StuffIt
StuffIt is a popular file compression and archiving software for Mac OS. It allows compressing and decompressing various file types into smaller archives to save disk space or send over email/internet. StuffIt supports common formats like ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, and its own .SIT forma
compression
archiving
file-management
StuffIt: File Compression and Archiving for Mac OS
Popular file compression and archiving software for Mac OS, allowing compression and decompression of various file types into smaller archives to save disk space or send over email/internet.
What is StuffIt?
StuffIt is a proprietary file compression and archiving software for Mac OS that has been around since the 1990s. It provides an easy way for Mac users to compress and archive files into smaller packages, saving disk space or making it easier to email or transfer archives over the internet.
Some key features of StuffIt include:
- Compressing and encrypting files and folders into .SIT archives
- Opening and extracting common archive formats like ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, and more
- Drag-and-drop support for easy archiving
- Integrates with Finder allowing you to treat archives like disk images
- Email plugins to compress attachments from Mail
StuffIt pioneered several compression innovations in its early days but has since fallen behind more popular cross-platform tools like WinZip and WinRAR. The latest version (StuffIt Expander 16) can still unzip most major archives but the full StuffIt Deluxe suite hasn't been updated since 2007.
While StuffIt Expander remains popular as a no-cost way to open common Windows and Mac archives, most Mac users have switched to tools like The Unarchiver, Keka, BetterZip, or Hopper Disassembler for more frequently updated and full-featured archive management nowadays.
StuffIt Features
Features
- File compression and archiving
- Supports common formats like ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR
- Own .SIT proprietary format
- Email and internet file transfer
- Save disk space
- Decompress archives
Pricing
- One-time Purchase
- Subscription-Based
Pros
Compresses files efficiently
Easy to use interface
Wide file format support
Integrates with Finder and email clients
Fast compression and decompression
Cons
Proprietary .SIT format not supported elsewhere
Lacks some advanced compression options
Expensive compared to free alternatives
Mac only, no Windows version
The Best StuffIt Alternatives
Top File Management and Compression and other similar apps like StuffIt
Here are some alternatives to StuffIt:
Suggest an alternative ❐
WinRAR
WinRAR is a proprietary file archiver and data compression utility for Windows. First released in 1995, WinRAR quickly became one of the most popular tools for compressing and decompressing files on PCs.Key features of WinRAR include:Supports RAR and ZIP archives for compressing and storing files in smaller sized containersOffers multiple...
7-Zip
7-Zip is a powerful and free file archiver and compressor for Windows, Linux and macOS. It has very high compression ratios compared to other popular archivers like WinRAR and WinZIP, sometimes reducing files by up to 80%.7-Zip supports most common archive formats including ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, 7z, ARJ, CAB,...
WinZip
WinZip is one of the most widely used file archiver and compressor programs for Windows. First released in 1991, WinZip pioneered the concept of zip files, which allows users to compress one or more files into a single compressed archive that takes up less storage space and is easier to...
PeaZip
PeaZip is a popular open source file archiver and file manager application available for Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems. Developed with portability and security in mind, PeaZip supports over 200 file formats including ZIP, 7Z, RAR, ARJ, and TAR. It can create encrypted archives using AES-256 bit encryption to...
The Unarchiver
The Unarchiver is a free and open source file archiver utility for Mac OS X that allows users to open and extract files from common archive and compression formats including ZIP, RAR, 7z, tar, gzip, bzip2, LZH, StuffIt and many others. It provides an easy drag-and-drop interface to decompress archived...
Keka
Keka is a free and open source file archiver software for macOS. Originally inspired by 7-Zip for Windows, Keka aims to bring file archiving capabilities to macOS with an emphasis on simplicity and ease of use.Some key features of Keka include:Supports popular archive formats like 7Z, Zip, Tar, Gzip, Rar...
IZArc
IZArc is a free file archiving utility for Windows that allows users to create and extract archives in various formats including 7z, ZIP, RAR, ARJ, LZH, TAR, GZip, ISO, and more. First released in 2007, IZArc aims to be a convenient and easy-to-use alternative to paid archiving software.Some key features...
File Roller
File Roller is a free and open source archive manager application designed for the GNOME desktop environment. It serves as the default archive utility included with GNOME. File Roller provides an intuitive graphical user interface that allows users to easily create, view, extract, and modify archive files without needing to...
FreeArc
FreeArc is an open-source, cross-platform file archiver and data compression utility. It can create, view, and extract archive files in various formats including 7z, ZIP, gzip, bzip2 as well as its own highly optimized FAR format.Some key features of FreeArc include:High compression ratios - it uses powerful data compression algorithms...
Dr. Unarchiver
Dr. Unarchiver is a powerful yet easy-to-use unarchiving application for macOS. Developed by Dag Ågren, it supports a wide range of popular archive formats including RAR, Zip, Tar, gzip, bzip2, DMG, ISO, 7z, LHA, StuffIt, CAB, MSI, NSIS, BIN, and more.With its clean and intuitive interface, Dr. Unarchiver makes it...
Bandizip
Bandizip is a free file archiver and compressor software for Windows. Developed by Bandisoft, it aims to be a fast, lightweight, and easy-to-use alternative to other archive managers.Bandizip supports all common archive formats including ZIP, RAR, 7z, ISO, CAB, TAR, and more. It utilizes multiple compression engines like ZIP, 7z,...
P7zip
p7zip is an open source file archiver utility that provides very high compression ratios compared to programs like WinRAR and WinZip. It supports 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR formats with LZMA, LZMA2, PPMD, BZIP2, DEFLATE and COPY codecs.Some key features of p7zip:High compression ratiosSecure AES-256 encryptionIntegration with file managers...
NanaZip
NanaZip is a free, open source file archiving and compression software for Windows. It provides an intuitive and easy to use interface for handling ZIP, 7Z, RAR, LHA, ISO and other common archive formats.Some of the key features of NanaZip include:Support for creating and extracting a wide variety of archive...
