B1 Archiver vs PowerArchiver
B1 Archiver
b1.org
PowerArchiver
powerarchiver.comSide by side
| Figure | B1 Archiver | PowerArchiver |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 6 |
| Spec score · File Compression Software | 8.3 (#3) | 8.1 (#8) |
| Encryption | The b1 format supports password protection using 256-bit AES encryption. | AES-256 encryption is integrated into PowerArchiver archive operations. |
| Founded | 2011 | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Tallinn, Estonia | Reston, Virginia, United States |
| Support | Support is offered by email at [email protected] and is provided in English only. | Technical support is free for all users, while active PA Select customers receive priority engineering support with a one-business-day response commitment. |
Plans
PowerArchiver
- PowerArchiver FreeFree
- Business$22.95, paid once
- Professional$34.95, paid once
- Professional Toolbox$49.95, paid once
- Enterprise$59.95, paid once
- Enterprise Unlimited$4,995, paid once
In their own words
B1 Archiver
B1 Free Archiver creates and extracts archives, with desktop software, an Android app and an online archiver. The desktop application creates B1 and ZIP archives and supports almost 40 formats, including RAR, RAR5 and 7z. The online tool extracts files from B1, ZIP, RAR, 7z and other archive types. On Android, B1 also works as a file manager. The B1 format supports password protection using 256-bit AES encryption, and the desktop archiver checks archive integrity with Adler-32 before unpacking. B1 says files uploaded to its online archiver are deleted a few minutes after the page is closed. Its privacy policy says it does not knowingly collect identifying personal data, though it may collect non-personally identifiable server information such as IP address and browser type. The policy also says app and device usage data, including location and network performance, may be collected for anonymous ad-related use in B1 apps. Support is by email and in English only. B1 is free for personal and commercial use, with no registration.
PowerArchiver
PowerArchiver creates, extracts and manages more than 60 archive formats, including ZIP, 7Z, RAR, TAR, ISO and CAB. It supports archive encryption with AES-256, split archives and archive repair. Its proprietary PA codec provides lossless compression and is described as reducing documents by 30–70%. The Windows edition supports Windows 7 through Windows 11 and Server 2008 R2 through Server 2025; PowerArchiver Pro for Mac is a separate macOS codebase with Finder integration and native drag-and-drop. Edition features vary: Professional includes Outlook, Word and Excel add-ins, while Professional Toolbox adds a cloud browser for S3, Google Drive, OneDrive, Azure and Box, as well as the PACL command-line tool. Business and higher editions include MSI installation, Group Policy support and silent deployment. Enterprise adds FIPS 140-2 validated encryption and lists HIPAA and DFARS support. The free edition is restricted to non-commercial personal, student and nonprofit use. A 30-day trial unlocks the highest Toolbox edition’s features. Prices range from PowerArchiver Free at free to Enterprise Unlimited at $4,995, paid once.