Switching from Advanced Installer?
Why Software Companies Choose InstallShield Over Advanced Installer
Compare InstallShield and Advanced Installer across installer authoring, MSIX packaging, automation, deployment and enterprise-scale software delivery.
InstallShield vs Advanced Installer
InstallShield Professional | Advanced Installer | |
|---|---|---|
Best fit Helps buyers choose a solution that matches both current and future packaging requirements | Software vendors and teams with evolving installation and deployment needs | Teams focused on creating and managing standard installation packages |
Ease of use Enables teams to create installers quickly and efficiently. | Visual authoring, wizards and automation make it easy to get started | Simple GUI-led package creation |
Long-term scalability Supports growth from simple installers to complex products, suites and enterprise deployment requirements. | Built for both simple and complex projects | Suitable for straightforward packaging requirements |
MSI installer creation Supports creation and management of Windows Installer packages. | Yes | Yes |
MSIX packaging Enables modern Windows packaging and deployment | Yes | Yes |
Suite installers Supports bundled, multi-package installation experiences. | Yes | Yes |
Installer customization Provides control over installer behavior, workflows, and user experience. | InstallScript, InstallScript MSI and Suite projects for advanced customization | Configuration-driven customization and predefined actions |
Automation and DevOps PowerShell, command-line builds and CI/CD support | Yes | Yes |
Application updates Supports software delivery beyond the initial installation. | Built-in update capabilities | Manual and automated updater options |
Digital signing Azure Key Vault and custom signing integrations. | Yes | Yes |
Virtual machine support Supports packaging, testing and deployment across virtualized environments. | VMware, Hyper-V, vSphere, Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure and Google Compute Engine | VMware, Hyper-V, vSphere and repackaging environments |
Application virtualization Supports virtual application deployment strategies. | Yes | Yes |
Global and localized development Helps teams build and maintain installers for international markets. | Japanese-language IDE and support for 35 installer languages | Support for 30 installer languages |
Industry adoption Provides confidence through proven use across commercial software organizations. | Trusted by software vendors and enterprises worldwide for more than 30 years | Established installer authoring and packaging solution |
Support and expertise Give teams access to technical expertise, product resources and ongoing product investment. | Support and product development backed by Revenera's installer expertise and ongoing innovation | Support and maintenance available |
Hear from Trend Micro
Trend Micro reduced package preparation time by 50% when they moved to InstallShield.
Hear what they have to say >>>
What Makes InstallShield Different from Advanced Installer?
Many organizations choose InstallShield because it scales from simple installer projects to complex software delivery requirements. Teams can get started quickly while retaining the flexibility to support advanced installation, packaging, and deployment workflows as their products grow. With support for InstallScript, InstallScript MSI, and Suite projects, InstallShield provides greater control over installer behavior, user experience, and customization.
Trusted by software vendors worldwide, InstallShield supports the creation, customization, and automation of software installations across MSI, MSIX, and enterprise deployment environments. It also helps global teams deliver localized installer experiences with a Japanese-language IDE and support for 35 installer languages.
InstallShield is Trusted by Software Vendors Worldwide
- Decades of Windows installer expertise
- Supports advanced project types including InstallScript, InstallScript MSI and Suite projects
- Used by software vendors and enterprises globally
- Part of the Revenera application delivery portfolio
- Supported by ongoing product investment and innovation
Frequently Asked Questions
InstallShield is a strong choice for:
- Software vendors delivering commercial applications
- Teams supporting MSI and MSIX packaging requirements
- Organizations that need installation workflows that can evolve over time
- Companies building multiple products or product editions
- Teams that require advanced installer customization through InstallScript, InstallScript MSI or Suite projects
- Release engineering and DevOps teams looking to automate software delivery
- Enterprises requiring application packaging, testing and deployment workflows through AdminStudio integration
You may prefer InstallShield if:
- You need a solution that can scale with your products and deployment requirements.
- You require advanced installer customization and automation.
- You need greater control over installer behavior and user experience through project types such as InstallScript, InstallScript MSI and Suite projects.
- You want to combine installer creation with broader application packaging and deployment workflows.
- Your organisation relies on MSI, MSIX, patching, transforms and enterprise deployment technologies.
- You support global software delivery and require localized installer experiences for multiple markets.
- You view installer technology as a strategic part of software delivery rather than a standalone packaging task.
InstallShield and Advanced Installer both support modern installer creation and application packaging. Organizations often choose InstallShield when they need a solution that combines ease of use with the flexibility to support more advanced software delivery requirements as they grow.
InstallShield also provides additional customization options through InstallScript, InstallScript MSI and Suite projects, making it well suited to more complex installation, packaging and deployment scenarios.
Both products provide graphical installer authoring tools. However, InstallShield is designed to support straightforward installer projects while also providing the flexibility needed for more advanced deployment scenarios.
Yes. InstallShield supports MSIX package creation, conversion, modification packages, bundles and related Windows packaging capabilities.
Yes. InstallShield supports automation through PowerShell, command-line builds and CI/CD workflows.
Yes. InstallShield supports localized installer experiences in 35 languages and includes a Japanese-language IDE, helping software vendors deliver installation experiences to customers and development teams around the world.
Want to learn more?
Whether you are an existing customer needing assistance, or new to Revenera's Software Installation solutions, we are happy to help out with your Installation needs.