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.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

FreeBASIC

FreeBASIC

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.

Categories:
basic compiler open-source console gui web-applications

FreeBASIC Features

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

Pricing

  • Open Source

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

PowerBASIC

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.

Categories:
basic windows linux macos dos

PowerBASIC Features

  1. Rapid application development environment
  2. Compile to native, optimized executables and DLLs
  3. Integrated debugger
  4. GUI designer and controls
  5. Database access and reporting tools
  6. File I/O, networking, serial, printing, and multimedia support
  7. Inline assembly language support
  8. Royalty-free runtime libraries

Pricing

  • One-time Purchase

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