WinSW vs Run as Service

Struggling to choose between WinSW and Run as Service? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

WinSW is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like windows, service, wrapper, opensource.

It boasts features such as Allows wrapping executables as Windows services, Provides a simple configuration file for service settings, Supports setting start mode, dependencies, account, and logging options, Open source and free to use and pros including Easy way to create Windows services from executables, Flexible configuration for controlling service behavior, Actively maintained open source project, Free with no licensing costs.

On the other hand, Run as Service is a Os & Utilities product tagged with service, background-process, developer-tool.

Its standout features include Run any executable file, batch file, or script as a Windows service, Full control over the service - install, start, stop, restart, delete, Set custom service name, description, startup type, account to run the service, View and manage services through a GUI interface, Automate service operations using command line options, Configure recovery options in case the service fails, Supports running multiple program instances as different services, Lightweight and portable - no installation required, and it shines with pros like Easy way to create a Windows service from any app, More control and flexibility over background processes, Avoid modifying application code to run as service, Manage services without accessing Windows Services console, Portable and easy to deploy on multiple machines, Free and open source.

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.

WinSW

WinSW

WinSW is an open-source Windows service wrapper that allows users to run any executable as a Windows service. It provides a simple configuration file for setting things like start mode, dependencies, account to run the service as, and logging options.

Categories:
windows service wrapper opensource

WinSW Features

  1. Allows wrapping executables as Windows services
  2. Provides a simple configuration file for service settings
  3. Supports setting start mode, dependencies, account, and logging options
  4. Open source and free to use

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Free

Pros

Easy way to create Windows services from executables

Flexible configuration for controlling service behavior

Actively maintained open source project

Free with no licensing costs

Cons

Limited to Windows platforms only

Less control compared to writing a custom Windows service

Requires some familiarity with configuration files


Run as Service

Run as Service

Run as Service allows users to run any application as a Windows service. It gives more control and flexibility over apps to work seamlessly in the background. Useful for developers and power users.

Categories:
service background-process developer-tool

Run as Service Features

  1. Run any executable file, batch file, or script as a Windows service
  2. Full control over the service - install, start, stop, restart, delete
  3. Set custom service name, description, startup type, account to run the service
  4. View and manage services through a GUI interface
  5. Automate service operations using command line options
  6. Configure recovery options in case the service fails
  7. Supports running multiple program instances as different services
  8. Lightweight and portable - no installation required

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Easy way to create a Windows service from any app

More control and flexibility over background processes

Avoid modifying application code to run as service

Manage services without accessing Windows Services console

Portable and easy to deploy on multiple machines

Free and open source

Cons

Limited to running executables, batch files and scripts only

Does not work for complex server applications like databases

Requires some knowledge of Windows services to configure properly

No official support offered

Some advanced service features not available