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Packin VS EtherApps Forge

Compare Packin VS EtherApps Forge and see what are their differences

Packin

Packin is a graphical Linux package creator wizard which compiles packages in the popular debian...

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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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HIVLY.APP
Give Hivly an idea. Get a finished social post. Add a photo and one sentence. Hivly writes the caption, designs the post, and schedules it for Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. sponsored
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.

Which is more popular?

Website Builder popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
24 vs 9

Base details

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

Packin
EtherApps Forge
Website sourceforge.net 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
Package Builder Package Distribution Website Builder Website Design +1
Virtualization App Deployment Endpoint Management Virtualization Platform Developer Tools MCP & AI Agent Tooling MSIX AI +5

About Packin and EtherApps Forge

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Packin
EtherApps Forge

No description of Packin 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.

Packin 4 features
EtherApps Forge 12 features
  • Open Source
    Being hosted on SourceForge, Packin is open source, allowing users to freely access, modify, and distribute the source code according to their needs.
  • Community Support
    As an open-source project, Packin benefits from a community of developers and users who can offer support, share enhancements, and provide feedback.
  • Cost-effective
    Users can download and use Packin without any licensing fees, making it a cost-effective solution compared to proprietary software.
  • Customizability
    Users can tailor the software to their specific requirements by modifying the source code, which is a key advantage of open-source projects.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Documentation
    Open-source projects like Packin may have limited official documentation, potentially making it challenging for new users to get started.
  • Potential for Bugs
    Since open-source projects rely on community contributions, they may not have the rigorous testing standards of commercial products, leading to potential stability issues.
  • No Guaranteed Support
    Unlike commercial software, Packin may not offer official, dedicated support, which can be a drawback for organizations needing assured help and service levels.
  • Dependency on Community
    The development and continued enhancement of the software depend on community involvement. Reduced community interest can lead to stagnation.
  • 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.

Packin 2 videos + Add
EtherApps Forge 8 videos + Add

THE FUTURE OF PACKING IS HERE - FtM $10 Amazon Packer Review

More videos

  • - Affordable Packing Strap Review || MyPack

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
Packin
EtherApps Forge
100% 100%
Website Builder
0% 0%
0% 0%
Developer Tools
100% 100%
100% 100%
Tool
0% 0%
0% 0%
Virtualization Platform
100% 100%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Packin 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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