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ZIP vs 7Z
7z compresses harder, ZIP opens anywhere.
Choose ZIP when
Anything you send to somebody else. Every operating system opens a ZIP without installing anything.
Choose 7Z when
Your own archives, where a noticeably smaller file is worth needing a specific tool to open it.
The thing that catches people out
The difference is largest on text and source code and smallest on media, which is already compressed. Re-archiving a folder of photographs saves almost nothing either way.
Side by side
| ZIP | 7Z | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | ZIP Archive | 7-Zip Archive |
| Extension | .zip | .7z |
| Media type | application/zip | application/x-7z-compressed |
| Compression | Lossless — nothing is discarded | Lossless — nothing is discarded |
| This site can write it | Yes | Yes |
Decided? Convert it here
Where these figures come from
The claims this page makes about ZIP and 7Z are checkable, and these are the documents that settle them.