Rar Extractor vs Keka: Opening RAR Files on Mac
Updated · Sanii Verma
Comparison · 1 min read · facts checked
Both open RAR files on a Mac. Keka is a free download that also creates archives in many formats (though not RAR); Rar Extractor only extracts, and is built around opening RAR, ZIP, 7z and TAR in one step with clear messages for passwords and missing parts.
Keka is a popular archiver for the Mac that both makes and opens archives. Rar Extractor only opens them. Facts about Keka come from its own site, checked on the date above; facts about Rar Extractor come from the app itself.
At a glance
| Rar Extractor | Keka | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | One-time purchase (pricing) | Free download from its site; also sold on the Mac App Store |
| Extracts RAR | Yes, including RAR5 | Yes |
| Creates RAR | No | No |
| Creates other archives | No | Yes: 7z, ZIP, TAR, GZIP, DMG, ISO and more |
| Passwords | Asks when a RAR or ZIP needs one | Yes (AES-256 for 7z, ZIP 2.0 for ZIP) |
| Split archives | Opens part1 / .r00 sets | Can split archives into pieces |
| Extracts | RAR, ZIP, 7z, TAR | 30+ formats, including RAR, ISO, DMG, CAB, MSI |
| Requires | macOS 14 or later | Mac OS X 10.10 or newer (current version) |
Where Keka is the better fit
- You also make archives. Compressing files into 7z or ZIP, with a password or split into pieces, is Keka's main job. Rar Extractor does not create archives.
- You want free. The download from its site costs nothing; buying it on the Mac App Store supports its development.
- You open many kinds of archives. It extracts dozens of formats, from disk images to installers.
Where Rar Extractor is the better fit
- You only need to open things. One window: drop an archive and get a folder beside it, or look inside it first. No compression settings to read past.
- Passwords that forgive a typo. A wrong password says so and keeps what you typed.
- Split RAR sets that explain themselves. It tells you to open the first part, and names a missing part as missing. See how to extract a multipart RAR.
- Files cannot land outside the folder. Paths that climb out of the destination and links inside an archive are never written.
The short version
If you create archives as often as you open them, Keka covers both and is free to download. If you want the simplest possible way to open RAR files and the other archives people send, Rar Extractor does that one job — see how it works.
Related
- Rar Extractor vs Archive Utility: Can a Mac Open RAR?
- Rar Extractor vs The Unarchiver: RAR on Mac Compared
- How to Extract a Multipart RAR Archive on Mac