Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Cubic VS Setapp

Compare Cubic VS Setapp and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Cubic logo Cubic

Cubic (Custom Ubuntu ISO Creator) is a GUI wizard to create a customized bootable Ubuntu Live CD...

Setapp logo Setapp

The one place for trusted apps. Hundreds of high-quality apps for your Mac and iPhone, including AI tools.
  • Cubic Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-13
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25

A unified marketplace for Mac and iPhone users to get hand-picked, trusted apps. Get over 260 apps for a flat fee with Setapp Membership, or purchase individual apps on flexible terms through Setapp Marketplace.

Cubic

Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Release Date
-

Setapp

Website
setapp.com
$ Details
paid Free Trial $14.99 / Monthly (1 Mac)
Release Date
2017 January

Cubic features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Cubic provides a straightforward and intuitive interface, making it accessible even for users with limited experience in creating or customizing Linux ISOs.
  • Customizability
    Cubic allows users to easily customize Ubuntu-based distributions by installing software, tweaking settings, and adding files directly into the ISO image.
  • Real-time Preview
    The application provides a real-time preview of the ISO being customized, helping users to visualize the final product and make adjustments as necessary.
  • Enhanced Control Over Packages
    Cubic facilitates easy manipulation of package lists, including the ability to add, remove, or enable specific repositories for package installation.

Possible disadvantages of Cubic

  • Limited to Ubuntu-based Distributions
    Cubic is specifically designed for customizing Ubuntu and its derivatives, meaning it is not suitable for other Linux distributions.
  • Requires Linux Knowledge
    Despite its user-friendly interface, Cubic still requires a basic understanding of Linux commands and environment to make effective customizations.
  • Dependency on Ubuntu Packages
    Customizations are reliant on packages available within Ubuntuโ€™s repositories, which may limit the scope of modifications for users who require non-Ubuntu packages.
  • Performance and Resource Limitations
    Running Cubic can be resource-intensive, requiring significant CPU and memory usage, especially during intensive operations like large package installs or complex customization scripts.

Setapp features and specs

  • Diverse Application Library
    Setapp provides access to a wide range of high-quality Mac applications across different categories, all from a single subscription service.
  • Cost-Effective
    For a monthly fee, users gain access to multiple paid applications, which can be more cost-effective than purchasing individual app licenses.
  • Updates and Upgrades Included
    All apps within Setapp come with automatic updates and upgrades included in the subscription, ensuring users always have the latest features and security patches.
  • Easy Installation and Management
    The Setapp platform provides a user-friendly interface for browsing, installing, and managing applications, simplifying the overall user experience.
  • Free Trial Available
    Setapp offers a 7-day free trial, allowing potential users to explore and evaluate the service before committing to a subscription.

Analysis of Setapp

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Setapp is considered good for users who frequently use multiple Mac apps and value convenience and flexibility. It provides excellent value for money by offering a diverse selection of reliable and well-crafted applications. However, it might not be the best choice for those who only need a few specific applications or prefer to own their software outright.

Why this product is good

  • Setapp is a subscription-based service that provides access to a wide range of Mac applications for a single monthly fee. Users often find it beneficial because it offers a curated selection of high-quality apps without the need to purchase each one individually. It saves time and money for those who require multiple tools, ensuring they always have the latest versions without additional costs. Furthermore, it simplifies software management by centralizing the process of discovering, updating, and accessing various applications.

Recommended for

    Setapp is recommended for professionals, creatives, and productivity enthusiasts who use a variety of Mac applications regularly and appreciate the ease of access to a comprehensive software library without the hassle of individual purchases. It's also suitable for users who enjoy exploring new tools and apps to enhance their workflow.

Cubic videos

Cubic Mini Cub Wood Stove Full Review | after two years

More videos:

  • Review - Cubic Mini Wood Stove // REVIEW
  • Review - 5 Cubic Foot Chest Freezer | Unboxing and Review | Buy on Amazon

Setapp videos

What's Setapp?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Cubic and Setapp)
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Project Management
0 0%
100% 100
AI
100 100%
0% 0
Productivity
0 0%
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Cubic and Setapp.

What's the story behind your product?

Setapp's answer:

Setapp was created in 2016 by MacPaw, the company behind apps such as CleanMyMac, ClearVPN, and more. The key idea behind Setapp was to give users a simple way to discover high-quality apps for Mac. Over the years, the catalog has grown to over 260 apps and now includes tools for Mac, iOS, and web. Setapp is localized in eight languages and has users all over the world. Here are the key dates:

November 2016: Setapp closed beta is launched for the press, opinion leaders, and influencers. December 6, 2016: Setapp Beta release. January 25, 2017: Setapp public release. August 6, 2020: Setapp let users install iOS apps. August 11, 2021: Setapp arrives on iPhone and iPad. March, 2026: Single app purchase via Setapp Marketplace is introduced. Now, Setapp includes 260+ apps, 50+ iOS apps, and about 10 web apps with more to come.

What makes your product unique?

Setapp's answer:

Setapp's key differentiators:

-Curation. Setapp is a curated platform with trusted, hand-picked apps โ€” not a place filled with self-submitted apps.

-Professional focus. Setapp includes apps aimed at improving productivity and workflows for professionals who rely on their Macs. Setapp users range from developers and marketers to educators, healthcare experts, logistics and retail professionals, and more.

-Flexible access. Users have two ways to get apps: a single-fee subscription to 260+ fully unlocked Mac, iOS, and web apps; or individual app purchases via Setapp Marketplace, for those who need just a few apps rather than the full catalog.

-Security. Setapp holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2, and GDPR certifications. Apps are not permitted to display ads or include hidden in-app purchases.

-AI access. AI+ plans give access to all popular LLM models โ€” GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok โ€” through a single gateway.

Setapp gives users apps they can count on. Itโ€™s not an endless store but a curated collection of apps worth usersโ€™ time and money.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Setapp's answer:

-Quality over volume. The catalog includes only hand-picked, trusted apps. When downloading an app from Setapp, users can be sure it is high quality and safe to use.

-Trusted apps, no fillers. Every app is Apple-notarized, ad-free, fully unlocked, and has no features locked behind additional paywalls. Getting apps through Setapp means avoiding malware and unpleasant surprises.

-Save costs. Setapp Membership offers access to over 260 apps for a flat fee โ€” no need to subscribe to multiple individual apps and juggle subscriptions. In Setapp Marketplace, users can purchase hand-picked, trusted apps individually, with no need to double-check quality or security.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Setapp's answer:

Setapp is actively used by professionals who rely heavily on their Macs and want to improve their workflows โ€” including developers, IT specialists, content creators, designers, marketers, writers, educators, students, and specialists in agriculture, logistics, retail, healthcare, and other fields.

User comments

Share your experience with using Cubic and Setapp. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Setapp might be a bit more popular than Cubic. We know about 15 links to it since March 2021 and only 14 links to Cubic. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Cubic mentions (14)

  • How to make your own distro?
    To remaster Ubuntu you can use Cubic which is easy to use if you have some basic Linux knowledge. Source: over 3 years ago
  • (Not So) Simple Plain Cubic Tutorial
    It has occurred to me that providing complex tutorials in regards to ISO's has somewhat discouraging effect, thus, in today's discussion, we'll delve into a tool named Cubic. Cubic, an anagram of "Custom Ubuntu ISO Creator", is a graphical wizard tool that can aid to create a customized Live ISO image for Ubuntu and Debian based distributions. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
  • Rest in peace CutefishOS, you were amazing...
    In fact cutefish is based on ubuntu and the last version is based on ubuntu 21.10 it will probably be very easy to make a version of cutefish based on 22.04 you can probably even use the cubic iso tool to make it and package it. Source: about 4 years ago
  • The most efficient way to install Ubuntu on 40 Macbook Airs?
    We've looked into LiveCDCustomization, Cubic, Packer, and Unattended Ubuntu install cloud-init. Source: about 4 years ago
  • How can I build my own Distro?
    For Ubuntu I would go with Cubic, really easy to use and yet quite powerful. Source: over 4 years ago
View more

Setapp mentions (15)

  • Ask HN: How to Sell as a Software Engineer?
    > I've reached the conclusion that software quality and even price matters much less than distribution, especially now. I highly doubt that is true. We don't yet know how end-users will make purchasing decisions now that almost anyone can build something that "works". Taking AI out of the picture: you still need to define the target market segment before you build anything. You still need to find a way to... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Show HN: BoringBar โ€“ a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS
    There could be 4x buyers at $10. Iโ€™d be one of the now, the dock is a constant annoyance. The app looks great, downloading the trial now. To the appโ€™s author Iโ€™d say get as many licensees as you can fast before youโ€™re Sherlocked or somebody vibecodes a clone out of โ€œwhy notโ€. I use many free and paid apps, little QoL types, like BetterDisplay, Coctail, etc and for me the included support is of little value. These... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Coders Coded Their Job Away. Why Are So Many of Them Happy About It?
    I used a bunch of tools from https://setapp.com/ and no longer subscribe. I used to pay for Linear for all my personal projects, built one with CC that perfectly fits my needsโ€ฆ I also built a myriad of small tools that help me automate bunch of busy work I used to do manually, both for professional and personal projects. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Italian Competition Authority Fines Apple $115M for Abusing Dominant Position
    > are there any real 3rd-party AppStores for iOS now "Always has been": Setapp. Very interesting model. Readily recommend devs subscribing to this collection, but non-devs as well if you're into "there's an app for that" and fatigued with IAP. https://setapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • The One Productivity Tool You Didn't Know You Can't Live Without
    I use Paste, a very feature rich clipboard manager for Mac with gorgeous UI. It's not free, but it comes along with a Setapp license that I got from work, so if you already have a license you can use it to install Paste. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

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QuickBase - Quickbase provides a no-code operational agility platform that enables organizations to improve operations through real time insights and automation across complex processes and disparate systems. โ€‹โ€‹