| Feature | Desktoprrecommended | Electron | Tauri | ToDesktop | Neutralino.js |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under the hood | Tauri + Rust (managed) | Chromium + Node.js | Rust + OS WebView | Electron (managed) | OS WebView + C++ |
| Installer size | ~3–15 MB | ~100–200 MB | ~3–10 MB | ~100–200 MB | ~2–5 MB |
| Languages required | JS / TS only | JS / TS | JS / TS + Rust | JS / TS | JS / TS |
| Setup time | ~5 min (dashboard) | Hours – days | Hours – days | Hours – days | 30 min – hours |
| Native API access | Rich (15+ modules) | Very rich | Very rich | Rich | Basic |
| Platforms | Win, Mac, Linux | Win, Mac, Linux | Win, Mac, Linux¹ | Win, Mac, Linux | Win, Mac, Linux |
| Cloud builds | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Code signing | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Managed distribution | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Learning curve | Low | Medium | High | Medium | Low - medium |
| Vendor lock-in | None | None | None | Medium - High | None |
| Free to try | Free (open source) + Companion app | Free (open source) | Free (open source) | 7-day trial | Free (open source) |
| Plugin system | WASM Plugins (unlimited) | npm / native addons | Rust plugin ecosystem | npm packages | Extensions (limited) |
| No-code support | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Pricing | Free (open source) | Free (open source) | Free (open source) | From $100 / month | Free (open source) |
¹ Tauri has experimental iOS and Android support. Prices subject to change.
Why Most Developers Choose Desktopr
Electron ships a full copy of Chromium with every app — great ecosystem, but your users download 150 MB and your app idles at 200+ MB of RAM. Tauri solves the size problem but requires Rust for anything native. ToDesktop handles Electron's DevOps nicely, but starts at $100/month and assumes you already have an Electron project. Neutralino.js is lightweight but has limited APIs and a small community.
Desktopr gives you a Tauri-powered desktop app — small installer, low memory consumption, real native APIs — without writing a line of Rust or assembling a build pipeline. You point it at your web app URL, try it in the Companion app, and build all three platforms from one repository, locally or in GitHub Actions. It is open source under Apache 2.0, with no account and no hosted service.
What you get
- ~3–15 MB installer — no bundled Chromium
- 15+ native API modules — tray, shortcuts, notifications, file system, deep links, autostart and more — all callable from JavaScript or TypeScript
- Ready-made GitHub Actions — all three platforms built and smoke-tested, no cross-compilation setup of your own
- Code signing and notarization with your own certificates, as repository secrets
- No-code path — Bubble.io plugin for non-developers
- No vendor lock-in — open source, and you own the generated binaries
When to Choose Something Else
| If you need… | Use this |
|---|---|
| Full Rust control over native code | Tauri (direct) |
| Max Node.js API surface, large ecosystem | Electron (direct) |
| DevOps for an existing Electron app | ToDesktop |
| Tiny utility app, zero budget, basic needs | Neutralino.js |
Get Started
The Companion app lets you load your web app into a real Desktopr runtime and test every native API before you set up anything.
Try the Companion or Read the docs
Cost
Desktopr is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license. You run the builds yourself, on your machine or in your own GitHub Actions minutes, and the installers are yours. Signing certificates, when you want them, are bought from Apple or a certificate authority as usual.
Desktopr on GitHub