Side by side
makeself vs NSIS
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 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 makeself Free plan LinuxMacWindows
NSIS provides scripting and packaging tools for building Windows installers with custom interfaces and installation logic. Its compiler can be built on POSIX systems, but the resulting installers are for Windows.
Visit NSISThe facts
| makeself | NSIS | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | makeself.io | nsis.sourceforge.io |
| On software packaging tools | #13 of 29 | #17 of 29 |
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
NSIS: what it does well
- Free for any use, with installers up to 2GB.
- Supports command-line packaging and silent installation.
- Offers ZLib, BZip2, and LZMA compression.
- Supports multiple interface languages, including right-to-left.
- Can automate builds and create installer variants.
What to know first
- Generated installers run on Windows.
- The compiler can be built for POSIX systems, not installer output.
- Some components have separate licenses or exceptions.
Alternatives to makeself Alternatives to NSIS The whole list