Feeling guilty about using WinRAR for free for decades? Buy the official WinRAR bag

There are only a few truly infinite things: the size of the universe, Elon Musk's inability to handle criticism, the number of times Bethesda has released or remastered The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and the length of WinRAR's "40-Day Trial." The popular and decades-old compression software is renowned for being that app you never have to pay for, even though it says that you do.

This is part of WinRAR's business model, which allows users to continue using it indefinitely - even after the 40-day trial period ends. Although some users and businesses pay for WinRAR, not paying for it has become a meme that the company has fully embraced.

Case in point, one of the company's recent social media posts highlights an officially licensed WinRAR bag that you can purchase. It is fashioned in the style of the iconic books, wrapped in a leather belt with the WinRAR logo and app icon.

It looks pretty cool, with WinRAR posting a comment that playfully highlights the guilt of not paying to use its software. "What better way to support the software you've NEVER paid for than by buying a WinRAR bag?" the post says. Adding a little 'we dare you' tag at the end.

Created by French clothing company Tern, it's a pretty boutique item that is more like a handbag than a bag with a hefty $194 price tag. Granted, it's a small price to pay if you've been freely using WinRAR since 1993 without spending a cent compressing and decompressing files. Tern also offers a licensed WinRARE varsity-style jacket for $378.

WinRAR's sense of humor is right up there for a software company where, in response to the "How do you make money?" question following the post, it responded with "Selling licenses and bags."

With Windows finally adding native RAR support in 2023, the need for WinRAR has decreased; however, the app's legacy and nostalgia have seen it maintain its popularity among tech enthusiasts who grew up during the first Internet age of the 1990s.