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.
WinRAR, 7-Zip, WinZip, PeaZip, The Unarchiver, Keka, IZArc, File Roller, FreeArc, Dr. Unarchiver, Bandizip, p7zip, NanaZip are some alternatives to StuffIt.