PeaZip's installer download page lists version 11.4.0, while the project's GitHub release list showed 11.3.0 (26 September) as the newest entry when it was read. The two pages disagree. The download page gives no release date or file sizes, so the date of 11.4.0 is not confirmed here. PeaZip is free and open source, and the download page says it is under the LGPL3 licence and is free of charge for any use.
The page offers an installer (peazip-11.4.0.WINDOWS.exe) and a portable ZIP (peazip_portable-11.4.0.WINDOWS.zip) on its 32-bit page. It lists "any Microsoft Windows (32 and 64 bit)," plus ReactOS and Wine, and says this 32-bit build targets legacy systems from Windows 2000 and XP through Windows 10. The page recommends the separate 64-bit build for modern Windows devices.
Release history
| Version | Date shown | Changes in the release notes |
|---|---|---|
| 11.3.0 | 26 Sep | Improved ZPAQ support, a test function for PEA archives, a mandatory master password for the integrated Password Manager, a new Open with picker (Shift+F12) |
| 11.2.0 | 12 Jul | Searchable functions picker (F12), better shortcuts, drag and drop, file manager auto-refresh, .ZIM file support |
| 11.1.0 | 11 May | Better direct extraction from the file manager, a reworked Extract to menu with last output path, Bookmarks, Filesystem and History submenus; includes security fixes |
| 11.0.0 | 6 Apr | Consolidates 10.x: faster archive browsing, enhanced Bookmarks and drag and drop, improved zoom and scaling, batch archive testing, password entropy rating |
| 10.9.0 | 7 Feb | New context menus and shortcuts, a customisable middle-click action, better RAR and multi-volume handling, overhauled image and text viewer |
Computed from the dates shown, assuming one calendar year (the year is printed only in asset timestamps, which show 2026 for 11.3.0): gaps of 58, 35, 62 and 76 days between the five listed releases, an average of 58 days. 11.3.0 was 28 days old on the check date of 24 Oct 2026. The 11.4.0 on the download page is not in the GitHub list we read.
The notes lean toward the interface and the built-in password manager. The 11.3.0 change that makes a master password mandatory for the integrated Password Manager is the one that changes behaviour for existing users, since anyone who used it before will be asked to set one.
What Windows already does
According to Microsoft, Windows 11 24H2 opens ZIP, RAR, 7z and TAR on its own, and Windows cannot work with encrypted archives. PeaZip's page lists strong encryption with optional two factor use, so encrypted archives are the clearest reason to prefer it over the built-in support. Its page also says creating RAR files needs WinRAR to be installed. The other seven archivers are compared on the File Compression page.
When the pages disagree
PeaZip is a clean example of a conflict between two official-looking sources. The installer page names 11.4.0 and the GitHub list ends at 11.3.0 (26 September). One explanation is that 11.4.0 was published after the GitHub list was read, and another is that the download page is ahead of the release list. The pages do not say which, so this page reports both numbers. After installing, open About in the program and note the version you actually received.
Before you install: a short check
- Choose the right page. The 32-bit page is meant for legacy systems, and the page tells modern Windows users to use the 64-bit build.
- Pick installer or portable ZIP. Both are listed with file names that include the version.
- Confirm the version after installing, because the download page and GitHub disagree on 11.4.0 and 11.3.0.
- Check the licence line. The page says LGPL3 and free for any use.
What the PeaZip home page says
| Item | What the page says |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows (also ReactOS and Wine), Linux, macOS and BSD |
| Opening archives | Over 200 archive formats |
| Creating archives | 7Z, ARC, Brotli, BZ2, GZ, PEA, TAR, WIM, Zstandard and ZIP |
| RAR | Opens RAR and RAR5; creating RAR needs WinRAR installed |
| Encryption | AES, Twofish and Serpent; optional two factor use with a keyfile |
| Portable use | Portable packages need no installation |
| Signing | Packages are not code-signed; SHA256 hashes are published |
| Privacy | Neither the software nor the website collects user data |
| Licence | GNU LGPLv3 for the software |
Scope: peazip.github.io, read 24 Oct 2026. The page lists 11.4.0, the same as the download page.
The signing note bears on the version conflict above. Because the packages are unsigned, the published SHA256 hash is the way to check a download, and this directory did not compute one. Compare the hash on the official site with the file you receive before running it.
Alternatives in this directory
7-Zip is the other free, open source archiver here and is smaller in scope. NanaZip is a fork of 7-Zip. WinRAR and Bandizip are commercial tools with their own interfaces, and Explzh is a Japanese archiver with an Explorer-like interface.