Comparison
Compresto vs BetterZip
BetterZip handles archive creation and extraction with excellent format support. Compresto reduces the size of your actual media files — video, images, and PDFs — before or after archiving.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Compresto | BetterZip |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | macOS only | macOS only |
| Video compression | ||
| Image compression | ||
| PDF compression | ||
| Archive creation (ZIP, RAR, 7Z) | ||
| Archive preview without extraction | ||
| Drag & drop | ||
| Price model | One-time purchase / free tier | One-time ~$24.99 (App Store) |
Compresto Strengths
- Reduces actual media content — video, images, and PDFs
- No extraction step required for recipients to use files
- Hardware-accelerated compression for speed
- Better suited for media sharing (email, cloud, Slack)
BetterZip Strengths
- Browse and edit archive contents without full extraction
- Wide format support including older archive types (LZH, ARJ)
- Automation features for recurring archive tasks
Choose Compresto when...
- You share media files (video, images, PDFs) directly without archiving
- You want files to be permanently smaller, not just bundled
- Your workflow is media-centric with lots of video and image files
- Recipients should not need to extract archives to use the files
Choose BetterZip when...
- You frequently create and manage ZIP or RAR archives
- You need to browse archive contents before extracting
- You deal with many different archive formats from various sources
Pricing
Compresto
One-time purchase $19.99 or free tier with limits
BetterZip
One-time ~$24.99 on Mac App Store; free trial available
Switching from BetterZip?
If you create archives primarily to make files smaller for sharing, try Compresto first — you may find the files are small enough to share directly without archiving.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is BetterZip the same as Compresto?
- No. BetterZip manages archives (ZIP, RAR, 7Z). Compresto reduces media file sizes by re-encoding video and optimizing image/PDF content. They solve different problems.
- Can BetterZip compress video or image file sizes?
- BetterZip can bundle files into smaller archives but cannot reduce the actual video or image file size through re-encoding. Only Compresto does that.
- Which should I use for sharing files with clients?
- Compress media files with Compresto first to make them permanently smaller. Use BetterZip if you also need to bundle multiple files into one archive for delivery.
- Can I use both BetterZip and Compresto?
- Yes, and they work well together. Compresto reduces individual file sizes, then BetterZip bundles them into an archive if needed. This gives maximum compression.
- Does BetterZip support password-protected archives?
- Yes. BetterZip supports encrypted ZIP and 7Z archives. Compresto does not create archives or add encryption — it only compresses media file content.
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