Best Python Package Managers in 2026
Updated
In short: ActiveState Platform is ranked #1 of 27 as of 5 October 2026, ahead of Hatch and pip. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Hatch. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Anaconda Notebooks at $15/mo.
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 Python package managers ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
10 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ActiveState PlatformWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 2 | HatchWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 3 | pipWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 4 | pip-toolsWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 5 | PixiWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | €42/mo | 6.6 | |
| 6 | uvWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 7 | AstralWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 8 | conda-lockWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 9 | MinicondaWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 10 | Anaconda NotebooksWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $15/mo | 6.4 | |
| 11 | condaWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 12 | MiniforgeWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 13 | PDMWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 14 | PoetryWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 15 | SpackWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 16 | TwineWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 17 | buildWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 18 | MambaWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 19 | MaturinWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 20 | NoxWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 21 | RattlerWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 22 | setuptoolsWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 23 | toxWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 24 | virtualenvWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 25 | FlitWindows · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Lockfile support | Environment management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ActiveState Platform | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 2 | Hatch | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 3 | pip | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 4 | pip-tools | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | No |
| 5 | Pixi | 6.6 | Free plan | €42/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 6 | uv | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 7 | Astral | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 8 | conda-lock | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 9 | Miniconda | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 10 | Anaconda Notebooks | 6.4 | Free plan | $15/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 11 | conda | 5.6 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 12 | Miniforge | 5.6 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 13 | PDM | 5.6 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 14 | Poetry | 5.6 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 15 | Spack | 5.4 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 16 | Twine | 5.4 | No | — | Yes | — | No | No |
| 17 | build | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | No | No |
| 18 | Mamba | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 19 | Maturin | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | No |
| 20 | Nox | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| 21 | Rattler | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 22 | setuptools | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | No | No |
| 23 | tox | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 24 | virtualenv | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| 25 | Flit | 5.2 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which Python package manager is ranked first on Freedom251?
ActiveState Platform is ranked #1 of 27 with a score of 6.6. Hatch is second and pip third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Anaconda Notebooks has the lowest first paid tier we found: $15/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation.