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Orca VS EtherApps Forge

Compare Orca VS EtherApps Forge and see what are their differences

O
Orca

Orca.exe is a database table editor for creating and editing Windows Installer packages and merge...

Rating
0 reviews
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EtherApps Forge

AI-ready Windows app packaging, with local AI options. Forge captures apps where they run, even with no installer, into signed MSIX, MSI, Intune and App Attach. GitHub Copilot can drive it via MCP.

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0 reviews
Pricing
Paid Free trial £895 / Annually (Per admin user)
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ZeroTwo AI
ZeroTwo is a premium multi-provider AI platform which combines the tools models and features of Claude, Gemini, Grok, Openai and more into one. Canvas, Deep Research, MCP, Connectors, Agents, Projects and even Apps are all available in one place! sponsored

Which is more popular?

Developer Tools popularity
88% vs 12%
alternatives listed
124 vs 9

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

O
Orca
EtherApps Forge
Website msdn.microsoft.com etherapps.ai
Pricing —
Paid Free trial £895 / Annually (Per admin user) Official pricing
Platforms —
Windows Windows XP Server 2008R2
Company — 1 - 9 employees
Listed in
Developer Tools Coding AI Code Autocomplete +1
Virtualization App Deployment Endpoint Management Virtualization Platform Developer Tools MCP & AI Agent Tooling MSIX AI +5

About Orca and EtherApps Forge

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

O
Orca
EtherApps Forge

No description of Orca yet.

EtherApps Forge captures Windows applications on the machines they already run on, even when the installer is lost, and turns them into signed MSIX, MSI, Intune Win32 and App Attach packages. Package the apps holding up your move to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop and Intune, including the...

Read more about EtherApps Forge

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

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Orca 4 features
EtherApps Forge 12 features
  • Detailed View of MSI
    Orca provides a comprehensive view of Windows Installer package files (MSI), allowing advanced users to inspect all tables and data.
  • Custom Editing
    It enables users to edit installation files, making it possible to customize installations by modifying properties, tables, and actions.
  • Troubleshooting
    Orca is useful for troubleshooting MSI package-related issues, as it provides insights that help identify configuration problems or errors.
  • Free Microsoft Tool
    Being a part of the Windows SDK, Orca is freely available and supported by Microsoft, ensuring compatibility with Windows Installer technology.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complex Interface
    The tool is designed for advanced users, and its interface might be complex and intimidating for those not familiar with MSI internals.
  • No Validation of Changes
    Orca does not validate changes made to MSI files, so users risk corrupting installation packages if they are not careful.
  • Lacks Automation
    It is not intended for batch processing or automation, as it is a manual tool designed for inspecting and modifying a single MSI at a time.
  • Limited Documentation
    Documentation is relatively limited, potentially leaving users without adequate guidance for complex modifications.
  • AI agent integration (MCP)
    The Forge MCP server lets GitHub Copilot and other MCP clients drive Forge in plain English, one real tool call at a time
  • Local AI (Forge AI Controller)
    Private preview: runs packaging as an agent in your own infrastructure, with local AI models, Microsoft Foundry in your subscription or OpenAI services
  • Capture without the installer
    Capture apps on the machine they run on, from Windows XP SP3 to Windows 11 and Server 2008 R2 to 2025
  • App-V conversion
    App-V 5 packages to MSIX or MSI without resequencing
  • Output formats
    Signed MSIX, MSI, Intune Win32 and App Attach (VHD, VHDX, CIM)
  • Package testing
    Sign, validate and smoke test each package
  • MSIX editing
    Edit a built MSIX without rebuilding it
  • Automation
    Batch capture, forge_msix command line and PowerShell module
  • Deployment targets
    Microsoft Intune, Configuration Manager, Azure Virtual Desktop App Attach, Citrix, Omnissa App Volumes
  • Data control
    Runs on your own machines; packages and signing keys stay with you
  • Free trial
    7 days at etherapps.ai, 25 captures, no card
  • Training
    Free MSIX training and certification with a work email

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

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Orca 3 videos + Add
EtherApps Forge 8 videos + Add

Orca: The Killer Whale (1977) REVIEW - JAWS MONTH

More videos

  • - Orca "review" [Elite Dangerous]
  • - Orca (1977) Review

Agentic App Packaging with EtherApps Forge: Ask in Plain English

More videos

  • - EtherApps Forge: The complete walkthrough
  • - EtherApps Forge in 48 Seconds: Legacy Apps Ready for Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop
  • - Forge AI Controller (private preview): Unattended packaging in your own tenant
  • - App-V to MSIX Without Resequencing
  • - The App Nobody Can Reinstall: Capture It as MSIX
  • - Forge Capture: Live capture from any Windows machine
  • - Forge MSIX: Scripted MSIX packaging from your build pipeline

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
O
Orca
EtherApps Forge
88% 88%
Developer Tools
12% 12%
0% 0%
Endpoint Management
100% 100%
100% 100%
AI
0% 0%
100% 100%
Coding
0% 0%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Orca and EtherApps Forge.

What makes your product unique?

EtherApps Forge's answer:

EtherApps Forge packages Windows apps with AI doing the busywork. Through the Forge MCP server, GitHub Copilot and other AI clients drive Forge in plain English, one real tool call at a time, and nothing ships until your team approves it. For teams that cannot send data to a shared AI service, Forge AI Controller (private preview) runs in your own infrastructure with local AI models, so what it learns stays in your environment. Underneath, Forge captures apps on the machine they already run on, even when the installer is lost, from Windows XP SP3 to Windows 11 and Windows Server 2008 R2 to 2025. One capture gives signed MSIX, MSI, Intune Win32 and App Attach packages, and App-V 5 packages convert to MSIX or MSI without resequencing.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

EtherApps Forge's answer:

Most packaging tools need the original installer and a clean machine. Forge captures the app where it already runs, so the apps nobody can reinstall still get packaged. It converts App-V without resequencing, builds every format (MSIX, MSI, Intune Win32, App Attach) from one capture, and signs, validates and smoke tests each package. GitHub Copilot can drive the whole process through the Forge MCP server. Forge runs on your own machines, so packages and signing keys stay with you. In our study, MSIX at Scale (2026), Forge built an MSIX for 90.68% of 3,261 Windows application cases.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

EtherApps Forge's answer:

Application packagers, endpoint and Microsoft Intune engineers, and the teams moving apps to Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop. Managed service providers (MSPs) use Forge to run packaging as a service across many customers.

What's the story behind your product?

EtherApps Forge's answer:

Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop projects kept stalling on the same thing: old Windows apps with lost installers, App-V packages and apps nobody could reinstall. EfficientEther built Forge to clear that app blocker by capturing each app where it still runs and turning it into modern packages. As AI coding assistants arrived, Forge added the Forge MCP server so GitHub Copilot can drive packaging in plain English, and Forge AI Controller (private preview) to run the lifecycle as an agent in your own tenant.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

EtherApps Forge's answer:

Forge is a Windows application built around MSIX, Windows Installer (MSI), App-V, Intune Win32 and App Attach (VHD, VHDX, CIM) packaging. It exposes its tools through a command line (forge_msix), a PowerShell module and a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for GitHub Copilot and other AI clients. Forge AI Controller (private preview) works with Microsoft Foundry, OpenAI services or local models.

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