Skip to content
AppDuo
ReviewsComparisonsBest ofCollections
Source-backed analysis10

Review basis

Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.

10 reference sources

Information updated Nov 10, 2026

How we review
WinRAR logo

WinRAR Review

Long-running RAR archiver for Windows with a 40-day trial and a USD 29 license

Editorial Team7.0/10Write the first review

By Official AppDuo editorial team · Updated

  • Windows
Free trial
Visit WinRAR
Compare side by side
On this page

Decide at a glance

Our verdict

WinRAR suits people who need to create RAR archives, split volumes, add recovery data or use AES-256 encryption from a familiar Windows interface. The trade-off is that it is licensed software, while free archivers such as 7-Zip cover most everyday extraction needs.

Best for: People who regularly receive or send RAR files and need to create that format

Skip it if: Users who only extract files occasionally and want fully free software

Pros

  • Handles RAR, ZIP and other formats such as 7-Zip, TAR, ISO and CAB, per the vendor's features page
  • AES 256-bit encryption and multi-volume splitting
  • Version 7.00 supports dictionaries above 1 GB, up to 64 GB depending on available memory

Cons

  • CVE-2025-8088 was exploited in the wild before the 7.13 patch, so users need to update promptly
  • The graphical version is Windows-only, and 7.10 dropped 32-bit Windows
All pros and cons · Who is it for?

Pros

  • One-time license rather than a subscription: USD 29 for one computer

Cons

  • Technical help is mostly an FAQ page; the email address is for sales and licensing only

Best for

  • Users who need to split large files into volumes or compress with large dictionaries

Skip it if

  • macOS or Linux users looking for an official graphical version

Problems it solves

Experience & key features

What WinRAR is

WinRAR is a file compression and extraction tool for Windows, developed by Eugene Roshal and distributed by win.rar GmbH. Its homepage says it opens all popular formats and claims over 500 million users. At the time of research the latest stable version was 7.23, with 7.30 beta 2 on the RARLAB download page. Besides English, RARLAB publishes many localized builds.

Key features

The features page lists RAR, ZIP, CAB, ARJ, LZH, TAR, GZip, ISO, BZIP2 and 7-Zip, plus AES 256-bit encryption and multi-volume archives. Version 7.00 (February 2024) raised dictionary sizes above 1 GB and stopped creating RAR 4.x archives, though extraction remains. Version 7.10 (February 2025) added a dark mode and dropped 32-bit Windows.

Pricing and licensing

The RARLAB price list shows a single-user license at USD 29 excluding VAT, covering one computer; multi-user licenses get cheaper with volume. It is a one-time price, not a subscription. Wikipedia describes a 40-day free-use period before purchase.

More analysis

Security record

The vendor's changelog lists security fixes across many versions. Most notably, ESET reported on 11 August 2025 that the RomCom group sent spearphishing emails with malicious RAR attachments to exploit CVE-2025-8088 while it was unpatched; version 7.13 fixed it on 30 July 2025. A second group began exploiting it a few days later. Software that routinely opens files from outside sources needs regular updates.

Compared with alternatives

If you only extract files occasionally, 7-Zip is a free option worth considering. WinRAR has the edge when you need to create RAR archives, split volumes or use advanced options such as large dictionaries. For individuals, the question is whether those features are worth USD 29.

Screenshots

The WinRAR main window, the preview image used on win-rar.com
The WinRAR main window, the preview image used on win-rar.com
RAR archive illustration on the vendor's homepage
RAR archive illustration on the vendor's homepage

Plans & pricing

Prices last verified Nov 10, 2026

Single-user license

Personal

Contact sales

One-time price of USD 29 (excluding VAT) for one computer, per the RARLAB price list. Multi-user licenses scale down from USD 21 per user (2–9 users) to USD 6 per user (500–999 users).

Free plan limits
A trial version is available. Wikipedia describes WinRAR as "try before you buy" software usable without charge for 40 days, after which non-enterprise functions remain available. Business use still calls for a purchased license.
Free trial
40-day free trial · no credit card
Cancellation & refunds

Neither the RARLAB price list nor the win-rar.com support page states a refund policy.

Privacy

WinRAR is installed on Windows and compresses and extracts files locally, with no account required. The features page lists AES 256-bit encryption for archives. The vendor's privacy policy page could not be opened during research, so there is no sourced basis to say whether the software collects usage data. On security, the RomCom group exploited CVE-2025-8088 (a path traversal flaw using alternate data streams) before version 7.13 fixed it on 30 July 2025; ESET says its telemetry showed none of the targets were compromised.

Official pricing page

WinRAR alternatives

7-Zip logoVSWinRAR logo7-Zip vs WinRAR
7-Zip logo7.5/10

7-Zip

Free open-source archiver, best known for its high-ratio 7z format

Open source

Frequently asked questions

Is WinRAR free?

There is a trial version. Wikipedia describes a 40-day free-use period; a single-user license costs USD 29 excluding VAT per the RARLAB price list.

Which operating systems does WinRAR run on?

The graphical version is for Windows. Version 7.10 requires Windows 7 x64 or later and dropped 32-bit Windows. The vendor confirms Windows 11 compatibility from 7.01.

What should I do about CVE-2025-8088?

It was fixed in 7.13, so use a newer version; the homepage currently lists 7.23 as the stable release. Also be cautious with RAR files from unknown senders.

How does WinRAR encrypt archives?

The vendor's features page lists AES 256-bit encryption.

Review evidence & sources10

Scores

Ease of use
8.0
Why this score

Integrates with the Windows right-click menu and has a familiar interface; the vendor confirms Windows 11 compatibility from 7.01.

Features
8.5
Why this score

AES-256, multi-volume, large dictionaries and many archive formats; broader than extract-only tools.

Value for money
6.5
Why this score

USD 29 one-time is reasonable, but free tools like 7-Zip handle most basic needs.

Performance
7.5
Why this score

The 7.10 notes add support for up to 64 logical processors and 7.00 added large-dictionary options. No reliable independent benchmark was found, so the score rests on vendor documentation.

Support
5.5
Why this score

The support page offers an FAQ, a lost-key form and sales(at)win-rar.com (English or German) for sales and licensing only; no direct technical support channel was found.

Privacy & security
6.0
Why this score

Runs locally with no account and offers AES-256, but the privacy policy could not be read and a flaw was exploited in 2025.

Sources

Specs & compatibility
Developer
win.rar GmbH
Headquarters
Germany
Launched
1995
Category
Utilities

Capabilities

  • Works offline

Platforms

  • Windows

Interface languages

  • Vietnamese
  • English
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Spanish
  • French
  • German
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Thai
  • Indonesian

Integrations

  • Windows File Explorer context menu
  • RAR/UnRAR command line

Support

  • Email
  • Help center

Change history

  1. Update.Version 7.13 fixed CVE-2025-8088, which ESET later reported had been exploited by the RomCom group.
  2. Feature.Version 7.10 added dark mode and dropped 32-bit Windows.
  3. Feature.Version 7.00 added dictionaries above 1 GB and removed RAR 4.x creation.
Full change history (6)
  1. Update.Version 6.23 fixed critical vulnerabilities CVE-2023-40477 and CVE-2023-38831.
  2. Feature.Version 5.00 introduced the RAR5 format.
  3. Launch.First WinRAR release for Windows, per Wikipedia.
About the author

Reviews & comments

Written by readers with a verified email address.

No reviews yet. Have you used WinRAR? Share your real experience.

Reader reviews are counted separately and do not affect the Editorial Team’s score.

No comments yet. Be the first to share your experience.

Comments are readers’ opinions, not content from the AppDuo Editorial Team.