Dev tools · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to EXT

An easy way to build cross-platform desktop software.

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. EXT launched in 2024; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1EA
   EXT – an easy way to build cross-platform desktop software▲63

   Hi HN! If you've ever tried to build a desktop app, you probably understand our frustrations with how challenging it is to build one and make it available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Even with Electron, you still have to set up your own build pipelines, updating mechanisms, code-signing, deployments, and deal with cross-platform compatibility issues. We built EXT to make building cross-platform desktop software easier! Dog-fooding our own APIs, we ported 36 initial games and utilities to the EXT store (all free), and we've open-sourced all of them: https://github.com/extpkg If…

   2024 · ext.store · its alternatives →

2. 2
   Electron 1.0▲647

   Build cross platform desktop apps

   2016 · electronjs.org · its alternatives →

3. 3
   ToDesktop Builder▲401

   Web app to desktop app in minutes

   2023 · todesktop.com · its alternatives →

4. 4
   React Native Desktop▲545

   Build OS X desktop apps using React Native

   2016 · github.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   ToDesktop 2.0▲380

   All in one platform for building and releasing desktop apps

   2020 · todesktop.com · its alternatives →

6. 6
   Electron.NET▲84

   Build cross platform desktop apps with .NET Core

   2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

7. 7
   Cross-platform desktop applications with PyQT▲315

   Create Python GUIs with Qt in minutes. Contribute to mherrmann/fbs development by creating an account on GitHub.

   2018 · github.com · its alternatives →

8. 8
   Expo 2.0▲578

   The fastest way to build an iOS and Android app 📱

   2017 · expo.dev · its alternatives →

9. 9
   Cross Platform .NET Desktop Application Framework▲129

   Making Web Testing Easier Automated testing on 3000+ desktop & mobile browser at Studio version! Making Web Testing Easier Automated testing on 3000+ desktop & mobile browser at Studio version! Explore product trial and special offers Download TRIAL version to start your full 1 day evaluation now! M

   2017 · browseemall.com · its alternatives →

10. 10
    ToDesktop▲403

    Convert your web app to a desktop app in 2 minutes.

    2019 · todesktop.com · its alternatives →

11. 11
    Visual Studio Code 1.0▲309

    Microsoft's cross-platform text editor for developers

    2016 · code.visualstudio.com · its alternatives →

12. 12
    Excompt▲89

    Effortlessly export web UI components into TailwindCSS code

    2023 · excompt.com · its alternatives →

13. 13
    Ionic Platform▲288

    Build, deploy, and scale hybrid apps, the easy way

    2016 · ionic.io · its alternatives →

14. 14
    Use Windows 10 Apps APIs Directly from Node.js and Electron▲113

    Winrt APIs-node.js modules generator. Contribute to NodeRT/NodeRT development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2016 · github.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    BuilderX▲279

    Design to code, designers and developers on one platform.

    2019 · rapidnative.com · its alternatives →

16. 16
    nodegui▲195

    Build cross-platform desktop applications with JavaScript🚀

    2019 · github.com · its alternatives →

17. 17
    Builder Book▲130

    Learn how to build a full stack JS web app from scratch

    2018 · builderbook.org · its alternatives →

18. 18
    ExoAPI▲94

    Affordable APIs - Geocoding, HTML rendering, barcodes & more

    2023 · exoapi.dev · its alternatives →

19. 19
    Ext JS▲5

    Create data-intensive HTML5 applications using JavaScript.

    2021 · sencha.com · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Dropbase – Build internal web apps with just Python▲207

    Hey HN, I’m Jimmy, co-founder of Dropbase (https://www.dropbase.io). We are an internal tools builder for Python developers. All you have to do is import any Python scripts/libraries, declare UI components, and layer app permissions so you can share them with others. We’re a middle ground between Airplane and Retool—simpler UI creation than Airplane, more code-centered than Retool. UI building is declarative and you can bind Python scripts/functions to UI components. You can write Python scripts/functions using our App Studio with support from a Python Language…

    2023 · github.com · its alternatives →

21. 21
    Proton Native V2 – Create Cross Platform Desktop Apps with React▲222

    2020 · proton-native.js.org · its alternatives →

22. 22BR
    Build, run and share React Native apps in your browser▲124

    2015 · rnplay.org · its alternatives →

23. 23
    JSPaint.exe – MS Paint as a cross-platform binary▲20

    🌂JS Paint ~~ as a cross-platform native desktop app. In other words, the "🎨 Classic MS Paint, ＲＥＶＩＶＥＤ + ✨Extras".exe hehe - crisdosaygo/jspaint.exe

    2020 · github.com · its alternatives →

24. 24
    Workflow for front end developers to create desktop applications▲101

    Bootstrap a crossplatform Desktop Application using tools you probably never heard of. - GitHub - Anonyfox/node-webkit-hipster-seed: Bootstrap a crossplatform Desktop Application using tools you probably never heard of.

    2014 · github.com · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →