Nix Package Manager AlternativesPackage Managers & Software Installers like Nix Package Manager

Nix Package Manager is described as 'Nix is a powerful package manager for macOS, Linux and other Unix systems that makes package management reliable and reproducible. It provides atomic upgrades and rollbacks, side-by-side installation of multiple versions of a package, multi-user package management and easy setup' and is a Package Manager in the os & utilities category. There are more than 25 alternatives to Nix Package Manager for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, Web-based, Windows and Self-Hosted apps. The best Nix Package Manager alternative is Chocolatey, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Nix Package Manager are Homebrew, Flatpak, Flathub and Synaptic.

Nix Package Manager iconNix Package Manager
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Nix is a powerful package manager for macOS, Linux and other Unix systems that makes package management reliable and...

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Nix Package Manager alternatives page was last updated Jun 9, 2025
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  1. Chocolatey icon

    Chocolatey

     324 likes
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    Windows-centric package manager streamlining software updates without registration. Privacy-focused, ad-free, open-source, lightweight, and supports a command-line interface for efficiency and ease of use.

    66 Chocolatey alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Chocolatey screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Package Manager
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Software Installer
    5.  Full descriptions
    6.  Software Management
    7.  Nuget
    8.  No registration required
    9.  Support for scripting
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  No Tracking
    12. Node.js icon  Support for Node.js

    Chocolatey VS Nix Package Manager

     
    Comments about Chocolatey as an Alternative to Nix Package Manager
    Guest
    Negative Apr 15, 2025
    0

    Completely different architecture and use-case. Nix is a build tool and package manager for Unix-like OSes in one. Chocolatey lacks build system features and works on Windows only.

    Nix Package Manager Icon
    Chocolatey icon

    • Chocolatey is the most popular Windows alternative to Nix Package Manager.

    • Chocolatey is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Nix Package Manager.

    • Chocolatey is Freemium and Open SourceNix Package Manager is Free and Open Source
    • Chocolatey is Lightweight and Privacy focusedNix Package Manager is not according to our users
  2. Homebrew icon

    Homebrew

     177 likes
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    Homebrew is the easiest and most flexible way to install the UNIX tools Apple didn’t include with macOS. Also available for Linux.

    56 Homebrew alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    Homebrew screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Package Installing
    2.  Command line interface
    3.  Package Manager
    4.  Software Installer
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  No registration required
    7.  No Tracking

    Homebrew VS Nix Package Manager

     

    • Homebrew is the most popular Mac & Linux alternative to Nix Package Manager.

    • Homebrew is Free and Open SourceNix Package Manager is also Free and Open Source
    • Homebrew is LightweightNix Package Manager is not according to our users
  4. Flatpak icon

    Flatpak

     64 likes
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    Distributing applications on Linux is a pain: different distributions in multiple versions, each with their own versions of libraries and packaging formats. Flatpak is here to change all that. It allows the same app to be installed on different Linux distributions, including...

    27 Flatpak alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Flatpak screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  User friendly

    Features

    1.  Multiple Repository Support
    2.  Package Installing
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Sandbox
    5.  No registration required
    6.  App Distribution

    Flatpak VS Nix Package Manager

     
  5. Flathub icon

    Flathub

     43 likes
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    Flathub is the place to get and distribute apps for all of desktop Linux. It is powered by Flatpak, allowing Flathub apps to run on almost any Linux distribution.

    22 Flathub alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Online
    Flathub screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  User friendly
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  No registration required
    2.  Flatpak
    3.  No Tracking
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Dark Mode
    6.  Graphical User Interface

    Flathub VS Nix Package Manager

     
    Comments about Flathub as an Alternative to Nix Package Manager
    Temak
    Negative Jun 9, 2025
    0

    It's a repo, not a package manager itself.

    Nix Package Manager Icon
    Flathub icon

    • Flathub is the most popular Web-based alternative to Nix Package Manager.

    • Flathub is Free and Open SourceNix Package Manager is also Free and Open Source
    • Flathub is Privacy focused and LightweightNix Package Manager is not according to our users
  6. Synaptic icon

    Synaptic

     175 likes
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    Synaptic is a graphical package management program for apt. It provides the same features as the apt-get command line utility with a GUI front-end based on Gtk+.

    51 Synaptic alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Debian
    • Xfce
    Synaptic screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  PPA
    3.  Graphical User Interface
    4.  Integrated Search
    5.  Filter search results

    Synaptic VS Nix Package Manager

     
    Comments about Synaptic as an Alternative to Nix Package Manager
    yeyer11817
    Negative Jan 19, 2025
    1

    Its a frontend for package management, not a package manager

    Nix Package Manager Icon
    Synaptic icon
    • Synaptic is Free and Open SourceNix Package Manager is also Free and Open Source
    • Synaptic is Lightweight and Privacy focusedNix Package Manager is not according to our users
  7. Ansible icon

    Ansible

     92 likes
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    Ansible is a radically simple IT automation engine that automates cloud provisioning, configuration management, application deployment, intra-service orchestration, and many other IT needs.

    56 Ansible alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Python
    Architecture

    Ansible Features

    1.  No Coding Required
    2.  SSH
    3.  Configuration Management
    4.  Configuration
    5.  Orchestration
    6.  Automated provisioning
    7.  Manage system configuration

    Ansible VS Nix Package Manager

     
  9. Snap Store icon

    Snap Store

     105 likes
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    The Snap Store gives you instant access to thousands of free and open-source applications. And now you can buy apps from some of the leading providers too. All our software is easy to find and install so you can have a customised desktop that suits you in no time.

    38 Snap Store alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Online
    • Ubuntu
    Snap Store screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  No registration required
    2.  Graphical User Interface
    3.  Absence Management
    4.  Software Management

    Snap Store VS Nix Package Manager

     
  10. npm icon

    npm

     70 likes
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    npm is a package manager for Node.js that is run through the command line and manages dependencies for an application. It is the predominant package manager for Node.js.

    31 npm alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Online
    npm screenshot 1

    npm Features

    1.  Support for Javascript

    npm VS Nix Package Manager

     
  11. pacman (package manager) icon

    pacman (package manager)

     63 likes
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    The pacman package manager is one of the major distinguishing features of Arch Linux . It combines a simple binary package format with an easy-to-use build system. The goal of pacman is to make it possible to easily manage packages, whether...

    39 pacman (package manager) alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Arch Linux

    pacman (package manager) Features

    1.  Software Management

    pacman (package manager) VS Nix Package Manager

     
  12. Warehouse icon

    Warehouse

     8 likes
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    Warehouse is a versatile toolbox for managing flatpak user data, viewing flatpak app info, and batch managing installed flatpaks.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Warehouse screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  No registration required
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  No Tracking
    4.  Software Management
    5.  Dark Mode
    6.  Flatpak
    7.  Dependency Tracking
    8.  Graphical User Interface

    Warehouse VS Nix Package Manager

     
  13. Advanced Package Tool (APT) icon

    Advanced Package Tool (APT)

     44 likes
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    Apt (for Advanced Package Tool) is a set of core tools inside Debian. The user interface application for Apt is aptitude.

    45 Advanced Package Tool (APT) alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Updating Packages (apt-get upgrade)

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Ad-free

    Advanced Package Tool (APT) VS Nix Package Manager

     
  14. PyPI icon

    PyPI

     7 likes
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    The Python Package Index (PyPI) is a repository of software for the Python programming language. PyPI helps you find and install software developed and shared by the Python community. Package authors use PyPI to distribute their software.

    47 PyPI alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Online
    PyPI screenshot 1

    PyPI VS Nix Package Manager

     
12 of 48 Nix Package Manager alternatives