FreeBASIC vs PowerBASIC

Struggling to choose between FreeBASIC and PowerBASIC? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

FreeBASIC is a Development solution with tags like basic, compiler, open-source, console, gui, web-applications.

It boasts features such as Supports procedural and object-oriented programming, Syntax similar to QBasic/QuickBASIC, Can create console, GUI and web applications, Has bindings for GTK+, SDL, OpenGL, Allegro, etc, Can interface with C libraries, Supports multi-platform compilation for Windows, Linux and macOS and pros including Free and open source, Easy to learn for beginners, Fast compilation, Produces small and efficient executables, Large community support.

On the other hand, PowerBASIC is a Development product tagged with basic, windows, linux, macos, dos.

Its standout features include Rapid application development environment, Compile to native, optimized executables and DLLs, Integrated debugger, GUI designer and controls, Database access and reporting tools, File I/O, networking, serial, printing, and multimedia support, Inline assembly language support, Royalty-free runtime libraries, and it shines with pros like Very fast compile and execution speeds, Small executable sizes, Powerful language features, Backwards compatibility with older versions, Active user community and support.

Feature	FreeBASIC	PowerBASIC
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Development

Product Overview

FreeBASIC

Description: FreeBASIC is an open-source, free BASIC compiler for Windows, Linux, and macOS. It is compatible with QBasic/QuickBASIC and allows developers to easily create console, graphical GUI, and web applications. FreeBASIC supports modern features like object-oriented programming.

PowerBASIC

Description: PowerBASIC is a commercial programming language for developing Windows, Linux, macOS, and DOS applications. It provides a BASIC-like syntax that compiles to native code for high performance.

Key Features Comparison

FreeBASIC Features

• Supports procedural and object-oriented programming
• Syntax similar to QBasic/QuickBASIC
• Can create console, GUI and web applications
• Has bindings for GTK+, SDL, OpenGL, Allegro, etc
• Can interface with C libraries
• Supports multi-platform compilation for Windows, Linux and macOS

PowerBASIC Features

• Rapid application development environment
• Compile to native, optimized executables and DLLs
• Integrated debugger
• GUI designer and controls
• Database access and reporting tools
• File I/O, networking, serial, printing, and multimedia support
• Inline assembly language support
• Royalty-free runtime libraries

Pros & Cons Analysis

FreeBASIC

Pros

• Free and open source
• Easy to learn for beginners
• Fast compilation
• Produces small and efficient executables
• Large community support

Cons

• Not as full-featured as commercial BASIC dialects
• Limited IDE and debugging support
• Documentation can be lacking in some areas

PowerBASIC

Pros

• Very fast compile and execution speeds
• Small executable sizes
• Powerful language features
• Backwards compatibility with older versions
• Active user community and support

Cons

• Windows-only (no cross-platform support)
• Steep learning curve compared to other BASICs
• Limited adoption outside niche user base
• No major updates in recent years

Pricing Comparison

FreeBASIC

• Open Source

PowerBASIC

• One-time Purchase