Snap vs Nix: catalog facts
Snap | Nix |
|
Free The open-source client is available without a license fee. |
Free Free and open source under the LGPL. |
|
Linux |
macOS, Linux, Command line |
- Automatic background updates with rollback to the previous revision
- Channels let you track stable, candidate, beta or edge per application
|
- Atomic upgrades and instant rollback of an entire system or profile
- Per-project development shells that are identical on every machine
|
- The Snap Store back end is proprietary and run solely by Canonical
- First launch is noticeably slower than a native package
|
- The Nix language and concepts are a genuinely steep learning curve
- The store grows large and needs regular garbage collection
|
|
Downloadable app |
Downloadable app |
|
Open source |
Open source |
|
License: GPL-3.0 |
License: LGPL-2.1 |
|
Not stated if an account is needed |
Not stated if an account is needed |
|
Not stated if it works offline |
Not stated if it works offline |
Checked September 22, 2026 | Checked September 22, 2026 |
Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.
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