iZip

iZip for Mac is a free archive manager that lets you compress and extract popular formats such as ZIP, RAR, and ZIPX. Instead of treating compressed files as opaque bundles, it integrates closely with Finder so archives feel like another part of your desktop.

It suits Mac users who frequently work with compressed files and want a straightforward, Finder-based way to inspect and extract only what they need.

Wide format support with ZIPX handled gracefully

iZip covers the key archive types most Mac users encounter. It works with ZIP and RAR files, and it can also create and open ZIPX archives. ZIPX is a relatively uncommon format on OS X, yet iZip manages it without difficulty, which is helpful if you receive compressed files from different tools.

According to its update notes, iZip supports ZIP, ZIPX, and RAR on OS 10.5.x as well. That makes it usable on older versions of the system while still handling modern archive types.

Archives mounted as disks for easy browsing

One of iZip’s most distinctive traits is how it treats archives. Instead of opening them in a separate window as a list of compressed items, it mounts archives as if they were disk volumes. This lets you browse their contents directly in Finder, just like any other drive or folder.

You can use standard Finder views, including a cover flow–style layout similar to what you see in iTunes. This visual browsing helps when you are looking for specific files inside a large archive. If you only need a few documents, you can quickly locate and extract them without unpacking the entire archive.

Built-in sharing through files.com

iZip includes a convenient option for sharing archives via files.com. From within the program, you can upload an archive to that service and receive a link that others can use to access the file.

This feature works well for distributing non-confidential data, but archives that contain particularly sensitive information are better handled with more controlled sharing methods.

Preferences, controls, and recent changes

Configuration in iZip is fairly minimal. The review notes that there are not many configuration or customization options, so users who like to fine-tune every behavior might find the settings somewhat limited.

A recent version adds a preference to mount archive volumes in read-write mode whenever possible, with the option to disable this so ZIP archives open in read-only mode automatically. This gives you a basic choice between modifying archives directly or treating them as fixed containers.

The same update also mentions that an internal component was rebuilt for i386 and x86_64, reflecting under-the-hood work to support those architectures, even though this does not change how you interact with the app day to day.

Verdict

iZip offers a practical mix of features for a free Mac archiver. Treating archives as mounted volumes, supporting ZIP, RAR, and ZIPX (including the less common ZIPX format on OS X), and the ability to share via files.com give it a character that stands out from more conventional tools. Aside from its fairly simple configuration options, it works well as an everyday utility for managing compressed files on a Mac.