Best Software Packaging Tools in 2026
Updated
In short: Tauri Bundler is ranked #1 of 28 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Jamf Safe Internet and Advanced Installer. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Advanced Installer. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Advanced Installer at $33.25/mo.
Software packaging tools help prepare applications for distribution as installers or other release outputs. Compare target platforms and output formats, then consider command-line packaging and CI/CD integration in relation to your build process. Silent installation, auto-update support, and delta updates offer further points to assess for deployment and later releases. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing provide cost context. The ranked entries start with Tauri Bundler, electron-builder, and Advanced Installer, followed by InstallAware and install4j. Compare the listed packaging and release capabilities with the platforms and workflows you need to support.
28 software packaging tools ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 Tauri Bundler iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9Free Target platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, iOSOutput formats: AppImage, Debian, RPM, Flatpak, Snap, AUR, DMG, macOS .app, MSI, NSIS .exeCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 2 Jamf Safe Internet iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.0 Target platforms: macOSOutput formats: PKG, DMG
- 3 Advanced Installer No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4$33.25/mo Target platforms: Windows 7+, Windows Server 2008 R2+, Mac OS X 10.x for Java bundlesOutput formats: MSI, EXE, MSIX, APPX, App-V, MST, ThinAppCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 4 InstallAware No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free Target platforms: Windows, macOS, LinuxOutput formats: MSI, EXE, MSIX, APPX, App-V, DEB, RPM, PKGCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 5 WiX Toolset No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3$541.67/mo Target platforms: WindowsOutput formats: MSI, MSP, MSM, MST, and EXE bundlesCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 6 electron-builder No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.2Free Target platforms: macOS, Windows, LinuxOutput formats: DMG, PKG, MAS, AppImage, Snap, DEB, RPM, FreeBSD, Pacman, P5P, APK, NSIS, NSIS Web, portable EXE, AppX, MSIX, MSI, Squirrel.Windows, ZIP, 7z, tar.xz, tar.gz, tar.bz2, tar.lz, tar.7zCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 7 IzPack No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.2Free Target platforms: Windows, Linux, Solaris, macOSOutput formats: Standard JAR installer; web installer and pack JARsCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 8 InstallBuilder No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6 Target platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, IRIX, FreeBSD, OpenBSDOutput formats: Self-contained executable, RPM, DEB, DMG, ZIP, CD-ROM, DVDCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 9 install4j No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Target platforms: Windows, Windows ARM, macOS, Linux/Unix, POSIX-compatible systemsOutput formats: native installers, MSIX, ZIP, macOS bundles, gzipped TAR, RPM, DEBCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 10 appimagetool No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Target platforms: Linux; builds documented for x86_64, i686, aarch64, and armhfOutput formats: AppImage; optional zsync fileCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 11 CyberInstaller Suite No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Target platforms: Windows Vista, Server 2008, 7, 8.x, 10 and 11Output formats: compressed self-extracting executable; CD/DVD package; web-page download packageCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 12 Flatpak Builder No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4Free Target platforms: LinuxOutput formats: Flatpak application, OSTree repositoryCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 13 Inno Setup No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Target platforms: WindowsOutput formats: EXE installerCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 14 Master Packager Suite No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Target platforms: Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit)Output formats: MSI, MSIX, MST, INTUNEWINCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 15 Squirrel.Windows No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Target platforms: WindowsOutput formats: Setup.exe, Setup.msi, full .nupkg, delta .nupkg, RELEASESCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 16 Electron Forge No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Target platforms: Windows, macOS, LinuxOutput formats: Squirrel.Windows, ZIP, DEB, RPM, DMG, AppX, FlatpakCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 17 electron-packager No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Target platforms: Windows, macOS, LinuxOutput formats: .app, .exe, platform-specific application bundlesCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 18 InstallForge No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Target platforms: WindowsOutput formats: EXE setup packagesCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 19 NSIS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3Free Target platforms: WindowsOutput formats: Self-contained executable installers (.exe) and uninstallersCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 20 cargo-bundle No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Target platforms: macOS, iOS, Linux, WindowsOutput formats: .app, .deb, .AppImage, .msiCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 21 EMCO MSI Package Builder No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Target platforms: Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, 11; Windows Server 2008 R2 through 2025Output formats: MSI, MSIX/AppX, IntuneWinCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 22 InstallShield No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Target platforms: WindowsOutput formats: MSI, EXE, APPX, MSIX, MSPCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 23 makeself No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Target platforms: Linux; macOS; Windows via Cygwin or WSL; Solaris; HP-UX; AIX; FreeBSD; OpenBSD; NetBSD; IRIX; UnicOS/CrayOutput formats: Self-extracting shell archives; compressed TAR; .run; .shCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 24 nFPM No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Target platforms: Linux, macOS, WindowsOutput formats: DEB, RPM, APK, IPK, Arch Linux, MSIXCommand-line packaging: Yes
- 25 RayPack Studio No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Target platforms: Windows; macOSOutput formats: MSI; MST; MSP; MSIX; APPX; App-V; ThinApp; SWV; LAYPKG; IntuneCommand-line packaging: Yes
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which software packaging tool is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?
Tauri Bundler is ranked #1 of 28 with a score of 7.9. Jamf Safe Internet is second and Advanced Installer third.
How many of these have a free plan?
8 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Advanced Installer has the lowest first paid tier we found: $33.25/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.