Compare software

Plzip vs pigz: catalog facts
Plzip	pigz
Free Free software.	Free Free and open source with no paid tier.
Linux, Command line	Linux, Command line
Uses many CPU cores on large files Output is standard lzip, readable by other lzip tools	Uses all CPU cores when compressing Output is standard gzip format
Slightly larger files than single-threaded lzip No speed benefit on small files	Decompression gains little from multiple cores Distributed as source code; you may need to compile it
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: Zlib
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.