Rating: 5

Version tested: 3.4.0

TugZip is a poweful, full-featured 100% free compression/archiving program that supports all the major compression formats including ZIP, RAR, ACE and many others (see below).

TugZip is my definite choice for powerful, free compression program, for the following reasons:

• TugZip is a very powerful freeware compression tool rivaling 7-Zip in my experience.
• Allows you to extract multiple folders; each into its own folder or all in one folder.
• Can create self extracting archives (also includes a scripting tool for automated backups
• Allows drag and drop file compression/decompression.
• Supports all major compression formats; it can read AND write the following (7-ZIP, BZ2, CAB, LHA (LZH), SQX, TAR, TGZ, YZ1 and ZIP), and can read (only) the following: A, ACE, ARJ, CPIO, DEB, GCA, GZ, IMP, LIB, RAR, RPM, TBZ, and TAZ archives.
• The GUI looks pretty darn cool (this may seem like a minor point but to me it’s important).
• I really like the context (right click) menu commands, compared to way 7-Zip does it. There may be too many of these initially but I usually trim them for zip and rar support only (in options / configuration / system).
• Runs very fast and uses little resources (approx 10mb of memory used on runtime).
• Allows you to quickly browse compressed files in a nice explorer-like interface.
• Supports the Zip64 algorythm, which allows you to create archives up to 10 gigabytes in size (on NTFS partitions).
• Can repair corrupted ZIP archives.
• Can encrypt archives using 6 different algorythms (including Blowfish).

The following is a list of things that I could be changed to make this program even better:

• Upon first unstall it creates way too many context menu commands; thankfully this is easily changed in the program options as mentioned above.
• You will either really like or really disklike the TugZip default icons. I much prefer the alternative icon pack provided here, although for some reason they switch back to the original icons from time to time and I have to re-instate them.

I’ve tried numeous free compression programs including 7-Zip, IzArc, ZipGenius, QuickZip, ALzip and FilZip before finally settling on TugZip. If you are looking for a free WinRAR replacement that program will surely satisfy.

Compatibility: WinAll.

Go to the download page to download the latest version. The program home page.