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File compression software is becoming increasingly important again as both individuals and businesses find themselves storing larger and larger amounts of data on local drives and cloud storage services. Compression combats the storage limits of those cloud backups, or those imposed by e-mail providers.
Perhaps the best feature of compression tools is the ability to encrypt files and protect them with a password – something you'll find in all the tools we've picked here. You can then keep track of them by using the best password manager.
In this guide, we'll take a look at a selection of the best tools, taking into account ones that offer the highest compression rates, and those that support the largest number of file types.
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Today's Best Deals WinZip System Utilities SuiteOne of the most famous names in the world of software utilities, WinZip is still going strong after nearly 30 years, and is still one of the best file compression tools around.
However, you may wonder if you can justify spending money on a compression tool when there are so many free alternatives available. Ultimately it depends on your priorities, but you do get a lot of extras for your money.
In addition to support for a wide range of archive formats (including ZIP, ZIPX, RAR (extraction only), 7z, TAR, GZIP, VHD and XZ), WinZip offers integration with a number of programs including Office for easy zipping as you work.
Other bonus features include the splitting of large zip files to fit different media, advanced file sharing options, cloud support and an advanced zip management system that rivals Windows Explorer. The interface adapts to suit mouse and keyboard setups or touchscreen devices, and there are backup and security options thrown in to protect your files.
WinZip is an incredibly useful tool to have in your software arsenal, and it's flexible enough to work in the way that suits you best – you can create and extract via the program interface, or using the program window.
And if you'd rather not pay money, we've featured the best free alternatives to Winzip.
Read our full WinZip review.
