extraction.

Features a clean, native macOS interface with options for compression level, format selection, password protection, and file splitting. The main window appears when needed, and Dock-based drag-and-drop is intuitive.

Essentially invisible—no main interface to learn. Double-click an archive and it extracts. Preferences are accessed through System Settings, keeping the user experience completely streamlined and distraction-free.

Can split large files into multiple smaller pieces for easier sharing via email or cloud storage. It can also rejoin split files back into the original. This is a unique feature not commonly found in free archive tools.

Does not support file splitting or joining. Users needing to break large files into smaller chunks must use another tool like Keka.

Completely free from the official website. The $5.99 Mac App Store version is identical but supports development and provides automatic updates. No subscriptions, in-app purchases, or feature limitations in either version.

Completely free with no paid tiers, in-app purchases, or advertisements. Available on both the Mac App Store and the developer's website at no cost. Full functionality without any payment required.