Side by side
InstallAware vs makeself
Both stand on software packaging tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
InstallAware covers multiple operating systems and installer formats, with additional packaging capabilities in the Developer edition. Note the Visual Studio requirement for the freeware edition and the separate optional Gold support.
Visit InstallAware Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1
makeself provides directory packaging with configurable extraction, integrity, compression, and optional encryption. Its command-line, shell-based approach requires compatible tools in the environments where archives are created or extracted.
Visit makeselfThe facts
| InstallAware | makeself | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | installaware.com | makeself.io |
| On software packaging tools | #9 of 29 | #13 of 29 |
InstallAware: what it does well
- Supports MSI, EXE, MSIX, and cross-platform package formats.
- Can create App-V packages and inspect their contents.
- Minimum setup can work without internet.
- Freeware edition is listed as free for commercial use.
What to know first
- The freeware edition requires Visual Studio.
- Download decompression requires a 64-bit operating system.
- Gold priority technical support is optional.
makeself: what it does well
- Creates self-extracting compressed TAR archives
- Supports several compression methods
- Archives can include CRC, MD5, or SHA256 checks
- Extraction options include integrity checks and target selection
- Free under GNU GPL version 2 and above
What to know first
- Additional compressors must be installed when required
- GPG or OpenSSL must be installed for encryption options
- Older archives before version 2.1.2 may have extraction problems on some GNU/Linux distributions
- Windows use is through Cygwin or WSL
Alternatives to InstallAware Alternatives to makeself The whole list