Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

NSIS VS PACE Suite

Compare NSIS VS PACE Suite and see what are their differences

NSIS logo NSIS

NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System) is a professional open source system to create Windows...

PACE Suite logo PACE Suite

PACE Suite is an intelligent application packaging solution to work with packages of multiple formats, such as MSI, MSIX, AppX, App-V, ThinApp, and IntuneWin.
  • NSIS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-07
  • PACE Suite
    Image date //
    2024-02-19

PACE Suite is an intuitive application packaging solution aimed at simplifying and optimizing the end-to-end application packaging process and reducing the delivery time of high-quality software to end-users across thousands devices.

The solution provides a wide range of advanced features that allow covering all aspects of application packaging, from creating, editing, (re) packaging to testing and deploying packages. In addition, PACE Suite supports packages of multiple formats, such as MSI, MSIX, AppX, App-V, ThinApp, and IntuneWin.

PACE Suite provides users with rich functionality to capture installations remotely on multiple virtual machines (ESXi, Hyper-V, and VirtualBox) automate checks for package quality, security, and readiness, as well as create Windows Installer packages, publish MSI packages to SCCM, and much more.

Users can seamlessly integrate PACE Suite in the existing software environment with the help of the REST API.

NSIS

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NSIS features and specs

  • Open Source
    NSIS is free to use and modify, which allows for extensive customization and community-driven improvements.
  • Lightweight
    NSIS installers are known for their small footprint which helps in deploying applications without consuming too much disk space.
  • Scriptable
    Its scripting language offers a high degree of flexibility for customizing the installation process to meet specific requirements.
  • Wide Compatibility
    NSIS is compatible with many Windows versions, from Windows 95 to the latest versions of Windows.
  • Extensive Plugin System
    A strong plugin system allows developers to extend its functionality and integrate it with other software and services.
  • Community Support
    A strong user community offers forums, tutorials, and shared plugins, making it easier to find support and resources.
  • Custom UI
    You can fully customize the user interface, including the ability to add graphics, custom dialogs, and more.

Possible disadvantages of NSIS

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Mastering NSIS scripting can take time and effort, particularly for those unfamiliar with scripting or programming.
  • Manual Configuration
    Requires writing and maintaining scripts for each installer, which can be labor-intensive compared to GUI-based installers.
  • Less Enterprise Support
    As an open-source project, it may lack the formal support options available with commercial installer solutions.
  • Limited GUI Tools
    Compared to some commercial solutions, it has fewer graphical tools for building installers, which can make the process more cumbersome.
  • Documentation Gaps
    Even though there is a lot of community-generated content, official documentation can sometimes be lacking, making it harder for new users.
  • Complexity in Large Projects
    Managing very large projects can become cumbersome and error-prone because all configurations are script-based.
  • Windows Only
    NSIS creates installers only for the Windows platform, which limits its usefulness if you need cross-platform support.

PACE Suite features and specs

  • Create Windows Installer package, edit it, create transforms, patches
  • Capture installations remotely on multiple virtual machines hosted on the ESXi, Hyper-V and VirtualBox hypervisors
  • Automate package quality, safety and deployment readiness checks
  • Create Windows Installer package, edit it, create transforms, patches
  • Repackage any installer into an MSI, MSIX, APPX or a virtualization format
  • Publish MSI package to Microsoft SCCM
  • Automate routine packaging tasks
  • Estimate MSI package complexity and generate package documentation
  • Create and edit virtual packages (App-V, ThinApp)
  • Repackaging in Windows Sandbox
  • Editor for PSAppDeployToolkit
  • Build installer for CI/CD
  • Dialog box editor
  • PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit framework
  • Repackaging in Windows Sandbox
  • Repackaging in Docker

NSIS videos

Hackers Cover Ransomware via New NSIS Installers

PACE Suite videos

Publish MSI to SCCM - PACE Suite 5.5.x

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Edit MSI (Windows Services)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to NSIS and PACE Suite)
Website Builder
85 85%
15% 15
Package Builder
80 80%
20% 20
Website Design
86 86%
14% 14
Package Distribution
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing NSIS and PACE Suite, you can also consider the following products

Inno Setup - Inno Setup is a free installer for Windows programs.

Advanced Installer - Advanced Installer is a Windows installer authoring tool for installing, updating, and configuring your products safely, securely, and reliably.

InstallShield - If your software targets Windows, InstallShield is your solution.

InstallForge - A very simplistic and streamlined program for creating installation files.

Master Packager - Master Packager is an application packaging tool to create and edit Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) files and repackage other installation to MSI format.

IzPack - IzPack is a one-stop solution for packaging, distributing and deploying applications.