Cyber Monday is upon us!!!!!!Cyber Monday is upon us!!!!!!

View Deals
Slickdeals is community-supported.  We may get paid by brands for deals, including promoted items.
popularnardholio posted Nov 08, 2025 10:34 PM
popularnardholio posted Nov 08, 2025 10:34 PM

Winrar Win-rar license key $14.50

$15

$29

48% off
56 Comments 13,636 Views
Get Deal at Retailer
Good Deal
Save
Share
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster

Community Voting

Deal Score
+43
Good Deal
Get Deal at Retailer

Leave a Comment

Unregistered (You)

56 Comments

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Nov 08, 2025 10:53 PM
56 Posts
Joined Nov 2011
busabusaNov 08, 2025 10:53 PM
56 Posts
Reminds me of this
36
Nov 08, 2025 11:11 PM
395 Posts
Joined Jul 2018
BlueCorn773Nov 08, 2025 11:11 PM
395 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank BlueCorn773

Someone please educate me…..Why would I want a full license or purchase a license when it's free? I have the free version and had a file in rar and it worked great. TIA
1
2
Nov 08, 2025 11:25 PM
62 Posts
Joined Nov 2011
wankeyeNov 08, 2025 11:25 PM
62 Posts
Quote from BlueCorn773 :
Someone please educate me…..Why would I want a full license or purchase a license when it's free? I have the free version and had a file in rar and it worked great. TIA
Not only that, there are open source alternatives that are far better.
4
Nov 08, 2025 11:28 PM
2,938 Posts
Joined Jan 2005
WDEagleNov 08, 2025 11:28 PM
2,938 Posts
Quote from wankeye :
Not only that, there are open source alternatives that are far better.
Please don't trouble yourself by taking time to post the info on the better alternative.
20
4
Nov 08, 2025 11:47 PM
668 Posts
Joined Nov 2012

This comment has been rated as unhelpful by Slickdeals users.

Nov 08, 2025 11:52 PM
329 Posts
Joined Jul 2017
RelikNov 08, 2025 11:52 PM
329 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank Relik

7-Zip (https://7-zip.org/) will likely do better than WinRAR, with the advantage of being free and open source. It will read RAR archives in most cases, however I believe I've had some problems with archives made using specific options in WinRAR 7.0+ (4GB or greater dictionary size?). It won't create rar's, but you shouldn't need to do that if you switch to 7z. 😉

The biggest reason you will find that people don't use 7-Zip (companies in particular) is that people are used to WinRAR and the tech support needed to have them change is troublesome, so WinRAR keeps selling licenses. I've got nothing against that, it's just that they only profit due to the friction of learning a new tool - not innovation.

For those that say WinRAR is free, no...
>>To summarise, there is no official "free version" of WinRAR in the strict sense. The software is commercial and requires a licence purchase after a 40-day trial period. But, WinRAR's developers allow users to continue using the full version indefinitely without enforcing payment, although with periodic reminders to purchase a licence.
7-Zip is truly free, no nags, no reminders, LGPL license, no button to pay the developer even if you want to.
>> You can use 7-Zip on any computer, including a computer in a commercial organization. You don't need to register or pay for 7-Zip.
9
Nov 08, 2025 11:56 PM
2,782 Posts
Joined May 2018
TimlessNov 08, 2025 11:56 PM
2,782 Posts
Quote from Relik :
7-Zip (https://7-zip.org/) will likely do better than WinRAR, with the advantage of being free and open source. It will read RAR archives in most cases, however I believe I've had some problems with archives made using specific options in WinRAR 7.0+ (4GB or greater dictionary size?). It won't create rar's, but you shouldn't need to do that if you switch to 7z. 😉

The biggest reason you will find that people don't use 7-Zip (companies in particular) is that people are used to WinRAR and the tech support needed to have them change is troublesome, so WinRAR keeps selling licenses. I've got nothing against that, it's just that they only profit due to the friction of learning a new tool - not innovation.
7zip just seems clunkier and slower than WinRAR.
6

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Nov 09, 2025 12:04 AM
807 Posts
Joined Dec 2020
succ_my_dealNov 09, 2025 12:04 AM
807 Posts
In for fun thanks op
1
Nov 09, 2025 12:04 AM
329 Posts
Joined Jul 2017
RelikNov 09, 2025 12:04 AM
329 Posts
Quote from Timless :
7zip just seems clunkier and slower than WinRAR.
I agree on both. The UI has never been the priority unfortunately. WinRAR can be faster, but 7-Zip wins on compression ratio with a smaller archive.
1
Pro
Deal Hunter
Nov 09, 2025 12:05 AM
17,662 Posts
Joined Sep 2011
Eragorn
Pro
Deal Hunter
Nov 09, 2025 12:05 AM
17,662 Posts
RocketJump made a short years ago about this....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX_pF03vCSU
1
Nov 09, 2025 12:10 AM
101 Posts
Joined May 2018
android_fanNov 09, 2025 12:10 AM
101 Posts
Quote from BlueCorn773 :
Someone please educate me…..Why would I want a full license or purchase a license when it's free? I have the free version and had a file in rar and it worked great. TIA
Corporate purchases. It's not free in general, it's free for personal use. No way for them to verify if you are using it for personal use or not, but a company would typically purchase the software for support, hotfixes and what not.
Nov 09, 2025 12:19 AM
329 Posts
Joined Jul 2017
RelikNov 09, 2025 12:19 AM
329 Posts
Quote from BlueCorn773 :
Someone please educate me…..Why would I want a full license or purchase a license when it's free? I have the free version and had a file in rar and it worked great. TIA
Also... You are asking a question that is as old as time. Here's a 10 year old Reddit thread with the same question.
ELI5:Why can we use WINRAR for free even though it constantly requests us to purchase a license? : explainlikeimfive https://www.reddit.com/r/explainl...though_it/

There's a 12 year old Reddit called r/PaidForWinRAR where you are immortalized with a post if you provide proof you purchased WinRAR.
2
4
Nov 09, 2025 12:23 AM
3,433 Posts
Joined Jan 2011
WandNov 09, 2025 12:23 AM
3,433 Posts
Quote from WDEagle :
Please don't trouble yourself by taking time to post the info on the better alternative.
7-zup is the best I've used so far.
1
1
2
Nov 09, 2025 12:27 AM
524 Posts
Joined Jun 2017
ThePublisherNov 09, 2025 12:27 AM
524 Posts
Quote from Relik :
7-Zip (https://7-zip.org/) will likely do better than WinRAR, with the advantage of being free and open source. It will read RAR archives in most cases, however I believe I've had some problems with archives made using specific options in WinRAR 7.0+ (4GB or greater dictionary size?). It won't create rar's, but you shouldn't need to do that if you switch to 7z. 😉The biggest reason you will find that people don't use 7-Zip (companies in particular) is that people are used to WinRAR and the tech support needed to have them change is troublesome, so WinRAR keeps selling licenses. I've got nothing against that, it's just that they only profit due to the friction of learning a new tool - not innovation.For those that say WinRAR is free, no... >>To summarise, there is no official "free version" of WinRAR in the strict sense. The software is commercial and requires a licence purchase after a 40-day trial period. But, WinRAR's developers allow users to continue using the full version indefinitely without enforcing payment, although with periodic reminders to purchase a licence.7-Zip is truly free, no nags, no reminders, LGPL license, no button to pay the developer even if you want to.>> You can use 7-Zip on any computer, including a computer in a commercial organization. You don't need to register or pay for 7-Zip.
I came here to say, but 7zip is free and open so.... But you beat me to it.

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Nov 09, 2025 12:36 AM
8,035 Posts
Joined Dec 2006
ketamineNov 09, 2025 12:36 AM
8,035 Posts
Quote from busabusa :
Reminds me of this
They don't care, they keygen from ages ago still works.
Quote from LNT9999 :
This is the most counter-intuitive post ever on SD! Why pay for something that is always free?
TU nonetheless just for laugh and giggle just in case this post goes to FB
There are quite a few MacOS apps that are free but cost money in the app store yet people still buy them.
Last edited by ketamine November 8, 2025 at 05:38 PM.
1

Leave a Comment

Unregistered (You)

Popular Deals

Trending Deals