Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Homebrew VS PortableApps.com

Compare Homebrew VS PortableApps.com and see what are their differences

Homebrew logo Homebrew

The missing package manager for macOS

PortableApps.com logo PortableApps.com

PortableApps.com is a website offering many free, commonly used Windows applications that have been...
  • Homebrew Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-29
  • PortableApps.com Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-02

Homebrew features and specs

  • User-Friendly
    Homebrew provides an easy-to-use command-line interface that simplifies the installation and management of software packages.
  • Wide Range of Packages
    Homebrew offers a vast repository of software, covering a broad spectrum of utilities, languages, and applications.
  • Dependency Management
    Homebrew automatically handles dependencies, ensuring that all required packages are installed and up to date.
  • Community Support
    Homebrew has a strong community backing and regular contributions, which ensures frequent updates and a robust support system.
  • Cross-Platform
    Homebrew is available on macOS and Linux, allowing for consistent package management across different operating systems.
  • Customizability
    Users can create their own formulae to install software that isn’t available in the core repositories.

Possible disadvantages of Homebrew

  • Resource Intensive
    Some users find that Homebrew can be resource-intensive, particularly during installation of large packages or those with numerous dependencies.
  • Security Risks
    Because Homebrew allows for the installation of third-party software, there is a potential risk of downloading insecure or malicious packages.
  • Complexity for Beginners
    While user-friendly for most, beginners with no command-line experience might find the initial learning curve steep.
  • Duplication
    Users might accidentally install software that is already managed by other package managers or system libraries, leading to duplication.
  • Limited GUI Support
    Homebrew is primarily a command-line tool and lacks a graphical user interface, which could be a drawback for users who prefer GUI-based package management.

PortableApps.com features and specs

  • Portability
    PortableApps.com allows users to carry their software and settings on a USB drive, enabling them to work on different computers without needing to install software anew.
  • No Installation Required
    Applications from PortableApps.com do not require installation on the host machine, which simplifies software management and avoids modifying system files and settings.
  • Privacy and Security
    Since applications run from a portable drive, users can ensure their personal data and app settings are not left on public or shared computers.
  • Space Efficiency
    Many portable apps are designed to be lightweight, consuming less disk space compared to their installed counterparts.
  • Ease of Updates
    PortableApps.com offers a built-in updater that keeps all portable applications current, streamlining the maintenance process.

Possible disadvantages of PortableApps.com

  • Performance Issues
    Running applications from a USB drive can be slower compared to running them from a local hard drive, especially if the USB drive is of low quality or an older standard.
  • Compatibility Limitations
    Not all software can be made portable due to dependencies or performance requirements, limiting the selection of available portable apps.
  • Less Integration
    Portable applications may lack deep system integration, affecting some features and functionality that depend on tight coupling with the operating system.
  • Data Corruption Risk
    Using a USB drive intensively has a higher risk of data corruption or loss, especially if the drive is improperly ejected during read/write operations.
  • User Dependency
    If the portable drive is lost, damaged, or stolen, the user loses access to their applications and settings, creating a dependency on the portable medium.

Analysis of Homebrew

Overall verdict

  • Homebrew is highly regarded and widely used, especially in the macOS user community. Its ease of use, extensive package library, and active community support make it a reliable and valuable tool for managing software installations.

Why this product is good

  • Homebrew is considered good because it simplifies the management of software on macOS and Linux by allowing users to easily install, update, and manage packages and dependencies. It integrates well with the system, provides a vast library of open-source software, and has a simple command-line interface, making it accessible and efficient for developers and system administrators.

Recommended for

    Homebrew is recommended for developers, system administrators, and power users who require a straightforward and efficient method to manage software packages and dependencies on macOS or Linux.

Analysis of PortableApps.com

Overall verdict

  • Yes, PortableApps.com is generally considered a good platform for using and managing portable software applications.

Why this product is good

  • Wide range of applications: PortableApps.com offers a large selection of applications that can be run from a USB drive without installation, making it convenient for users who switch between multiple computers.
  • No installation required: Applications on PortableApps.com do not require installation on a computer, which helps keep your system clean and clutter-free.
  • Free and open-source: Most of the software available through PortableApps.com is free and open-source, making it accessible to a broad audience.
  • Ease of use: The platform is user-friendly, with a dedicated menu and easy update capabilities, allowing users to manage their portable apps efficiently.
  • Cross-platform support: PortableApps.com supports Windows primarily, but many of the portable apps also work on Linux through Wine or on a Mac via similar tools.

Recommended for

  • Users who frequently switch between different computers and need their software accessible on a USB drive.
  • IT professionals and technicians who require a suite of tools for troubleshooting and maintenance that can be carried easily.
  • Privacy-conscious users who prefer not to leave traces of their software usage on computers they work on.
  • Individuals who want to test software without altering their main operating system’s configuration.

Homebrew videos

Homebrew Review: Coopers Lager - Taste Test

More videos:

  • Review - Homebrew Review | Alchemist Class by Mage Hand Press (featuring Designer Mike Holik)
  • Review - Northern Brewer Cream Ale Homebrew Review Tasting

PortableApps.com videos

PortableApps.com Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Homebrew and PortableApps.com)
Front End Package Manager
Note Taking
0 0%
100% 100
Package Manager
100 100%
0% 0
LMS
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Homebrew and PortableApps.com

Homebrew Reviews

Top Homebrew Alternative: ServBay Becomes the Go-To for Developers
Homebrew is a highly popular package manager on macOS and Linux systems, enabling users to easily install, update, and uninstall command-line tools and applications. Its design philosophy focuses on simplifying the software installation process on macOS, eliminating the need for manual downloads and compilations of software packages.
Source: medium.com

PortableApps.com Reviews

We have no reviews of PortableApps.com yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Homebrew should be more popular than PortableApps.com. It has been mentiond 918 times since March 2021. 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.

Homebrew mentions (918)

  • How to for developers: Mastering your corporate MacBook Setup
    Homebrew is the go to for developer using MacOs to be able to install applications. It's the equivalent of Aptitude in Ubuntu. - Source: dev.to / 9 days ago
  • Connect to Unsupported Older Linux servers with VS Code Remote-SSH using Custom glibc & libstdc++
    Install glibc and patchelf using brew (Homebrew), or build from source, or use a prebuilt binary (if available). This guide uses brew. Also you can see this. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Dark Souls CRUD Arena - The Prisoner Approach
    In past personal projects, and in my most recent role, I've used Docker for dependency management to avoid the "works on my machine" scenario. I also just like keeping dependencies off my machine, but for this project I opted not to use containers given my lack of dependencies. I used Homebrew for all my needs :). - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Use the Amazon Q Developer CLI on AWS Graviton
    Install Homebrew if it's not already available on your computer. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • 5 Local Environment Mistakes I See Everywhere, and How to Fix Them Properly
    # ./launch.sh: #!/bin/bash if ! Command -v brew &> /dev/null; then echo "❌ Homebrew is not installed. Install it from https://brew.sh/" exit 1 fi if ! Command -v docker &> /dev/null; then echo "⚙️ Installing Docker..." brew install --cask docker fi if ! Command -v php &> /dev/null; then echo "🐘 Installing PHP..." brew install php@8.3 fi. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
View more

PortableApps.com mentions (150)

  • Ask HN: What tools do you recommend for working on Windows?
    Always put all your portable programs in the "A:\MyPC\Programs\" folder. Always put all your documents in the "A:\MyPC\Documents\" folder. Put driver files and runtime libraries in the "A:\MyPC\Install\" folder. For all three, feel free to create subfolders as needed, either per topic, per group, or however your brain envisions data trees. You can find plenty of portable windows software in the links provided... - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Ask HN: Recommended lightweight apps like Paint.NET, Notepad++, SumatraPDF etc.
    If I'm on windows I like portable applications. I always have: https://portableapps.com/ "Installed" and if I'm looking for a program I tend to go here: https://www.portablefreeware.com/ first. There's also sysmenu: https://www.ugmfree.it/ Which has way more programs, and let's not forget nirsoft: https://www.nirsoft.net/ Someone's already mention sysinternals. Much as I like Linux over windows, portable app have... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • I wanna switch browsers, any recommendations
    Until you can makeup your mind about a different browser, do what I normally do & check out this site: https://portableapps.com/ by utilizing this platform the ONLY software that actually gets installed to a users computer is the portableapps setup file so you can utilize the application itself. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Is there a way to package a desktop app so that it can run in "any" environment?
    I would ask over at portableapps.com. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Why do people still use VBA?
    >no software install... https://portableapps.com I think there's even a Lazarus IDE available for every company user who. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Homebrew and PortableApps.com, you can also consider the following products

Chocolatey - The sane way to manage software on Windows.

SyMenu - SyMenu is a portable menu launcher and Start Menu replacement to organize your applications quickly...

iTerm2 - A terminal emulator for macOS that does amazing things.

The Portable Freeware Collection - One of the largest collections of free, portable software on the web.

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

PStart - PStart is a simple tray tool to start user defined applications.