Can’t decide between MSIX Packaging Tool, Advanced Installer Express, and Advanced Installer Architect?
All of the above are authoring tools that enable MSIX technology. Over and above the other two, Advanced Installer Architect is the only one that enhances MSIX technology.
Each tool can be used in different situations:
MSIX Packaging Tool
A free tool to test the conversion to an MSIX package
Advanced Installer Express
Offers a rich GUI to create, convert, compare MSIX packages
Advanced Installer Architect
Is a mature product developed to support/address the complex, dynamic packaging effort in the enterprise environment
Microsoft MSIX Packaging Tool | Advanced Installer Express Free download | Advanced Installer Architect Free 30-day trial | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Functional Differentiators | ||||
MSIX converter | ||||
Converter engine integration with Hyper-V or VMware | ||||
Dedicated GUI for editing package/project contents | Extremely limited | Rich GUI | Rich GUI | |
Project-based package management - Reload, edit and rebuild your MSIX package in seconds | ||||
Command line interface for project editing/maintenance | ||||
Create MSIX package from scratch (for in-house applications) | ||||
PSF Integration (Package Support Framework) | (partial) | |||
Automatic PSF fixups | ||||
Shortcuts Arguments & WorkingDir easily configurable from the GUI | ||||
AppData - automatic redirection to PackageCache folder | ||||
Smart Package Manifest Editor | ||||
MSIX Comparison tool | ||||
MSIX Dependencies | ||||
Automatic .AppInstaller Generation | ||||
Generate MSIX Bundles | ||||
MSIX Package Editor with dedicated GUI | ||||
Create MSIX Modification Packages | ||||
MSIX Modification Packages Editor with dedicated GUI | ||||
Create MSIX Optional Packages | ||||
Build MSIX & MSI & App-V from a single project | ||||
MSI & App-V Editor with dedicated GUI | ||||
Visual Studio Integration | ||||
Azure DevOps Integration | ||||
UWP Package editor (i.e.: MSIX package for native UWP apps) | ||||
| Pricing & Licensing | ||||
Price | Free | Free | Paid | |
Licensing | Perpetual | Perpetual | Perpetual plus first-year Maintenance included | |
Updates schedule | Quarterly | Quarterly | Monthly | |
Learning Curve | Lots of manual editing in areas without a dedicated GUI - error prone. | Intuitive, easy to use also by beginners. | Intuitive, easy to use also by beginners. | |
Customer Support | Standard | Limited based on availability and Forum | 24h responsive time | |