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CabPack

CabPack

CabPack is an open-source alternative to WinZip and WinRAR for compressing and decompressing files in Windows. It supports common compression formats like ZIP, RAR, 7Z, and more.
File Management Compression
compression archiving zip rar 7z
CabPack screenshot
Features Reviews Alternatives

CabPack: Open-Source Compression Alternative

CabPack is an open-source alternative to WinZip and WinRAR for compressing and decompressing files in Windows. It supports common compression formats like ZIP, RAR, 7Z, and more.

What is CabPack?

CabPack is a free, open-source file archiver for Windows that can create and extract archives in various formats including ZIP, RAR, 7Z, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ISO, and more. It provides an easy-to-use interface for compressing and decompressing files to save disk space or bundle multiple files together.

Key features of CabPack include:

  • Intuitive explorer-style interface
  • Support for drag-and-drop of files/folders
  • Password protection of archives
  • Compression ratio and dictionary size options
  • Integration with Windows File Explorer context menu
  • Lightweight and customizable user interface
  • Multi-core CPU support for faster compression

CabPack is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0. It runs on Windows 7 or later versions. The project is hosted on GitHub and accepts contributions from developers.

Overall, CabPack is a great open-source alternative for basic file archiving needs on Windows. It may lack some advanced features of proprietary software like WinRAR or WinZip but provides a simple free option for compressing and uncompressing files and folders.

CabPack Features

Features

  1. Open source alternative to WinZip/WinRAR
  2. Supports ZIP, RAR, 7Z and other compression formats
  3. Compress and decompress files
  4. Integrates with Windows Explorer context menu
  5. Drag and drop support
  6. Create self-extracting archives
  7. Encrypt archives with passwords
  8. Split large archives into volumes
  9. Command line interface

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Good compression ratios

Easy to use interface

Lightweight and fast

Supports many formats

Cons

Limited features compared to WinRAR

No built-in file manager

Lacks some advanced compression options

UI looks a bit dated

Official Links

Official Website
https://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/ca...

Reviews & Ratings

Login to Review
3.4
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

23 reviews

Rating Breakdown
Ease of Use
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3.3
Features
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3.6
Value for Money
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4.8
Customer Support
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2.4
Overall Experience
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3.3
Recent Reviews
C
Chris Wright
Apr 23, 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Frustratingly Basic and Buggy

I tried CabPack hoping for a lightweight alternative, but it's been a headache. The interface feels clunky and dated, and it frequently froze on larger archives. For a free tool, it's fine for tiny tasks, but for anything serious, I'd …

M
Morgan Lee
Apr 21, 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Decent Free Alternative, But Lacks Polish

CabPack gets the job done as a free, open-source option for handling ZIP and RAR files, which is great. However, the interface feels a bit dated and clunky compared to modern competitors, and I've had a few minor hiccups when …

J
Jordan Moore
Apr 17, 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
A Solid, Free Alternative for Everyday Archiving

CabPack has completely replaced WinRAR on my PC. It's simple, opens all the common ZIP and RAR files I encounter, and hasn't crashed once. Being open-source and free is just the icing on the cake.

M
Morgan King
Apr 16, 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Buggy and frustrating free alternative

I gave CabPack a try since it's free and open-source, but it's been a headache. The interface feels clunky compared to WinRAR, and it frequently crashed when handling large RAR files. For basic ZIP tasks it works, but for anything …

C
Casey Miller
Apr 16, 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
A decent free alternative, but missing some polish

CabPack gets the job done for basic ZIP and 7Z tasks without costing a dime, which is its main appeal. However, its interface feels a bit dated and clunky compared to the more established tools, and I had occasional trouble …

View All Reviews (23)
Rating Distribution
5
7
4
5
3
6
2
5
1
0

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