Inno Setup vs Squirrel.Windows

Struggling to choose between Inno Setup and Squirrel.Windows? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Inno Setup is a Development solution with tags like installer, setup, authoring, windows.

It boasts features such as Create installers for Windows programs, Multi-language support, Customizable installer UI, Conditional logic, Registry and file manipulation, Scripting using Pascal Script and pros including Free and open source, Easy to use graphical interface, Powerful scripting capabilities, Wide range of functionality, Active community support.

On the other hand, Squirrel.Windows is a Development product tagged with opensource, autoupdate, windows, desktop, github, azure-devops.

Its standout features include Allows developers to publish desktop apps with auto-updates, Integrates with GitHub and Azure DevOps for continuous deployment, Open-source framework for installing and updating Windows desktop apps, Supports delta updates to reduce bandwidth usage, Can be used with .NET and non-.NET apps, and it shines with pros like Easy to implement auto-updates, Seamless CI/CD integration, Open-source and free, Good documentation and community support, Lightweight and fast compared to alternatives.

Feature	Inno Setup	Squirrel.Windows
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Development

Product Overview

Inno Setup

Description: Inno Setup is an open-source installation and setup authoring tool for Windows programs and software packages. It allows developers to easily create installers with basic to advanced functionality, including multi-language support, custom dialogs and screens, conditional logic, and much more.

Squirrel.Windows

Description: Squirrel.Windows is an open-source installation and update framework for Windows desktop apps, allowing developers to publish their apps with auto updates out of the box. It integrates seamlessly with GitHub and Azure DevOps for continuous deployment.

Key Features Comparison

Inno Setup Features

• Create installers for Windows programs
• Multi-language support
• Customizable installer UI
• Conditional logic
• Registry and file manipulation
• Scripting using Pascal Script

Squirrel.Windows Features

• Allows developers to publish desktop apps with auto-updates
• Integrates with GitHub and Azure DevOps for continuous deployment
• Open-source framework for installing and updating Windows desktop apps
• Supports delta updates to reduce bandwidth usage
• Can be used with .NET and non-.NET apps

Pros & Cons Analysis

Inno Setup

Pros

• Free and open source
• Easy to use graphical interface
• Powerful scripting capabilities
• Wide range of functionality
• Active community support

Cons

• Windows only
• Steep learning curve for advanced features
• Not as feature rich as some paid tools
• Scripting requires Pascal knowledge

Squirrel.Windows

Pros

• Easy to implement auto-updates
• Seamless CI/CD integration
• Open-source and free
• Good documentation and community support
• Lightweight and fast compared to alternatives

Cons

• Limited to Windows desktop apps
• Less flexible than building own update system
• Requires hosting your own update server or using 3rd party service
• Not as full-featured as commercial solutions

Pricing Comparison

Inno Setup

• Open Source

Squirrel.Windows

• Open Source