TeX Live vs MacTeX

Struggling to choose between TeX Live and MacTeX? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

TeX Live is a Office & Productivity solution with tags like tex, latex, typesetting, document-preparation.

It boasts features such as TeX - Typesetting system, LaTeX - High-quality typesetting, ConTeXt - Document production system, Metafont - Font creation system, BibTeX - Bibliography management, Full TeX Live system with 4000+ packages and pros including Free and open source, Cross-platform availability, Regular updates, Large collection of packages, Easy installation.

On the other hand, MacTeX is a Office & Productivity product tagged with tex, latex, typesetting, document-preparation.

Its standout features include Complete TeX Live distribution, TeXShop editor, TeXworks editor, BibDesk reference manager, LaTeXiT equation editor, TeX Live Utility for managing the TeX distribution, and it shines with pros like Easy installation and management of TeX on macOS, Includes major TeX editors and tools, Active development and support community.

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.

TeX Live

TeX Live

TeX Live is a free and open-source TeX distribution for Linux, macOS, and Windows systems. It includes major TeX-related programs like TeX, LaTeX, ConTeXt, Metafont, and BibTeX. TeX Live aims to be easy to install and use for casual and advanced users alike.

Categories:
tex latex typesetting document-preparation

TeX Live Features

  1. TeX - Typesetting system
  2. LaTeX - High-quality typesetting
  3. ConTeXt - Document production system
  4. Metafont - Font creation system
  5. BibTeX - Bibliography management
  6. Full TeX Live system with 4000+ packages

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Cross-platform availability

Regular updates

Large collection of packages

Easy installation

Cons

Large storage requirements

Steep learning curve for advanced features

Version compatibility issues occasionally

Limitations of TeX/LaTeX typesetting


MacTeX

MacTeX

MacTeX is a free, open source TeX/LaTeX distribution for macOS based on TeX Live. It includes TeX engines, macro packages, fonts, documentation, and GUI applications like TeXShop.

Categories:
tex latex typesetting document-preparation

MacTeX Features

  1. Complete TeX Live distribution
  2. TeXShop editor
  3. TeXworks editor
  4. BibDesk reference manager
  5. LaTeXiT equation editor
  6. TeX Live Utility for managing the TeX distribution

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Easy installation and management of TeX on macOS

Includes major TeX editors and tools

Active development and support community

Cons

Large storage footprint

Annual updates can sometimes cause compatibility issues

Less customizable than manual TeX Live installation