This matrix is a source-verified reference for readers comparing PeaZip, 7-Zip, and WinRAR by exact archive capabilities rather than broad labels such as “RAR support” or “portable.” It separates archive creation from extraction, verified feature support from unverified assumptions, and vendor-documented facts from performance or security claims SoftVerza did not test.
Quick Verified Matrix
Last verified: October 14, 2026. Status meanings: SUPPORTED means first-party documentation directly confirms the specified capability. NOT SUPPORTED means first-party documentation explicitly establishes that limitation. NOT VERIFIED means the reviewed official evidence was not specific enough for a reliable yes/no conclusion. Not verified does not mean not supported.
| Capability | PeaZip | 7-Zip | WinRAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current stable release | SUPPORTED: 11.3.0, September 26, 2026. | SUPPORTED: 26.04, October 5, 2026. | SUPPORTED: 7.23 Final, June 30, 2026. 7.30 Beta 1 is listed separately as beta. |
| Cost model | SUPPORTED: Free. | SUPPORTED: Free; no registration or payment required. | SUPPORTED: try-before-you-buy; maximum 40-day no-charge evaluation before license required for continued use. |
| License model | SUPPORTED: GNU LGPLv3 open source. | SUPPORTED: mainly GNU LGPL, with BSD-licensed parts and unRAR restriction for some code. | SUPPORTED: proprietary/commercial license from win.rar GmbH. |
| Create ZIP archives | SUPPORTED: ZIP is listed among write-supported formats. | SUPPORTED: ZIP is listed under packing/unpacking formats. | SUPPORTED: WinRAR product documentation says users can RAR or ZIP files. |
| Create 7z archives | SUPPORTED: 7Z is listed among write-supported formats. | SUPPORTED: 7z is a native packing/unpacking format. | NOT VERIFIED: official WinRAR sources reviewed confirm RAR/ZIP creation and 7z processing context, but did not directly confirm native 7z creation. |
| Create RAR without external RAR backend | NOT SUPPORTED: official PeaZip documentation states autonomous RAR compression is not possible and requires WinRAR/Rar.exe or RAR tool as a separate product. | NOT SUPPORTED: 7-Zip lists RAR as unpacking-only. | SUPPORTED: WinRAR documentation says WinRAR can create RAR archives. |
| Extract RAR archives | SUPPORTED: PeaZip lists RAR/RAR5 opening/extraction support. | SUPPORTED: RAR is listed as unpacking-only. | SUPPORTED: WinRAR product/FAQ documentation covers opening/extracting RAR archives. |
| Archive encryption | SUPPORTED WITH SCOPE: supports encryption for supported formats/backends, including strong encryption and optional two-factor/keyfile features where format permits. | SUPPORTED WITH SCOPE: AES-256 encryption in 7z and ZIP formats. | SUPPORTED WITH SCOPE: AES-256 password protection for archives, including metadata according to WinRAR product documentation. |
| WinRAR-style RAR Recovery Record | NOT VERIFIED AS EQUIVALENT: official PeaZip sources reviewed do not directly confirm an equivalent RAR Recovery Record mechanism. | NOT VERIFIED AS EQUIVALENT: official 7-Zip sources reviewed include 7z recovery guidance but do not confirm WinRAR-style RAR Recovery Record creation. | SUPPORTED: WinRAR documents adding a Recovery Record to RAR archives. |
| Split / multi-volume workflow | SUPPORTED: PeaZip file-splitting documentation describes file spanning, split/join files, and spanned archive sets. | SUPPORTED: 7-Zip recovery documentation describes File Manager “Split file…” and .001/.002/.003 parts. | SUPPORTED: WinRAR product page lists split archives and multivolume archives. |
| Self-extracting archive workflow | SUPPORTED WITH SCOPE: official PeaZip portable page lists SFX self-extracting archives among supported features/formats. | SUPPORTED WITH SCOPE: 7-Zip documents self-extracting capability for 7z format. | SUPPORTED: WinRAR product page lists self-extracting archive creation. |
| Dedicated archive conversion | SUPPORTED: PeaZip documents archive conversion and lists “convert archives” among features. | NOT VERIFIED AS COMPARABLE DEDICATED GUI WORKFLOW: reviewed official 7-Zip sources did not directly document a comparable dedicated archive conversion command. | SUPPORTED: RARLAB/WinRAR change documentation references the “Convert archives” command. |
| Dedicated no-install portable GUI package | SUPPORTED: PeaZip Portable is documented as a standalone no-install package. | NOT VERIFIED AS EQUIVALENT: 7-Zip download page lists installers and extra console/DLL/plugin packages, but not a current full dedicated portable GUI package. | NOT VERIFIED AS CURRENT DEDICATED PORTABLE GUI PACKAGE: reviewed official WinRAR sources did not document a current dedicated portable GUI package. |
| File-manager GUI | SUPPORTED: PeaZip describes a full-featured file manager and archive manager GUI. | SUPPORTED: 7-Zip lists a powerful File Manager. | SUPPORTED: WinRAR product screenshots and FAQ distinguish shell mode / graphical interface from command-line RAR. |
| Command-line workflow | SUPPORTED: PeaZip documents exporting GUI-defined jobs as command-line scripts. | SUPPORTED: 7-Zip lists a powerful command line version and downloadable console packages. | SUPPORTED: WinRAR FAQ documents rar.exe command-line mode and WinRAR shell mode. |
Creation vs Extraction: Why the Difference Matters
Archive tools often advertise support for many formats, but “support” can mean different things. A tool may create a format, extract it, open it for viewing, or only process it through an external backend. The most important example in this comparison is RAR: PeaZip and 7-Zip can extract RAR archives, but current official documentation does not make them autonomous RAR creators. WinRAR is the tool in this matrix with first-party documentation confirming native RAR creation.
RAR Creation
PeaZip’s own RAR creation page says native free/open-source RAR compression is not possible under current RAR licensing terms and that PeaZip can create RAR only by calling a separately installed RAR backend such as WinRAR’s Rar.exe. 7-Zip lists RAR under unpacking-only formats. WinRAR’s product page directly states that WinRAR can create RAR archives.
Encryption
All three tools have official encryption evidence, but the scope differs. PeaZip documents strong encryption and two-factor/keyfile features for supported formats. 7-Zip documents AES-256 encryption in 7z and ZIP formats. WinRAR documents AES-256 password protection for archives. This matrix does not rank cryptographic strength or claim one tool is “more secure” overall.
Recovery Records
WinRAR has a documented RAR Recovery Record workflow. PeaZip and 7-Zip may have other testing, repair, or recovery-related features, but the official sources reviewed here did not verify an equivalent WinRAR-style RAR Recovery Record creation feature for those tools. For that reason, their status is “not verified as equivalent,” not “no recovery support.”
Split / Multi-Volume Archives
All three products have official evidence for split or multi-volume workflows. PeaZip documents split/join volume handling. 7-Zip’s official recovery guide shows File Manager split-file examples using numbered parts. WinRAR lists split archives and multivolume archives among product features.
Archive Conversion
PeaZip documents archive conversion as a feature. WinRAR/RARLAB change documentation references the Convert archives command. For 7-Zip, the official sources reviewed in this pass did not directly document a comparable dedicated GUI archive-conversion workflow, so the matrix marks it as not verified in that exact form.
Portable Use
PeaZip has a documented no-install PeaZip Portable package. 7-Zip provides installers and extra console/DLL/plugin packages, but the reviewed official download page did not directly document a current full dedicated portable GUI package equivalent to PeaZip Portable. The reviewed WinRAR sources did not document a current dedicated portable GUI package, so that claim is not verified here.
Pricing and Licensing
PeaZip is documented as free/open-source software under GNU LGPLv3. 7-Zip is free/open-source, but its licensing should not be simplified to pure LGPL: official 7-Zip licensing notes include GNU LGPL, BSD-licensed parts, and unRAR restriction for some code. WinRAR is proprietary trialware: the EULA describes a maximum 40-day no-charge test period before a license is required for continued use.
Which Tool Fits Which Requirement?
Use this as a feature-matching reference rather than a universal ranking. PeaZip is strong when you want a free/open-source GUI with broad format handling, conversion, portable packaging, and script export. 7-Zip is strong when you want free 7z/ZIP creation, 7z AES-256 encryption, a Windows file manager, and command-line tooling. WinRAR is the most directly documented choice here for native RAR creation, RAR Recovery Record workflows, and commercial RAR-oriented workflows.
Methodology
Last verified: October 14, 2026. This article uses current first-party publisher/project documentation from PeaZip, 7-Zip, WinRAR, and RARLAB. It does not use download portals, scraped comparison pages, AI summaries, or third-party blogs as factual evidence.
SUPPORTED means official documentation directly confirms the specified capability. NOT SUPPORTED means official documentation explicitly establishes the specified limitation. NOT VERIFIED means available official evidence was insufficient for a reliable yes/no conclusion. Not verified does not mean not supported.
SoftVerza did not conduct controlled compression-ratio testing, compression-speed testing, extraction-speed testing, RAM/memory benchmarking, malware testing, cryptographic-strength testing, or general security benchmarking for this matrix. Vendor performance claims are not presented as SoftVerza test results.
Limitations
- Software capabilities may change between releases.
- GUI and command-line packages may expose different features.
- Windows, Linux, and macOS packages may not expose identical workflows.
- Historical documentation does not prove a current downloadable package exists.
- This matrix should be rechecked after major PeaZip, 7-Zip, WinRAR, or RARLAB releases.
Official Sources / Further Reading
- PeaZip official site
- PeaZip changelog
- PeaZip RAR creation explanation
- PeaZip file splitting and spanned volumes
- PeaZip Portable
- PeaZip command-line scripting
- 7-Zip official site
- 7-Zip download page
- 7z format documentation
- 7-Zip recovery/split examples
- 7-Zip license text
- WinRAR product features
- WinRAR latest news
- WinRAR EULA
- WinRAR Recovery Record FAQ
- WinRAR command-line and shell mode FAQ
- RARLAB What’s New documentation
Related SoftVerza references: PeaZip profile, 7-Zip profile, WinRAR profile, PeaZip review, PeaZip vs 7-Zip, PeaZip vs WinRAR, 7-Zip review, and 7-Zip vs WinRAR.