Makeself vs InstallShield

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

Makeself is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like selfextracting, installer, packaging, unix.

It boasts features such as Creates self-extracting shell scripts, Packages software into a single executable file, Works on Unix-like systems, Easy distribution and installation of software, Compression using gzip, bzip2, lzma or xz, MD5 checksum verification, Progress bar during extraction, Customizable messages, prompts and license agreement and pros including Simple and easy to use, Good for distributing software, Does not require root access or special permissions, Works across different Unix distributions, Lightweight and efficient.

On the other hand, InstallShield is a Development product tagged with setup, installer, deployment, packaging.

Its standout features include Create installers for Windows, macOS, Linux, Support for MSI, EXE, AppX installers, Wizard-driven interface, Multiple languages support, Custom actions and logic, Version checking capabilities, Integration with build tools, Virtualization support, Patching capabilities, Rollback functionality, Administrative installs, and it shines with pros like Wide platform and installer format support, Intuitive visual interface, Powerful customization options, Robust patching and upgrading features, Integration with popular build tools, Good technical 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.

Makeself

Makeself

Makeself is a small shell script that generates a self-extractable tarball for Unix. It packages software into a single executable file for easy distribution and installation.

Categories:
selfextracting installer packaging unix

Makeself Features

  1. Creates self-extracting shell scripts
  2. Packages software into a single executable file
  3. Works on Unix-like systems
  4. Easy distribution and installation of software
  5. Compression using gzip, bzip2, lzma or xz
  6. MD5 checksum verification
  7. Progress bar during extraction
  8. Customizable messages, prompts and license agreement

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Simple and easy to use

Good for distributing software

Does not require root access or special permissions

Works across different Unix distributions

Lightweight and efficient

Cons

Limited to Unix-like systems

Not as full-featured as other packaging systems

No dependency handling

No uninstall capability

Lacks some advanced features


InstallShield

InstallShield

InstallShield is a software tool used to create installers or setup packages for distributing software to end users. It simplifies the complex process of making installers for Windows and other platforms.

Categories:
setup installer deployment packaging

InstallShield Features

  1. Create installers for Windows, macOS, Linux
  2. Support for MSI, EXE, AppX installers
  3. Wizard-driven interface
  4. Multiple languages support
  5. Custom actions and logic
  6. Version checking capabilities
  7. Integration with build tools
  8. Virtualization support
  9. Patching capabilities
  10. Rollback functionality
  11. Administrative installs

Pricing

  • One-time Purchase
  • Subscription-Based

Pros

Wide platform and installer format support

Intuitive visual interface

Powerful customization options

Robust patching and upgrading features

Integration with popular build tools

Good technical support

Cons

Steep learning curve

Complex pricing model

Limited trial version

Can be overkill for simple installers