7Z vs ZIP
A quick, plain-English comparison of the 7Z and ZIP file formats — and how to convert between them, free and in your browser.
| 7Z | ZIP | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | archive | archive |
| Extension | .7z | .zip |
| MIME type | application/x-7z-compressed | application/zip |
| Converts to | 6 formats | 6 formats |
| Direction here | read & write | read & write |
Convert between 7Z and ZIP
7Z vs ZIP: frequently asked questions
What's the difference between 7Z and ZIP?
7-Zip archive — a multi-file container with high-ratio LZMA2 compression. ZIP compressed archive.
Should I use 7Z or ZIP?
Both are archive formats — the right one depends on compatibility, quality and file size for your use. Whichever you have, you can convert it to the other below in seconds.
How do I convert 7Z to ZIP?
Open the 7Z-to-ZIP converter, drop your 7Z file in, and download the ZIP. We auto-detect the real format from the file's bytes, so a mislabeled file still works.