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Best Python Package Managers in 2026
Python package managers help you install project dependencies and manage the environments your software relies on. Compared on dependency groups, environment management and lockfile support, the entries can be weighed against the way you organize projects and keep setups consistent. Supported platforms help identify compatibility, while package publishing and private registry support matter for distributing software or working with private packages. Free plan availability and paid-from terms add cost considerations. ActiveState Platform, Hatch and pip-tools are among the listed options, alongside Pixi and uv. Consider your day-to-day setup needs together with the platforms, package access and publishing capabilities relevant to your work.
- 27 apps
- Research read 23 Sept 2026
- How the order is worked out
- 1
ActiveState Platform
Free plan APILinuxMac+2ActiveState Platform organizes custom runtime projects and provides build, deployment, and inventory capabilities.
- 2
Astral
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsAstral offers free, open-source Python tools for linting and package and project management. The separate pyx registry is closed to new signups, and support is directed to Discord.
- 3
conda-lock
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsconda-lock provides platform-aware lockfiles for conda environments and documents several installation and ecosystem options.
- 4
Mamba
Free plan APILinuxMac+2Mamba combines conda environment management with package queries, lockfile support, and package-file verification.
- 5
build
Free plan APILinuxMac+1build focuses on creating Python distribution packages and supports backends beyond setuptools. It is not a dependency or environment manager.
- 6
Hatch
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsHatch covers Python project setup, environments, testing, builds, and publishing, with extension points for additional tasks.
- 7
Miniconda
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsMiniconda is a minimal route to conda-based project environments for users comfortable working at the command line.
- 8
Buildout
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsChoose Buildout if you need configurable, repeatable assembly from development through production, especially for Python projects or builds that include non-Python tools.
- 9
conda
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsConda brings package management and project environments together across three major desktop operating systems.
- 10
micropipenv
Free plan LinuxSelf-hostedmicropipenv provides a focused way to install dependencies from several existing lock and requirements formats.
- 11
Nox
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsChoose Nox for automating Python tests across interpreters, dependency sets, or database values, with sessions configured in Python.
- 12
pip
Free plan LinuxMacWindowspip provides package installation across supported Python environments, with options for requirements files, reports, authentication, and offline use.
- 13
pip-tools
Free plan LinuxMacWindowspip-tools provides a focused workflow for compiling pinned dependencies and aligning an environment to them.
- 14
- 15
Spack
Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1Spack provides detailed control over scientific software builds and their dependencies, with isolated prefixes for coexisting configurations.
- 16
Flit
Free plan LinuxWindowsFlit provides a focused route from a simple Python package to build artifacts and PyPI publication.
- 17
Maturin
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsChoose Maturin if you need a free tool to build Python packages from Rust projects, with several binding types and PyPI publishing support.
- 18
Miniforge
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsChoose Miniforge if you want a free conda and mamba installer with conda-forge as the base environment’s package source.
- 19
setuptools
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsChoose setuptools if you need a free Python packaging library with package discovery, dependency configuration, entry points, and support for C or C++ extensions.
- 20
PDM
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsPDM brings project setup, dependency management, locking, and publishing into a Python-focused tool.
- 21
Rattler
Free plan APILinuxMac+2Rattler provides reusable Conda environment and package workflows across Rust and other languages.
- 22
tox
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsChoose tox if you want a free, open-source command-line tool to coordinate environments, package checks, tests, and related development commands.
- 23
Twine
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsTwine focuses on package publishing rather than building or managing environments.
- 24
uv
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsuv brings Python project and package tasks into a single tool, with support for several environments and distribution formats.
- 25
virtualenv
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsChoose virtualenv if you need a free, cross-platform command-line tool to create isolated Python environments, with interpreter discovery and extensibility options.
#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price
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