It offers up to 10% better compression than other tools, including WinRAR and WinZip. The main reason why it is loved by so many people is its high ratio compression. It is an open source tool and completely free to use. 7-Zip definitely deserves the first mention. WinZip and WinRAR Free Alternatives 1.How do I compress files to make them smaller? » Files & Sharing » Windows » Tech Ease: One way to store more data when you are low on hard drive space is by using compression to make the files and folders you already have on the drive take up less space.