PowerToys vs UniGetUI
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A set of Windows utilities for customizing the desktop and speeding up everyday tasks.
Open source · MIT
A single window to install, update and remove software from many package managers.
The short answer
Choose PowerToys if you need…
- Windows users who want more control over window layout and multi-monitor setups
- People who rename many files at once or want quick text transformations
- Power users who want keyboard remapping and a quick launcher
- Developers and designers who need a screen color picker or screen ruler
Choose UniGetUI if you need…
- Windows users who already use WinGet, Scoop or Chocolatey and want one place to manage them
- People who find command-line package managers unfamiliar but still want their software kept up to date
- Anyone managing software across several package managers on one machine
Side-by-side
| PowerToys | UniGetUI | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 140k | 26.8k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | C | C# |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
PowerToys
PowerToys is a free, open-source collection of over 30 small utilities for Windows, published by Microsoft. Each utility adds a specific capability, such as arranging windows into zones (FancyZones), batch renaming files (PowerRename), picking colors from the screen (Color Picker), or remapping keys (Keyboard Manager). People use it to customize Windows and save time on repetitive tasks.
UniGetUI
UniGetUI is a graphical interface for command-line package managers, mainly on Windows 10 and 11. It lets you search, install, update and uninstall software from several package managers such as WinGet, Scoop, Chocolatey, pip and npm from one window. Builds for macOS and Linux are also listed in the README.
Best for
PowerToys
- Windows users who want more control over window layout and multi-monitor setups
- People who rename many files at once or want quick text transformations
- Power users who want keyboard remapping and a quick launcher
- Developers and designers who need a screen color picker or screen ruler
UniGetUI
- Windows users who already use WinGet, Scoop or Chocolatey and want one place to manage them
- People who find command-line package managers unfamiliar but still want their software kept up to date
- Anyone managing software across several package managers on one machine
Strengths
PowerToys
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Large set of utilities in one install, with documentation linked from the README
- Actively maintained, with a recent push and frequent releases
UniGetUI
- Brings several package managers into one graphical interface
- Free, open source and MIT-licensed, with the project now maintained by Devolutions
- Offers installers, portable zip and Microsoft Store options on Windows
Not ideal for
PowerToys
- Users on macOS or Linux, since the README describes Windows utilities only
- People who want a minimal system with no extra tools installed, because it bundles many utilities that each run as separate features
- Users who need an official support contract, as the README points to community and documentation resources rather than a support guarantee
UniGetUI
- People who prefer working entirely in the terminal, since the README centers on a graphical interface
- Users who need guaranteed vetting of every package, because the README notes packages come from third parties and should be reviewed before installation
- Anyone on a very old Linux distribution, because the Linux binaries require glibc 2.27 or newer
Trade-offs
PowerToys
- Works only on Windows, as stated in the description and topics
- Many separate utilities mean you may need to enable only the ones you want
- The README is truncated here, so detailed system requirements are only available on the linked install docs
UniGetUI
- The README says it is Windows-first, so macOS and Linux support is secondary
- It depends on the underlying package managers being installed and working
- Packages come from third parties, so users must check sources and publishers themselves
Getting started
PowerToys
Install with WinGet (user scope, default)
winget install Microsoft.PowerToys -s wingetInstall with WinGet (machine-wide scope)
winget install --scope machine Microsoft.PowerToys -s wingetUniGetUI
Install via WinGet
winget install --exact --id Devolutions.UniGetUI --source wingetInstall via Scoop
scoop bucket add extrasFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between PowerToys and UniGetUI?
PowerToys: A set of Windows utilities for customizing the desktop and speeding up everyday tasks. UniGetUI: A single window to install, update and remove software from many package managers. PowerToys suits windows users who want more control over window layout and multi-monitor setups, while UniGetUI suits windows users who already use winget, scoop or chocolatey and want one place to manage them.
Are PowerToys and UniGetUI free?
PowerToys: Free and open source. UniGetUI: Free and open source.
Is PowerToys or UniGetUI more popular?
PowerToys has more GitHub stars (140k) than UniGetUI (26.8k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to PowerToys and UniGetUI?
Other options people compare them with include DevToys, Files, Calculator.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.