electron-builder vs InstallBuilder

electron-builder is a free, open-source tool for packaging Electron apps for distribution on Linux, macOS, and Windows. It creates installers, portable builds, and archives, with targets ranging from DMG, PKG, AppImage, and DEB to NSIS, MSI, ZIP, and other formats. Command-line packaging and silent installation are supported. The electron-updater package provides differential updates, staged rollouts, and documented providers including GitHub Releases, Amazon S3, DigitalOcean Spaces, Cloudflare R2, Keygen, and generic HTTP(S) servers. Update manifests may be signed with Ed25519 and checked against a public key embedded in the app. Configured credentials enable macOS notarization and Windows Authenticode signing; ASAR integrity hashes are enabled by default, and Electron Fuses can disable selected features at package time. GitHub Actions guidance covers CI/CD builds and publishing. In v27, publishing must be explicitly requested. One build constraint matters: macOS signing requires macOS, and native dependencies generally need compilation on the target platform unless prebuilt binaries are used.

InstallBuilder provides tools for packaging, deploying, and updating software. From one project file and build environment, it creates native cross-platform installers, RPM and Debian packages, and CD or DVD media. Output options also include self-contained executables, DMG, and ZIP. Installers can present a graphical interface, run in text mode, or install silently. Teams can use an XML project format with source control integration and external scripts, and automate builds through the command-line interface. Installers are single-file executables with built-in LZMA compression and no external dependencies; optional downloadable components are fetched only when selected during installation. The product supports automatic updates, Windows and OS X installer signing with PKCS#12 or PFX certificates, and password-protected encrypted payloads. Platform-specific licenses, Professional and Enterprise editions, and site licenses are listed. Prices start at $995, paid once, with one year of support and updates included. A fully functional evaluation copy is available through the download form.