Advanced Installer vs InstallShield
Advanced Installer
advancedinstaller.comInstallShield
revenera.comSide by side
| Figure | Advanced Installer | InstallShield |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $33.25/mo | $393.58/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 4 |
| Spec score · Software Packaging Tools | 8.4 (#2) | 7.8 (#14) |
| Founded | 2002 | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Craiova, Dolj, Romania | Itasca, Illinois, United States |
| Packages | It creates MSI, EXE, and MSIX installation packages. | It can build MSI, EXE, APPX and MSIX installers and convert MSI files into MSIX packages. |
| Security | The 2026 highlights list update configuration signature matching, hidden or embedded updater settings, modified-parameter checks, PowerShell tamper checks, and build security validation. | InstallShield supports Microsoft Entra ID authentication for SQL Server connections, providing MFA-based access. |
| Support | The company provides support through its forums, user guide, and email, and phone support for customers with a valid maintenance plan during stated weekday hours. | Revenera directs InstallShield users to its Support Hub and community resources for assistance. |
Plans
Advanced Installer
- FreewareFree
- Professional$399 a year
- Enterprise$1,399 a year
- Enterprise Team$3,599 a year
InstallShield
- InstallShield Professional$4,723 a year
- InstallShield Premier$7,795 a year
- InstallShield Premier - Cloud License ServerPriced on request
- InstallShield Premier - Local License ServerPriced on request
In their own words
Advanced Installer
Advanced Installer is a Windows authoring tool for building packages that install, update, and configure software products. It creates MSI, EXE, and MSIX packages; listed output formats also include APPX, App-V, MST, and ThinApp. Command-line packaging, silent installation, auto-updates, and delta updates are supported. Continuous integration support includes Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, TeamCity, and Bamboo. The Architect edition can repackage legacy installations and provides MECM and Intune integration for packaging and deployment workflows. Freeware features are available without a license for Simple projects; licensed features require a valid license. Professional costs $399 a year, Enterprise costs $1,399 a year, and Enterprise Team costs $3,599 a year for five users. One-time purchase options are listed at $599 per user for Professional and $2,399 per user for Enterprise. Non-freeware features have a 30-day trial, but trial-built packages are for testing only. The current application requires Windows 10 or 11; produced MSI or EXE installers are listed for Windows 7 or newer and Windows Server 2008 R2 or newer.
InstallShield
InstallShield has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.