The Unarchiver review
A free, format-rich extractor with command-line tools but limited verified creation features.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
The Unarchiver is free archive extraction software from MacPaw, centered on a macOS application and supported by the unar and lsar command-line tools. It is suited to people who need to open downloaded, shared, or older archives across macOS, Windows, and Linux. The published Free plan includes no in-app purchases and a macOS application, while command-line availability extends the underlying tools to all three platforms.
Its main strength is format breadth. The Unarchiver extracts ZIP, ZIPX, RAR, 7z, TAR, Gzip, Bzip2, LZMA, XZ, CAB, MSI, NSIS, EXE, ISO, BIN, MDF, NRG, CDI, and many legacy or specialized formats. The supported list also includes formats such as StuffIt, ARJ, Amiga images, RPM, DEB, WARC, and NDS. It handles encrypted ZIP and RAR archives, filenames containing non-Latin characters, self-extracting ZIP and RAR EXE files, and basic split files named .001, .002, and similar. That makes it a focused choice for opening varied archives rather than a general file-packaging suite.
Platform fit depends on how you work. macOS users get the dedicated application, while Windows and Linux users rely on unar and lsar command-line tools; the Windows command-line version is described as slightly outdated. The command-line option is useful for scripted or terminal-based extraction, but it is not a GUI replacement on those platforms. Choose The Unarchiver when free extraction and unusual-format coverage matter most. Choose another tool when you need a full graphical archive workflow across every listed operating system or need verified emphasis on creating archives.
The Unarchiver pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Handles common, legacy, specialized, and disk-image formats
- Supports encrypted archives, non-Latin filenames, and split-file joining
- Includes unar and lsar command-line tools for macOS, Windows, and Linux
- Where it doesn't
- The official macOS app emphasizes extraction rather than archive creation
- Windows and Linux availability is through command-line tools, not a GUI
- The Windows command-line version is described as slightly outdated
The Unarchiver fact sheet, pricing and score →
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