Softwr

Entertainment · head to head

IINA vs PeaZip

IINA logo

IINA

Entertainment

Free open source Mac video player built on mpv, with a native macOS interface

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PeaZip logo

PeaZip

Utilities

Open-source archive manager for Windows and Linux supporting more than two hundred formats

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: IINA there is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.; PeaZip there is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • They diverge on capability: IINA covers mpv playback engine, PeaZip covers Wide format support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IINA and PeaZip actually diverge.

Attributes where IINA and PeaZip differ
AttributeIINAPeaZip
PlatformsMacWindows, Linux, BSD
CategoryEntertainmentUtilities

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in IINA

  • mpv playback engine
  • Native macOS interface
  • Trackpad gestures
  • Picture-in-picture
  • Subtitle and audio track control
  • Music mode

Only in PeaZip

  • Wide format support
  • Strong encryption
  • Secure delete
  • Checksums and hashes
  • Split and join
  • Portable builds

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

IINA

  • A Mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats QuickTime Player does not supportnot PeaZip
  • Someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volumenot PeaZip
  • A user who wants picture-in-picture video while working in other appsnot PeaZip
  • Anyone who prefers a graphical Mac-native player over configuring raw mpv from the command linenot PeaZip

PeaZip

  • Opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refusenot IINA
  • Sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a passwordnot IINA
  • Deploying one archiver across Windows and Linux desktops with the same interface and behaviournot IINA
  • Running from a USB stick on machines where software cannot be installednot IINA

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

IINA

  • There is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.
  • It has no polished network share or cloud storage library browser, so streaming from a NAS or cloud drive is more manual than with Infuse.
  • As a volunteer open source project, new feature development and bug fixes depend on contributor availability rather than a funded team.
  • It is Mac only, so there is no equivalent app for Windows users in a mixed household.
  • Advanced mpv configuration is still exposed for power users, which can be confusing for someone who just wants simple playback with no options.

PeaZip

  • There is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • It is effectively a single-maintainer project, and for software deployed to every desktop in a company that concentration of risk deserves an explicit decision.
  • The interface exposes a great many options at once and looks dated next to the system archiver, which generates support questions from non-technical users.
  • Bundled backend binaries sometimes trigger antivirus heuristics on managed Windows fleets, so deployment usually needs an allowlist entry prepared in advance.
  • Its own PEA and ARC formats are not readable by other tools, so using them for anything you send externally creates a dependency for the recipient.

Pricing, plan by plan

IINA

Free
  • IINAFree
    • Free and open source
    • No account or subscription
    • Full feature set with no paywall

PeaZip

Free
  • PeaZipFree
    • LGPLv3 licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • All formats and encryption features included

Which should you pick?

Choose IINA if

  • You need mpv playback engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want native macos interface.
IINA review

Choose PeaZip if

  • You need wide format support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, BSD.
  • You also want strong encryption.
PeaZip review

Questions people ask

Is IINA or PeaZip better?
Neither clearly leads. IINA starts at Free and PeaZip at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IINA or PeaZip?
IINA starts at Free and PeaZip at Free.
Does IINA or PeaZip run on more platforms?
IINA runs on Mac. PeaZip runs on Windows, Linux, BSD.
Can I use IINA for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is IINA best used for?
IINA is most often used for a mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats quicktime player does not support, someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volume, a user who wants picture-in-picture video while working in other apps, anyone who prefers a graphical mac-native player over configuring raw mpv from the command line. Of those, a mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats quicktime player does not support and someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volume are not what PeaZip is typically brought in for.
What can IINA do that PeaZip cannot?
IINA covers mpv playback engine, Native macOS interface, Trackpad gestures, Picture-in-picture. PeaZip covers Wide format support, Strong encryption, Secure delete, Checksums and hashes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IINA: Is IINA free?

Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier or subscription.

PeaZip: Is PeaZip free for business use?

Yes. It is LGPLv3 licensed with no personal-use restriction and no paid edition.

IINA: What is the difference between IINA and mpv?

IINA is built on the mpv engine but adds a full native macOS graphical interface, menus and gestures that mpv does not have on its own.

PeaZip: Does it work on macOS?

No supported build is offered. Mac users need a different archiver.

IINA: Does IINA work on Apple TV?

No. IINA is Mac only. For Apple TV playback, Infuse is the comparable option.

PeaZip: How does it differ from 7-Zip?

It uses similar backends but adds far wider format support, a password manager, keyfile two-factor encryption, secure deletion and a graphical front end that also runs on Linux.

PeaZip: Should I use the PEA format?

Only for your own storage. Nothing else reads it, so anything sent to another party should be 7z or ZIP with AES-256.

Share

Related pages

More on IINA

More on PeaZip

Keep looking

Other head to heads