PECompact vs UPX
PECompact
bitsum.comUPX
upx.github.ioSide by side
| Figure | PECompact | UPX |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · Executable Packers | 7.9 (#9) | 7.4 (#16) |
| Compression | The maker says PECompact preprocesses PE code and data to improve compression compared with general archivers. | The project says UPX typically reduces program and DLL file sizes by around 50%–70%. |
| Purpose | PECompact compresses Windows native executable files (PEs). | UPX is a portable executable packer and file compressor for several executable formats. |
| Support | Bitsum lists [email protected] as its direct support email. | The project asks users to report bugs through its GitHub issues page. |
Plans
PECompact
- One Product$429, paid once
- Three Products$689, paid once
- Unlimited Products$1,498, paid once
In their own words
UPX
UPX is a portable executable packer and file compressor for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It works with executable formats including Windows programs and DLLs, macOS apps, and Linux executables; listed formats also include PE, ELF, Mach-O, COFF, DOS, and Atari/TOS. The project says compression commonly reduces program and DLL sizes by around 50%–70%. For most supported formats, compressed programs are self-contained and run as before without runtime or memory penalties. UPX can list, test, and unpack executables, and maintains checksums for compressed and uncompressed files. It is free software under GPL v2 or later, with a special exception allowing unmodified UPX to compress commercial programs. UPX does not add protection or encryption, and the project advises handling only trusted files. Linux users should account for documented tradeoffs: compressed executables may require more RAM or swap when multiple processes run, and the generic Linux format recreates the original file in /tmp before launch.