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Dev tools · alternatives · 2026

EA

24 alternatives to EXT – an easy way to build cross-platform desktop software

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…

EXT is a platform for building and distributing cross-platform desktop applications across Mac, Windows, and Linux. It handles build pipelines, updates, code-signing, and deployment automatically, eliminating manual… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. EXT – an easy way to build cross-platform desktop software launched in 2024; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

  1. 1
    EXT▲187

    An easy way to build cross-platform desktop software.

    2024 · its alternatives →

  2. 2

    Build cross platform desktop apps

    2016 · electronjs.org · its alternatives →

  3. 3

    Build cross platform desktop apps with .NET Core

    2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

  4. 4

    All in one platform for building and releasing desktop apps

    2020 · todesktop.com · its alternatives →

  5. 5

    Web app to desktop app in minutes

    2023 · todesktop.com · its alternatives →

  6. 6

    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 →

  7. 7

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

    2016 · ionic.io · its alternatives →

  8. 8

    Build OS X desktop apps using React Native

    2016 · github.com · its alternatives →

  9. 9
    thirdweb▲897

    Build web3 apps and games, easily

    2021 · thirdweb.com · its alternatives →

  10. 10

    A cross platform, open source app store for Electron.js apps

    2021 · its alternatives →

  11. 11

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

    2018 · github.com · its alternatives →

  12. 12
    Hyper 3▲643

    A cross-platform terminal powered by web technologies

    2019 · hyper.is · its alternatives →

  13. 13
    Exalate▲272

    Fully customizable & decentralized two-way integration

    2023 · exalate.com · its alternatives →

  14. 14
    ToDesktop▲403

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

    2019 · todesktop.com · its alternatives →

  15. 15
  16. 16

    Desktop runtime for apps built on web technologies, using the system's own web browser engine - pojala/electrino

    2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

  17. 17

    The new way to build apps, without code, in real-time

    2022 · teta.io · its alternatives →

  18. 18

    Toolkit to build and launch Electron apps

    2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

  19. 19

    Hey HN! We just launched open sign up on Buildstash. It's a platform for managing and sharing software binaries. I'd worked across game dev, mobile apps, and agencies - and found every team had no real system for managing their built binaries. Often just dumped in a shared folder (if someone remembered!). No system for versioning, keeping track of who'd signed off what when, or what exact build had gone to a client, etc. Existing tools out there for managing build artifacts are really focused on package repository management. But miss all the other types of software not being deployed that…

    2025 · buildstash.com · its alternatives →

  20. 20

    A cross-platform build utility based on Lua

    2019 · xmake.io · its alternatives →

  21. 21

    Windows 95 in an app. Runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows. - felixrieseberg/windows95

    2018 · github.com · its alternatives →

  22. 22

    Collection of offline first developer utilities available as non-electron desktop application. all in one place, cross-platform, 10MB app! - fosslife/devtools-x

    2022 · github.com · its alternatives →

  23. 23

    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 →

  24. 24ET

    Hi HN folks! I’m the creator of Exo and wanted to share my progress with the HN community. Exo is an electron app that uses a chat interface and open Ai to write code directly to your file system/repos. Exo is a work in progress - its very new and has many rough edges. I was hoping to get some early feedback from HN folks and hopefully some early users. Once you create an account the universal electron installer link is on the dashboard. Here is a quick explainer video: https://www.loom.com/share/5f34499ccfb54bfdae32ee50f454b365 Exo started as a thin wrapper around…

    2023 · getexo.dev · its alternatives →

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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 →