Super QuickLook Our pick
$2.99 once · macOS 12+ Best overall valueDecision guide · July 2026
Choose your Quick Look upgrade in minutes.
Five Finder preview tools, compared on the facts that change the decision: coverage, price, macOS support, privacy, and product focus.
Current USD pricing and platform requirements checked July 17, 2026. Regional store prices may vary.
Field / 05 Decision snapshot
Unfold
$10 lifetime · macOS 15.6+ Most format varietyPeek
$7.99 once · macOS 10.15+ Deep text controlsQuick Peek
Free to preview · macOS 26.2+ Four core formatsBetterZip QL
Free · macOS 10.15+ Archives only01 / Decision matrix
Compare the vitals that matter.
Facts first. No weighted score hiding the tradeoffs.
| Decision vital | Super QuickLook Recommended | Unfold | Peek | Quick Peek | BetterZip QL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-time price | $2.99 | $10 | $7.99 | Free | Free |
| Minimum macOS | 12.0 | 15.6 | 10.15 | 26.2 | 10.15 |
| Markdown + code | Broad | Broad | Broad | Markdown only | No |
| Folder previews | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Archive previews | Broad | Broad | No | No | Broad |
| Structured data | SQLite + columnar | JSON + text data | JSON + YAML | JSON/YAML/CSV | No |
| Standout capability | Files + folders in one app | eBooks, comics + Mermaid | Search, jump + scroll restore | Search + optional editing | 20+ archive types |
| Distribution | Mac App Store | Direct / Homebrew | Mac App Store | Mac App Store | Direct download |
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02 / Key differentiators
Why Super QuickLook earns the pick.
Coverage without the bundle hunt
One extension handles folders, archives, readable documents, source code, configs, and serious data formats such as SQLite and Parquet.
MDXIPYNBSQLITEPARQUETZIP
The lowest paid price
At $2.99 once, it costs less than half of Peek and less than a third of Unfold—with no subscription or account.
$2.99 $7.99 $10
New capability, older Macs
macOS 12 support covers substantially more existing Macs than Unfold or Quick Peek while keeping a modern App Store install.
1215.626.2
03 / Best-for profiles
Choose by who you are.
The runner-up changes when your workload gets narrow.
Super QuickLook
Most Mac power users
The strongest price-to-coverage balance for code, documents, data, archives, and folders in one install.
Unfold
eBook and diagram readers
Worth the higher price when EPUB, comics, Mermaid, and current macOS polish matter more than older OS support.
Peek
Long-document navigators
The specialist for copy, search, line jumps, themes, and restored scroll position—if its older release cadence is acceptable.
Quick Peek
Four-format minimalists
A clean free choice for Markdown, JSON, YAML, and CSV on macOS 26.2 or later.
BetterZip Quick Look
Archive-only users
The focused free pick when compressed-file listings are the whole brief.
04 / Price, platform & support
The fine print, made visible.
Official product and store information, checked July 17, 2026.
01
Super QuickLook
Our pickPrice$2.99 one-time
PlatformmacOS 12 or later
Text, Markdown, MDX, notebooks, code, config, CSV/JSON, SQLite, Parquet, Avro, Feather/Arrow, archives, and folders.
Mac App Store · no subscription · no cloud account02
Unfold
Broadest lifestyle rangePrice$10 lifetime · 3 devices
PlatformmacOS 15.6 or later
167 listed extensions, including folders, archives, code, Markdown, Mermaid, eBooks, and comic archives.
Direct download · Homebrew · 7-day trial03
Peek
Interaction specialistPrice$7.99 one-time
PlatformmacOS 10.15 or later
500+ listed extensions, with search, copy, line jumping, themes, MathJax, Mermaid, and scroll restoration.
Mac App Store · latest listed release 2.6.4, April 202204
Quick Peek
Free focused optionPriceFree previews · $9.99 Pro editing
PlatformmacOS 26.2 or later
Markdown, JSON/JSONL, YAML, CSV/TSV, plus find-in-document and multiple reader modes.
Mac App Store · no account · files stay local05
BetterZip Quick Look
Free archive specialistPriceFree
PlatformmacOS 10.15 or later
ZIP, RAR, 7-Zip, TAR, ISO, DEB, RPM, StuffIt, winmail.dat, and more compressed formats.
Direct download · Apple Silicon native · optional preview preferences
Concise recommendation
Start with Super QuickLook.
It is the sensible default for most people: the lowest paid price, broad cross-category coverage, local rendering, and compatibility back to macOS 12. Choose Unfold for eBooks and Mermaid, Peek for advanced text navigation, Quick Peek for four free formats on the latest macOS, or BetterZip when archives are all you need.
Research sources
Verify the comparison.
Super QuickLookOfficial site reviewedUnfoldOfficial product page reviewedPeekMac App Store listing reviewedQuick PeekOfficial product page reviewedBetterZip Quick LookOfficial product page reviewed Apple Quick Look guidePlatform documentation reviewed
Method: official product pages and Mac App Store listings were used for price, minimum macOS, stated format support, privacy, and release details. Feature descriptions reflect advertised support, not laboratory testing.