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Utilities · head to head

PeaZip vs Rectangle

PeaZip logo

PeaZip

Utilities

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rectangle logo

Rectangle

Utilities

Free open source window snapping for macOS, with a separate paid Rectangle Pro for extra features

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PeaZip there is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.; Rectangle rectangle Pro is a separate app rather than an in-app purchase, so upgrading means installing and managing a second piece of software.
  • They diverge on capability: PeaZip covers Wide format support, Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PeaZip and Rectangle actually diverge.

Attributes where PeaZip and Rectangle differ
AttributePeaZipRectangle
PlatformsWindows, Linux, BSDMac

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

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 PeaZip

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

Only in Rectangle

  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Drag to snap
  • Multi-display support
  • Almost full screen
  • Rectangle Pro extras
  • Open source core

What people use each for

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

PeaZip

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

Rectangle

  • A developer who wants source-available window management with no cost and no accountnot PeaZip
  • Anyone replacing Magnet who does not want to pay even a small one-time feenot PeaZip
  • A user who installs software via Homebrew rather than the Mac App Storenot PeaZip
  • A power user who later wants Rectangle Pro extras but does not need them from day onenot PeaZip

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Rectangle

  • Rectangle Pro is a separate app rather than an in-app purchase, so upgrading means installing and managing a second piece of software.
  • It is Mac only, so it offers nothing for a user who also runs Windows and wants one window manager everywhere.
  • It has no official paid support channel, being a community open source project, so issues are handled through GitHub rather than a vendor support desk.
  • Some very old or unusually built third party apps still resist Rectangle window snapping, a limitation shared with most third party window managers on macOS.
  • Because it is not distributed through the Mac App Store, some users have to manually approve accessibility permissions and updates rather than getting silent App Store updates.

Pricing, plan by plan

PeaZip

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

Rectangle

Free
  • RectangleFree
    • Free and open source, no account needed
    • Keyboard and drag window snapping
    • Multi-display support
  • Rectangle Pro$9.99/one-time
    • Separate paid app, not an in-app unlock
    • Cursor-following snap areas
    • Per-app window size memory

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Rectangle if

  • You need keyboard shortcuts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want drag to snap.
Rectangle review

Questions people ask

Is PeaZip or Rectangle better?
Neither clearly leads. PeaZip starts at Free and Rectangle at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PeaZip or Rectangle?
PeaZip starts at Free and Rectangle at Free.
Does PeaZip or Rectangle run on more platforms?
PeaZip runs on Windows, Linux, BSD. Rectangle runs on Mac.
Can I use PeaZip for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is PeaZip best used for?
PeaZip is most often used for opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refuse, sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a password, deploying one archiver across windows and linux desktops with the same interface and behaviour, running from a usb stick on machines where software cannot be installed. Of those, opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refuse and sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a password are not what Rectangle is typically brought in for.
What can PeaZip do that Rectangle cannot?
PeaZip covers Wide format support, Strong encryption, Secure delete, Checksums and hashes. Rectangle covers Keyboard shortcuts, Drag to snap, Multi-display support, Almost full screen.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PeaZip: Is PeaZip free for business use?

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

Rectangle: Is Rectangle really free?

Yes. The core app is free and open source with no feature gating or trial period.

PeaZip: Does it work on macOS?

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

Rectangle: What does Rectangle Pro add?

Cursor-following snap areas, per-app window size memory and some additional layouts, sold as a separate one-time purchase app.

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.

Rectangle: How is it different from Magnet?

Rectangle is free and open source; Magnet is a paid Mac App Store app from the start with no free tier.

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.

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