Bandizip Tutorial: The Best-Looking Compression Tool (With Old Version Recommendation)
Bandizip: The Compression Tool That Was Once the Best-Looking but Then Went Paid
Solves in one sentence: Want a compression tool with a beautiful interface and simple operation? Bandizip is excellent, but the new version costs money. The old version still packs a punch.
What Is Bandizip?
Bandizip is a compression/decompression tool known for its beautiful interface and simple operation. Back when it was still free, many people abandoned 7-Zip for it — not because 7-Zip wasn’t good enough, but because Bandizip was simply so polished.
Some of its unique features:
- Auto extraction: Drag in an archive and it automatically extracts without needing to choose a directory
- Image preview inside archives: Browse images inside archives without extracting
- Right-click menu archive preview: See what’s inside an archive directly from the right-click menu
Current Status
Starting from v7.x, Bandizip became paid software. The free version now includes ads. However, the old version (v6.x) is still free to use without ads, which is why many long-time users continue to use it.
If you want a free, ad-free compression tool, here are some recommendations:
- Modern interface → NanaZip
- Ultimate compatibility → 7-Zip
- Open source, multi-format → PeaZip
- Just want Bandizip → Use v6.x old version
Download
- Official site: https://www.bandisoft.com/bandizip/
- Download the new free version (includes ads)
- Old version v6.x — search on your own. The open-source alternatives above are recommended first
Note: The new Bandizip free version includes ads. If you don’t mind, you can continue using it. If you do mind, NanaZip is recommended as an alternative.
Quick Start
- Use directly after installation
- Double-click an archive to browse its contents
- Drag files onto the program window to compress
- The right-click menu includes Bandizip quick action options