What are the best installers for Windows programs?

Question

20

Options
Considered

639

User
Recs.

2 hrs

Last
Updated

Here’s the Deal

The Best 1 of 19 OptionsWhy?

Best installers for Windows programs	Price	Platforms	Technology
96 Inno setup	Free	Windows	Pascal
-- ClickOnce	Free	Windows	-
-- Advanced Installer	Free / paid	Windows	-
-- SetupBuilder	Paid	linux	-
-- Actual installer	Free / paid	Windows	-

See Full List

18 Other Options Considered

Advanced Installer

Top Pro

Flexible

Flexible installer that supports different types of installation. See More

Top Con

Support is pretty thin

There is some documentation but the forum help is usually to a low standard. See More

RickZeeland's Experience

Windows installer for installing, updating, and configuring your applications. Has support for ASP.NET and Microsoft Store. See More

Specs

Platforms:Windows

Top Pro

Deployment options

Single MSI package or unbundled to run from CD or DVD, or online installs from an URL. See More

Top Con

Very little control

Provides very little control to the user and is limited in several features. See More

CommunicativeOceanus's Experience

This is the easiest of them all to get up and running. There are tons of options too in case you want to get fancy. See More

Top Pro

Plugins

Plugins for continuous integration with Jenkins, Bamboo and TeamCity included in the free version. See More

Sad Cat's Experience

Used it to make an installer See More

See All

InstallAware

Top Pro

App-V builder

Target Microsoft's App-V Virtualization platform with all InstallAware editions except Express. See More

Top Con

Licensing

The company licensed the software to us incorrectly, then refused to correct their error. Instead, they wanted us to pay for a year's use for which we had already paid. See More

GutsyOyamatsumi's Experience

The product was good, but a fairly large learning curve. See More

Specs

Platforms:Windows

Top Pro

Convert WiseScript

Top Pro

Free installer for Visual Studio

Top Pro

Cloud install

Build cloud installers with ASP.NET or .NET assemblies. See More

Top Pro

Torrent plugin

See All

VMware InstallBuilder

Platforms:Windows, Linux, Mac

InstallShield

Top Con

Incredibly expensive

InstallForge

Top Pro

Free

RickZeeland's Experience

A free and easy-to-use installer for Windows. See More

Specs

Platforms:Windows

Top Pro

Updater

Top Pro

License keys

Can generate license keys. See More

See All

Master Packager

Top Pro

Free version

WiX Toolset

Top Pro

Officially supported by Microsoft

Top Con

Very steep learning curve

CharmingShara's Experience

Have used Visual Studio Installer projects, InstallShield Express, InstallShield, and WiX. I prefer WiX. See More

Top Pro

Can do most anything

Top Con

The simplest tasks become horribly complex

MellowPamola's Experience

A lot of things are way harder than they have to be, which makes it worse than a zip and a script. For example it can't remember user choices for an installation and you have to use a hack (store information about it in registry) to retrieve them for repair. Also since it is not a script but "declarative" it is way harder to debug it. It can't nativly embed other msi files, you have to use an extension which you can't customize. See More

Top Pro

Generates MSI

Top Con

Slow to build

Top Pro

Can use C# for custom actions

Top Con

Nonsensical localization system

Top Pro

Stores install source code as XML - source control friendly

Top Con

Slow to run

Top Pro

Active user community

See All

AdminStudio

Platforms:Windows, Mac, Mobile

InnoSetup

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Inno setup

Top Pro

Free

No cost, just download and install. See More

Top Con

On uninstall does not check file content

If the file content has been changed after installation, the file is uninstalled without warning the user. See More

StrongDaichinTengri's Experience

I have been using it for over 10 years and am very satisfied. See More

Specs

Platforms:Windows

Technology:Pascal

Top Pro

Flexible

Top Con

Pascal

For programmers used to C and C#, the Pascal scripting syntax is something that takes a while to get used to. See More

AgreeableJurojin's Experience

Generated setup is detected as a virus See More

Top Pro

Pascal scripting engine

Integrated Pascal scripting engine option for advanced run-time install and uninstall customization. See More

PowerfulRheda's Experience

very good experience. Fast, works reliably, not difficult to handle, all important functionality See More

Top Pro

Easy to learn

SupportiveNabu's Experience

Just replaced InstallShield with InnoSetup rather than pay for upgrade. InstallShield is ridiculously high priced. So far, InnoSetup all good with installs and patches! See More

Top Pro

Debugger

The (generated) script can be run in Inno Setup and it is possible to set breakpoints to debug the code. See More

RickZeeland's Experience

Inno Setup rivals other commercial installers in features and power. Using the wizard it is easy to create a simple installer, but for more complex installers the Pascal scripting engine can be used. See More

Top Pro

Works as documented

PerceptiveMengPo's Experience

Excellent utility until you try and run the executable it produces. See More

AmbitiousRundas's Experience

I got up and running after watching a 5 minute video on YouTube. Couldn't believe how easy it was!! See More

See All

The Best 1 of 19 OptionsWhy?

My Recommendation for Inno setup

My Recommendation for Inno setup

Free

On uninstall does not check file content

Flexible

Pascal

Pascal scripting engine

Easy to learn

Debugger

Works as documented

18 Other Options Considered

My Recommendation for ClickOnce

My Recommendation for ClickOnce

Web or media install

Installs for one user only

Automatic updating

Simple

My Recommendation for Advanced Installer

My Recommendation for Advanced Installer

Flexible

Support is pretty thin

Deployment options

Very little control

Plugins

My Recommendation for SetupBuilder

My Recommendation for SetupBuilder

dark mode

Paid version

Serial-Number-Key Protection

My Recommendation for Actual installer

My Recommendation for Actual installer

Updater

My Recommendation for Setup Factory

My Recommendation for Setup Factory

Scripting

Customizable

My Recommendation for Windows Remix

My Recommendation for Windows Remix

ClickOnce

My Recommendation for InstallAware

My Recommendation for InstallAware

App-V builder

Licensing

Convert WiseScript

Free installer for Visual Studio

Cloud install

Torrent plugin

My Recommendation for MSI Generator

My Recommendation for MSI Generator

Generates MSI installer

Slow to build, slow to run

Very complex and hard to learn

Nonsensical handling of localization

My Recommendation for VMware InstallBuilder

My Recommendation for VMware InstallBuilder

My Recommendation for InstallShield

My Recommendation for InstallShield

Incredibly expensive

My Recommendation for InstallForge

My Recommendation for InstallForge

Free

Updater

License keys

My Recommendation for Master Packager

My Recommendation for Master Packager

Free version

My Recommendation for ClickTeam Install Creator

My Recommendation for ClickTeam Install Creator

Simple

My Recommendation for NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System)

My Recommendation for NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System)

Free, Open Source

Weirdest scripting language ever

Widely used

Small header

My Recommendation for dotSetup

My Recommendation for dotSetup

Free

My Recommendation for DCP Setup Maker