File archiver with a high compression ratio and built-in encryption functionality.
Reviewed by Marco Wollank
7-Zip
7-zip.org 4.8 (8)
Rate 7-Zip: No account needed
Threat level
Covered
A covered pick. Anyone can use it as a private drop-in, with no setup or know-how. Enough for most people. Threat levels
Our take
Almost everyone already has it for archives, and the built-in AES-256 encryption on a 7z file is a perfectly respectable way to lock up a folder before sending it. Just know its lane: this is convenient archive encryption, not full-disk security or a key-management system, and the password is the entire defense. A pragmatic pick for password-protecting a zip; reach for VeraCrypt or a dedicated tool when the stakes are higher.
GitHub at a glance
ip7z/7zip Stars
4,391
+93 this week
Forks
486
52 watching
Last commit
13d ago
healthy
Latest release
26.05
13d ago, 17 total
Star history
Issues
20% closed
175
open
45
closed
+9 / -1
opened / closed, last 4 weeks
Opened vs closed, last 12 weeks
Commits, last 26 weeks
4 commits, active 4 of 26 weeks
1 contributor since Mar 2022
Languages
- C++ 78.8%
- C 18%
- Assembly 1.8%
- Other 1.4%
Updated daily from the GitHub API. Star tracking since Jun 22, 2026.
Website at a glance
7-zip.org
D score 30
Weak website security headers
Graded by Mozilla HTTP Observatory, tested today
Inspect this site yourself
Measures the security configuration of the tool's own website, not the privacy of the product itself. A strong tool can still score low here.
7-Zip alternatives
PrivacyNotes Encrypted notes, tasks, calendar, files, passwords and a journal with mood and medication tracking, all unlocked by one 12-word recovery phrase. Sign up with no email and no password. Open source.
FileVault FileVault is the built-in full-disk encryption feature in macOS. On Macs with Apple silicon or a T2 chip, data is encrypted by hardware by default; enabling FileVault adds a login-password gate that prevents decryption without your credentials.
BitLocker BitLocker is the built-in full-disk encryption feature in Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. It encrypts the operating system drive and fixed data drives using AES-XTS, with optional TPM-backed pre-boot authentication.
VERNAM A free, fully client-side file encryptor that runs in your browser. Drop in any file, set or generate a passphrase, and it seals the result into its own .vrn format. Nothing is ever uploaded, and it works offline.
VeraCrypt It can create a virtual encrypted disk that works just like a regular disk but within a file. It can also encrypt a partition or the entire storage device with pre-boot…
Cryptomator Cryptomator encrypts your data quickly and easily. Afterwards you upload them protected to a cloud service.