60+ archive formats with AES-256 encryption integrated into every operation — drag-and-drop, Office add-ins, Secure FTP, command line. Perpetual license. Never expires.
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What the press says
"Our Best Buy, this feature-packed compression utility provides solid compression and encryption options."
"A strong feature set and impressive flexibility are what we love most about PowerArchiver."
"Quite simply the most comprehensive tool. This major update enhances the deserved reputation this polished, professional yet straightforward archiving tool has built for itself."
"The fastest file management tool with incredible features for business users. A secure and strong compression tool — perfect for day-to-day users."
"…considerably better. Compression utilities rely on this feature alone, and it appears to be top notch."
Perpetual license from $22.95. Optional PA Select maintenance at 25%/yr or 50%/3yr for the next-major-version stream.
| Dimension | PowerArchiver | WinZip |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing model | Perpetual — never expires | Annual subscription — stops if you don't pay |
| 3-year cost (entry commercial tier) | $22.95 license · $34.43 with 3-yr Select | $89.85 ($29.95/yr × 3) |
| Enterprise pricing | $59.95 (volume discounts) or Enterprise Unlimited from $4,995 (custom-scaled, no per-seat counting) | Custom quote, per-seat for 100+ users |
| Maintenance plan | PA Select — 25%/yr or 50% for 3 years, added at checkout | Subscription only — auto-renews |
| Priority telephone support | ✓ Included with PA Select | Limited / business tiers only |
| Archive formats supported | 60+ | ~25 |
| FIPS 140-2 + DFARS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Proprietary compression codec | ✓ Licensed by other vendors | ✕ |
| Office add-ins (Outlook, Excel, Word) | ✓ | Outlook only |
| MSI deployment + silent install + lockdown | ✓ | ✓ |
| VSS-aware backup of locked files | ✓ | ✕ |
| Free user additions during maintenance | ✓ Unlimited | ✕ Per-seat add-on |
| Established | 1998 · Independently held (ConeXware) | 1991 · Owned by Alludo / KKR (subscription pivot 2018) |
Validated cryptographic modules cleared for U.S. federal civilian, DoD, healthcare, and DFARS-regulated environments — available at the PowerArchiver Enterprise tier. Documentation supplied for your compliance package.
PAE2 containers add authenticated encryption — every archive carries an integrity tag. Tampering is detected on extraction, not after the fact.
Enforce minimum encryption strength, require passwords on archive creation, lock specific features down per deployment, and disable insecure formats — all via MSI installation parameters.
Install on every machine that needs it — laptops, workstations, file servers, build agents. No per-seat counting at procurement, no audit reconciliation later. Custom-scaled to your organization, perpetual once paid.
Validated cryptographic modules approved for U.S. federal, DoD, healthcare, and defense-contractor environments. Documentation supplied for your compliance package.
Activity tracking for the operations your compliance program requires — feeds SOX, HIPAA, and DFARS audit packages. Enterprise-tier exclusive; not available in Business, Professional, or Toolbox.
Grow the deployment mid-contract — onboard a new department, acquire a subsidiary, add overseas offices — without paying for new seats. Per-seat licensing models charge for every addition; Unlimited doesn't.
Push via SCCM, Intune, or your tool of choice. Lock specific features, enforce encryption policy, hide UI elements per deployment.
Full-featured CLI for scripting, scheduled tasks, and CI/CD pipelines. Outlook / Excel / Word integrations. VSS-aware backup of locked files and live databases.
Add PA Select (25%/yr or 50% for 3 years) for direct phone access to engineering, 48-hour SLA with average under 2 hours, and free major-version upgrades. See full Enterprise details →
Every paid-edition feature is unlocked end-to-end. Buy whichever edition matches what you used during the trial — no obligation, no auto-conversion.
