Rar Extractor vs The Unarchiver: RAR on Mac Compared
Updated · Sanii Verma
Comparison · 2 min read · facts checked
Both open RAR files on a Mac, including RAR5, password-protected and split archives. The Unarchiver is free and opens far more formats; Rar Extractor is a paid, single-purpose app for RAR, ZIP, 7z and TAR with plain-language messages for passwords and missing parts.
The Unarchiver is the best-known free way to open a RAR on a Mac, and for many people it is all they need. This page sets the two apps side by side so you can decide. Facts about The Unarchiver come from its own site and App Store listing, checked on the date above; facts about Rar Extractor come from the app itself.
At a glance
| Rar Extractor | The Unarchiver | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | One-time purchase (pricing) | Free, no in-app purchases |
| Made by | An independent developer | MacPaw |
| RAR and RAR5 | Yes | Yes |
| Password-protected RAR | Yes, including hidden file names | Yes ("including encryption") |
| Split RAR (part1, part2…) | Yes | Yes ("multiple volumes") |
| ZIP, 7z, TAR | Yes (not encrypted 7z) | Yes |
| Other formats | No | Many: ISO, CAB, StuffIt, LZH and dozens more |
| Creates archives | No | No |
| Where files go | A folder next to the archive | Not stated on its site |
| Requires | macOS 14 or later | macOS 10.13 or later |
| Where to get it | This site | The Mac App Store, or its site |
Where The Unarchiver is the better fit
- You want free. It costs nothing, and its site says there are no in-app purchases.
- You open unusual formats. It reads old Mac formats like StuffIt, disc images, Windows installers and much more. Rar Extractor opens RAR, ZIP, 7z and TAR only.
- Your Mac is older than macOS 14. The Unarchiver supports macOS 10.13 and later; Rar Extractor needs macOS 14.
Where Rar Extractor is the better fit
- You want one window that does one thing well. Drop an archive, get a folder beside it, with Show in Finder one click away — or look inside first and take only what you need.
- Passwords that forgive a typo. A wrong password says so and keeps what you typed, so you can fix one character instead of retyping it.
- Split archives that explain themselves. Open a later part and it tells you to open the first; if a part is missing, it says a part is missing rather than calling the archive broken. See how to extract a multipart RAR.
- Files cannot land outside the folder. Paths that try to climb out of the destination, absolute paths and links inside an archive are never written.
- You want a person to answer. Support email goes to the developer who builds it.
The short version
If you only open a RAR now and then, and free matters most, The Unarchiver is a sensible choice. If RAR files are a regular part of your week and you want a small, focused app with clear messages and a person behind it, try Rar Extractor — and if it is not for you, the refund policy gives you time to change your mind.
Related
- Rar Extractor vs Archive Utility: Can a Mac Open RAR?
- Rar Extractor vs Keka: Opening RAR Files on Mac
- How to Extract a Multipart RAR Archive on Mac