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Utilities · head to head

PeaZip vs Truecaller

PeaZip logo

PeaZip

Utilities

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Truecaller logo

Truecaller

Utilities

Caller ID and spam blocking app that identifies unknown numbers by crowdsourcing users' contact books

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.; Truecaller its caller ID database is built from other users uploading their contact books, which means a person's name and number can be listed without them ever installing or consenting to Truecaller directly.
  • They diverge on capability: PeaZip covers Wide format support, Truecaller covers Caller ID.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PeaZip and Truecaller actually diverge.

Attributes where PeaZip and Truecaller differ
AttributePeaZipTruecaller
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeFree tier plus subscription
PlatformsWindows, Linux, BSDiOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Truecaller

  • Caller ID
  • Spam blocking
  • Call recording
  • SMS spam filtering
  • Truecaller for Business
  • Premium profile controls

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 Truecaller
  • Sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a passwordnot Truecaller
  • Deploying one archiver across Windows and Linux desktops with the same interface and behaviournot Truecaller
  • Running from a USB stick on machines where software cannot be installednot Truecaller

Truecaller

  • Someone wanting to identify unknown numbers calling from delivery services, banks or scam operationsnot PeaZip
  • A user who wants unknown-sender SMS automatically filtered out of the main inboxnot PeaZip
  • A small business wanting its verified name and logo to show when it calls customersnot PeaZip
  • A person who wants to check whether their own number is unexpectedly listed and request removalnot 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.

Truecaller

  • Its caller ID database is built from other users uploading their contact books, which means a person's name and number can be listed without them ever installing or consenting to Truecaller directly.
  • Removing a number requires actively finding and using the unlisting tool; it is opt-out, not opt-in, so most people never realise they need to do this.
  • The free tier is ad-supported, and ads appear on the call screen itself, which some users find intrusive during otherwise mundane phone use.
  • Call recording availability depends on local law and has been restricted or removed in some regions and OS versions, so it cannot be relied on everywhere.
  • Regulatory and app-store scrutiny of the contact-upload model has led to restrictions or bans in some countries, so availability and feature set are not consistent globally.

Pricing, plan by plan

PeaZip

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

Truecaller

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Caller ID and spam blocking
    • Ad-supported
    • Limited profile privacy controls
  • Premium$2.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • See who viewed your profile
    • Priority spam list updates

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 Truecaller if

  • You need caller id.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want spam blocking.
Truecaller review

Questions people ask

Is PeaZip or Truecaller better?
Neither clearly leads. PeaZip starts at Free and Truecaller at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PeaZip or Truecaller?
PeaZip starts at Free and Truecaller at Free.
Does PeaZip or Truecaller run on more platforms?
PeaZip runs on Windows, Linux, BSD. Truecaller runs on iOS, Android.
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 Truecaller is typically brought in for.
What can PeaZip do that Truecaller cannot?
PeaZip covers Wide format support, Strong encryption, Secure delete, Checksums and hashes. Truecaller covers Caller ID, Spam blocking, Call recording, SMS spam filtering.

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.

Truecaller: How does Truecaller know who is calling me from an unsaved number?

It matches the number against a database built largely from other users' uploaded contact lists, plus spam reports from its user base.

PeaZip: Does it work on macOS?

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

Truecaller: Can I remove my number from Truecaller if I never installed it?

Yes, Truecaller provides an unlisting search and removal tool at truecaller.com/unlisting, though you must find and use it yourself.

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.

Truecaller: Does Truecaller read my messages or call content?

Truecaller states it does not access call or message content, only caller ID and spam-reporting metadata.

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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