The following is a list of applications for building installation programs, organized by platform support.
Cross-platform
| Name | Developer | Platforms | Status | License |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installer VISE | MindVision Software | Windows, Mac OS X | Discontinued | Trialware |
| NSIS | Nullsoft | Windows, Mac OS X, Linux | Active | Multiple (free software licenses, primarily the zlib license.1) |
Windows
| Name | Developer | Status | License | Can build Windows Installer packages? |
Can build MSIX packages? |
Can Capture? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IExpress | Microsoft (Part of Windows) | Active | Freeware (proprietary) | No | No | |
| Inno Setup | Jordan Russell and Martijn Laan | Active | Modified BSD license | No | No | |
| InstallAware | InstallAware Software | Active | Trialware | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| InstallCore | InstallCore2 | Discontinued | Software as a service | No | ||
| InstallShield | Flexera Software | Active | Trialware | Yes | Yes | No |
| NSIS | Nullsoft | Active | zlib License | No | No | |
| Orca (Part of Windows SDK) | Microsoft | Active | Freeware (proprietary) | Yes; exclusively | ||
| Wise | Wise Solutions, Inc. | Discontinued | Non-free | No | ||
| WiX | Outercurve Foundation | Active | Ms-RL (previously CPL) | Yes; exclusively | Yes | No |
macOS
| Name | Developer | Status | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installer | Apple Inc. | Active | Included with macOS |
| Remote Install Mac OS X | Apple Inc. | Discontinued | Included with Mac OS X |
AmigaOS
| Name | Developer | Status | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| InstallerLG | Ola Söder | Active | AROS Public License |
| Installer | Commodore International | Discontinued | Included with AmigaOS |