NSIS vs InstallAware

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

NSIS is a Development solution with tags like installer, windows, open-source.

It boasts features such as Scriptable installer builder, Small executable size, Plugin architecture, Unicode support, Customizable and themeable UI, Installer compression, Registry and file manipulation, Execution of external programs and pros including Open source and free, Lightweight and fast, Cross-platform, Active community support, Easy to learn scripting language, Highly customizable and extensible.

On the other hand, InstallAware is a Development product tagged with installer, authoring, setup, deployment.

Its standout features include Visual editor for creating installers, Support for advanced installation features like custom actions, prerequisites, runtime variables, etc, Build installers, patches and updates for Windows software, Package files, folders, registry data, shortcuts, etc into installers, Support for silent install, command line install and uninstall, Integrates with Visual Studio and CI/CD pipelines, Build multi-language installers, Digitally sign installers, and it shines with pros like Powerful visual editor makes creating installers easy, Lots of advanced installation features for complex deployments, Good for packaging desktop applications for Windows, Integrates into developer workflows and tools like Visual Studio, Active community support and regular updates.

Feature	NSIS	InstallAware
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Development

Product Overview

NSIS

Description: NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System) is an open source system utility for creating installers on Windows. It provides a simple scripting language to build the logic and UI of installers. NSIS is useful for bundling software into distributable packages with installers.

InstallAware

Description: InstallAware is a software installation authoring tool used to build installers, patches, and updates for Windows software. It includes a visual editor and supports advanced installation features like custom actions, install prerequisites, uninstall capabilities, runtime variables, and much more.

Key Features Comparison

NSIS Features

• Scriptable installer builder
• Small executable size
• Plugin architecture
• Unicode support
• Customizable and themeable UI
• Installer compression
• Registry and file manipulation
• Execution of external programs

InstallAware Features

• Visual editor for creating installers
• Support for advanced installation features like custom actions, prerequisites, runtime variables, etc
• Build installers, patches and updates for Windows software
• Package files, folders, registry data, shortcuts, etc into installers
• Support for silent install, command line install and uninstall
• Integrates with Visual Studio and CI/CD pipelines
• Build multi-language installers
• Digitally sign installers

Pros & Cons Analysis

NSIS

Pros

• Open source and free
• Lightweight and fast
• Cross-platform
• Active community support
• Easy to learn scripting language
• Highly customizable and extensible

Cons

• Windows only
• Limited built-in functionality
• Steep learning curve for advanced tasks
• Not ideal for complex installers
• Lacks some features of commercial installers

InstallAware

Pros

• Powerful visual editor makes creating installers easy
• Lots of advanced installation features for complex deployments
• Good for packaging desktop applications for Windows
• Integrates into developer workflows and tools like Visual Studio
• Active community support and regular updates

Cons

• Fairly steep learning curve
• Can be overkill for simple installations
• Limited platform support beyond Windows
• Pricing may be prohibitive for small teams or projects

Pricing Comparison

NSIS

• Open Source

InstallAware

• One-time Purchase
• Subscription-Based