MinGW AlternativesCompilers and other similar apps like MinGW

MinGW is described as '("Minimalistic GNU for Windows") is a port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and GNU Binutils. It provides a complete Open Source programming toolset which is suitable for the development of native MS-Windows (x86) applications, which do not depend on any' and is a very popular Compiler in the development category. There are more than 10 alternatives to MinGW for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Android, Mac and F-Droid apps. The best MinGW alternative is Termux, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like MinGW are PowerShell, Windows Terminal, Cygwin and ReTerminal.

MinGW iconMinGW
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MinGW ("Minimalistic GNU for Windows") is a port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and GNU Binutils. It...

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MinGW alternatives page was last updated Apr 10, 2025
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Alternatives
  1. Termux icon

    Termux

     103 likes
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    Experience a powerful Unix terminal on Android without the need for rooting. Customize with packages via Apt, run command-line tools, SSH, and program in C, Python, and more. Enjoy a full Unix environment with bash, zsh, mouse support, and external display compatibility.

    98 Termux alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid
    • zsh
    • GNU Bourne Again SHell
    Termux screenshot 1
    Termux screenshot 2
    Termux screenshot 3

    Termux Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Support for scripting
    3.  Integrated into iOS
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  No registration required

    Termux VS MinGW

     

    • Termux is the most popular Android & Android Tablet alternative to MinGW.

    • Termux is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to MinGW.

    • Termux is Free and Open SourceMinGW is also Free and Open Source
  2. PowerShell icon

    PowerShell

     194 likes
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    PowerShell (including Windows PowerShell and PowerShell Core) is a task automation and configuration management framework from Microsoft, consisting of a command-line shell and associated scripting language built on the .NET Framework.

    67 PowerShell alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Snapcraft
    PowerShell screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Support for scripting
    2.  PowerShell Scripting
    3.  Optimized for Windows
    4.  Command line interface
    5.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    6.  Autocompletion

    PowerShell VS MinGW

     
    Comments about PowerShell as an Alternative to MinGW
    Guest
    Negative •Oct 11, 2023
    0

    Powershell and MinGW have radically different purposes (Shell script interpreter/language vs. compiler collection)

    localhoster
    Negative •Apr 27, 2021
    0

    MinGW is compiler, PowerShell is not.

    MinGW Icon
    PowerShell icon

    • PowerShell is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to MinGW.

    • PowerShell is Free and Open SourceMinGW is also Free and Open Source
    • PowerShell is LightweightMinGW is not according to our users
  4. Windows Terminal icon

    Windows Terminal

     82 likes
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    Windows Terminal is a new, modern, feature-rich, productive terminal application for command-line users. It includes many of the features most frequently requested by the Windows command-line community including support for tabs, rich text, globalization, configurability...

    99 Windows Terminal alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    White and dark theme showcase

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Tabbed interface
    2.  Multiple shells
    3.  WSL integreation
    4.  Background transparency
    5.  Configured in JSON
    6.  Command line interface
    7.  Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
    8.  Multiple window layouts
    9.  Multi-tabs
    10.  Support for scripting
    11.  Dark Mode
    12.  Ad-free

    Windows Terminal VS MinGW

     
    Comments about Windows Terminal as an Alternative to MinGW
    TheBlueRuby
    Negative •Dec 21, 2022
    0

    While it can be used as a frontend to MinGW, it does not provide a compiler or GNU utilities by default

    MinGW Icon
    Windows Terminal icon
    • Windows Terminal is Free and Open SourceMinGW is also Free and Open Source
    • Windows Terminal is CustomizableMinGW is not according to our users
  5. Cygwin icon

    Cygwin

     225 likes
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    Cygwin is a Unix-like environment and command-line interface for Microsoft Windows. Cygwin provides native integration of Windows-based applications, data, and other system resources with applications, software tools, and data of the Unix-like environment.

    28 Cygwin alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Cygwin terminals running on Windows 7

    Cygwin Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Linux on Windows
    3.  SSH
    4.  POSIX-compatible
    5.  ANSI color support

    Cygwin VS MinGW

     
  6. ReTerminal icon

    ReTerminal

     14 likes
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    ReTerminal is a sleek, Material 3-inspired terminal emulator designed as a modern alternative to the legacy Jackpal Terminal. Built on Termux's robust TerminalView.

    52 ReTerminal alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid
    ReTerminal screenshot 1
    ReTerminal screenshot 2
    ReTerminal screenshot 3

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  No registration required
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Works Offline
    6.  No Tracking
    7.  Support for scripting
    8.  Material design

    ReTerminal VS MinGW

     
  7. Tess icon

    Tess

     14 likes
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    Tess is a terminal emulator. It lets you have a full access to your computer, use command line based programs and many more.

    58 Tess alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Tess screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Privacy focused
    4.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    4.  Support for scripting
    5.  No registration required
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Works Offline
    8.  Command line interface
    9.  No Tracking
    10.  Tabbed interface

    Tess VS MinGW

     
  9. MSYS2 icon

    MSYS2

     47 likes
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    MSYS2 is an independent rewrite of MSYS, based on modern Cygwin (POSIX compatibility layer) and MinGW-w64 with the aim of better interoperability with native Windows software.

    44 MSYS2 alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    MSYS2 screenshot 1

    MSYS2 Features

    1.  Command line/bash
    2.  Linux on Windows
    3.  Command line interface
    4.  POSIX-compatible
    5.  Support for scripting

    MSYS2 VS MinGW

     
    Comments about MSYS2 as an Alternative to MinGW
    Guest
    Positive •Jan 11, 2020
    0

    it provides the latest packages

    MinGW Icon
    MSYS2 icon
    • MSYS2 is Free and Open SourceMinGW is also Free and Open Source
  10. GNU Compiler Collection icon

    GNU Compiler Collection

     53 likes
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    The GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) is a compiler system produced by the GNU Project supporting various programming languages. GCC is a key component of the GNU toolchain. As well as being the official compiler of the unfinished GNU operating system, GCC has been adopted as the...

    11 GNU Compiler Collection alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Haiku

    GNU Compiler Collection VS MinGW

     
  11. Windows Subsystem for Linux icon

    Windows Subsystem for Linux

     17 likes
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    The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a new Windows 10 feature that enables you to run native Linux command-line tools directly on Windows, alongside your traditional Windows desktop and modern store apps.

    34 Windows Subsystem for Linux alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Windows Subsystem for Linux screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Linux on Windows

    Windows Subsystem for Linux VS MinGW

     

  12. MinGW-w64

     22 likes
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    The project's goal is to deliver runtime, headers, and libs for developing 64 bit (x64), as well as 32 bit (x86), windows applications using gcc-4.4 or newer versions.

    10 MinGW-w64 alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    MinGW-w64 Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  C++

    MinGW-w64 VS MinGW

     
    Comments about MinGW-w64 as an Alternative to MinGW
    TheBlueRuby
    Positive •Dec 21, 2022
    0

    MinGW-W64 is a fork of MinGW that is updated more frequently and has support for 64 bit applications as well

    MinGW Icon

    • Almost everyone thinks MinGW-w64 is a great MinGW alternative.

    • MinGW-w64 is Free and Open SourceMinGW is also Free and Open Source
  13. LLVM icon

    LLVM

     21 likes
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    LLVM is a compiler infrastructure designed for compile-time, link-time, run-time, and "idle-time" optimization of programs written in arbitrary programming languages. Originally implemented for C and C++, the language-agnostic design (and the success) of LLVM has since...

    8 LLVM alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    LLVM VS MinGW

     
  14. Tiny C Compiler icon

    Tiny C Compiler

     9 likes
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    The Tiny C Compiler is an x86, x86-64 and ARM processor C compiler created by Fabrice Bellard. It is designed to work for slow computers with little disk space . Windows operating system support was added in version 0.9.23 .

    11 Tiny C Compiler alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux

    Tiny C Compiler Features

    1.  Portable

    Tiny C Compiler VS MinGW

     
12 of 24 MinGW alternatives