B1 Free Archiver

Mac OS X doesn't have much to offer when it comes to archiving files, but you can find various utilities to fill in this gap. An excellent example is B1 Free Archiver. You can use it to compress files in single or multiple packages, in ZIP format or in the application's own format. Its main strength is efficiency. The application comes with a clean and simple user interface and a set of intuitive controls.

You can navigate through your local folders on B1 Free Archiver's user interface just like on a standard Finder window. To create a new archive, all you have to do is select one or more files or folders and click a button. The application will display a few quick options, for selecting a format for the archive, splitting it into multiple volumes and for password-protecting the archive.

Regardless of your archive's format, you can open it like a folder and view its contents. Unpacking an archive is just as easy as creating one. All you have to do is select it and click a button and the application will place several extraction options at your disposal. You can choose to extract the archive's contents in the same location, in a new folder, browse for a different output path and so on.

Although you may create archives only in ZIP or B1 format, the application is capable of opening existing archives in various formats, including RAR, 7Z, ARJ and many others. What's more, you can associate B1 Free Archiver with these formats.