KGB Archiver 2

KGB Archiver’s developers tout their tool for its high compression rate, but its performance in our tests left us dissatisfied.

This app opens with a compact, slightly cluttered interface with the basic components: a field for listing files to compress or expand, a field for specifying the location of the output file, the level of compression, options for passwords, and so forth. We initially liked that it offered nine levels of compression, from Minimal to Maximum, but our tests with the midrange Normal and Good settings weren’t satisfying.

For instance, we compressed a 23.5Mb file using the Normal setting: KGB Archiver worked 3 minutes and 15 seconds to output a file the same size as the original file. Using the Very Good setting, KGB worked 21.5 minutes to turn the 23.5Mb file into another 23.5Mb file. Not what we were hoping for at all.

When we want a compressed file, we want the output to end up smaller than the original file. That’s not at all what we got with this free app with many of its compression options. Using compression rates above Good led to desired results, but that leaves several options next to useless. There are better tools on the market, including other freeware options, and we suggest you try other programs before making your decision.