Convert ZIP to TAR.BZ2
Free, fast and secure — convert ZIP to TAR.BZ2 right in your browser.
Convert ZIP to TAR.BZ2 for wider compatibility
Converting ZIP to TAR.BZ2 gives you a more widely supported file that opens cleanly across more devices, apps and platforms — handy when ZIP will not play nicely everywhere.
How to convert ZIP to TAR.BZ2
- 1 Drop your ZIP file into the converter above.
- 2 It is converted to TAR.BZ2 automatically — no settings to fiddle with.
- 3 Download your new TAR.BZ2 file instantly.
ZIP vs TAR.BZ2
| Feature | ZIP | TAR.BZ2 |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| MIME type | application/zip | application/x-bzip2 |
| Best for | Sharing and sending collections of files that must open anywhere without extra tools. | Archiving and distributing files on Unix systems when smaller size matters more than speed. |
About the formats
ZIP archive
ZIP is the world’s most common archive format, bundling many files and folders into one compressed container. Every major operating system opens it natively, with no extra software.
Strengths
- Opens on Windows, macOS and Linux out of the box
- Bundles many files and folders together
- Fast, lossless compression
Limitations
- Compresses less tightly than 7z
- Weak built-in encryption
- No solid-archive mode
Best for: Sharing and sending collections of files that must open anywhere without extra tools.
bzip2-compressed TAR archive
TAR.BZ2 is a TAR archive compressed with bzip2, which packs tighter than gzip in exchange for slower speed. It is common for source releases and archival on Unix-like systems.
Strengths
- Smaller files than TAR.GZ
- Preserves Unix permissions and structure
- Widely supported on Linux and macOS
Limitations
- Slower to compress and extract
- Not native to Windows
- Superseded by xz for new projects
Best for: Archiving and distributing files on Unix systems when smaller size matters more than speed.