Use the chart below to compare MSI Factory’s features to a variety of competitive installer products. Note that there is also a feature comparison chart to help you choose between MSI Factory and Setup Factory.
| MSI Factory | InstallShield Professional | InstallShield Express | Wise Installation Studio | Wise Installation Express | |
| Design Environment | |||||
| Modern Design Environment |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| File-Centric List View | |
|
|
|
|
| Project Wizard | |
|
|
|
|
| Multiple file properties | |
|
|
|
|
| Customizable toolbars | |
|
|
|
|
| Unattended building | |
|
|
|
|
| WiX Features | |||||
| Generate WiX Project Files | |
|
|
|
|
| Support for WiX Fragments | |
|
|
|
|
| Support for WiX Extensions | |
|
|
|
|
| WiX Based XML Actions | |
|
|
|
|
| MSI Factory | InstallShield Professional | InstallShield Express | Wise Installation Studio | Wise Installation Express | |
| MSI Features | |||||
| Product Information | |
|
|
|
|
| Package Information | |
|
|
|
|
| Add/Remove Programs Options | |
|
|
|
|
| Include Binary Resources | |
|
|
|
|
| Configure Features | |
|
|
|
|
| Edit Components | |
|
|
|
|
| Include Merge Modules | |
|
|
|
|
| Set File Properties | |
|
|
|
|
| Modify Registry | |
|
|
|
|
| Modify INI Files | |
|
|
|
|
| Create Shortcuts | |
|
|
|
|
| Set Environment Variables | |
|
|
|
|
| Make File Associations | |
|
|
|
|
| Configure Services | |
|
|
|
|
| ODBC | |
|
|
|
|
| Launch Conditions | |
|
|
|
|
| System Searching | |
|
|
|
|
| Installation Types | |
|
|
|
|
| Define Media Types | |
|
|
|
|
| Upgrade Codes | |
|
|
|
|
| Custom Actions (DLL, EXE, VBScript, JScript) | |
|
|
|
|
| Set File Permissions | |
|
|
|
|
| Set Registry Permissions | |
|
|
|
|
| 64-Bit Support | |
|
|
|
|
| Restart Manager (MSI 4.0) | |
|
|
|
|
| Enable UAC (MSI 4.0) | |
|
|
|
|
| MSI Factory | InstallShield Professional | InstallShield Express | Wise Installation Studio | Wise Installation Express | |
| Extended Runtime Capabilities | |||||
| Show Message Box (CA) | |
 |
|
|
|
| Download File from Internet (CA) | |
|
|
|
|
| Post Data to Web | |
|
|
|
|
| Launch Web Page | |
|
|
|
|
| IIS Support | |
|
|
|
|
| COM+ | |
|
|
|
|
| Driver Install Framework (DIFx) | |
|
|
|
|
| Update XML Files | |
|
|
|
|
| Modify Users and Groups | |
|
|
|
|
| Build Capabilities | |||||
| Digital Signature Signing | |
|
|
|
|
| Build Configurations | |
|
|
|
|
| Build Multi-CD/DVD Installs | |
|
|
|
|
| Bootstrapper | |||||
| Scriptable bootstrap EXE Wrapper | |
|
|
|
|
| Create Self-Contained Exe | |
|
|
|
|
| OS Prerequisite Checking | |
|
|
|
|
| .NET Framework | |
|
|
|
|
| Add Your Own Runtimes | |
|
|
|
|
| LZMA Compression | |
|
|
|
|
| Encryption | |
|
|
|
|
| Single Password Protection | |
|
|
|
|
| Download files from the internet | |
|
|
|
|
| Detect and close processes | |
|
|
|
|
| Run multiple MSI installs | |
|
|
|
|
| Detect previous installation state | |
|
|
|
|
| Selectively extract from archive | |
|
|
|
|
| Run your own programs | |
|
|
|
|
| Interact with Web scripts | |
|
|
|
|
| File copy, delete, move | |
|
|
|
|
| Control and query services | |
|
|
|
|
| Read and write XML files | |
|
|
|
|
| Interact with the Registry | |
|
|
|
|
| Search the system for files | |
|
|
|
|
| MSI Factory | InstallShield Professional | InstallShield Express | Wise Installation Studio | Wise Installation Express | |
| User Interface | |||||
| Customize User Interface | |
|
|
|
|
| Visual Dialog Editor |  |
|
|
|
|
| Insert Custom Screens | |
|
|
|
|
| Skinnable (Themes) | |
|
|
|
|
| Windows Vista Issues | |||||
| Windows Vista Compatible | |
|
|
|
|
| Target Windows Vista Systems | |
|
|
|
|
| Minimize reboots using Restart Manager | |
|
|
|
|
| User Account Control Support | |
|
|
|
|
| Digital Signatures | |
|
|
|
|
| Localization | |||||
| Multilingual runtime support | |
|
|
|
|
| LUA Scripting | |||||
| LUA Script Support | |
|
|
|
|
| 300+ Actions Included | |
|
|
|
|
| Product Support | |||||
| Help Documentation | |
|
|
|
|
| User Forums | |
|
|
|
|
| Email Support | |
$$$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Maintenance | INCLUDED | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Product Information | |||||
| Version | Version 2.2 | Version 12 | Version 12 | Version 7 | Version 7 |
| Price | $395 | $1,799 | $499 | $1,199 | $449 |
* This information was gathered from publicly available sources as of the date of the noted version release. MSI Factory is a registered trademark of Indigo Rose Software Design. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.