WebCatalog Desktop and Deskifier both turn websites into desktop apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux. But they're designed for different purposes.
Deskifier helps developers package web applications into standalone desktop software, complete with installers, automatic updates, and native features. WebCatalog Desktop lets anyone install and use websites as desktop apps, manage multiple accounts, and organize their work.
For developers, WebCatalog also offers another option: submit your web app for free and make it available to millions of potential users without building or distributing a separate desktop application.
At a glance
| Feature | WebCatalog Desktop | Deskifier |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Install and use web apps | Build and distribute desktop apps |
| Target audience | Everyday users and developers | Developers and businesses |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Creating apps | Choose from a catalog or enter any URL | Configure an app through a dashboard or CLI |
| Multiple accounts | Built-in profiles with separate sessions | Depends on the app |
| App organization | Spaces, folders, and profiles | Not designed for managing multiple web apps |
| Developer app listing | Free | Not an app discovery catalog |
| Native installers | Not required for WebCatalog listings | Yes |
| App store distribution | Through WebCatalog's own catalog | Mac App Store, Microsoft Store, Snap Store packages |
| Distribution costs | Free app listings | Paid production plans |
What is WebCatalog Desktop?
WebCatalog Desktop turns websites into desktop apps with their own windows, icons, and separate browsing sessions.
You can install apps from a catalog of more than 65,000 web applications or add any website using its URL. WebCatalog also supports multiple accounts, spaces, and profiles, making it easier to manage web apps for work and personal use.
Developers can also submit their web apps to WebCatalog. Once approved, their apps become discoverable and installable through WebCatalog on macOS, Windows, and Linux, without requiring developers to build separate desktop versions.
What is Deskifier?
Deskifier is a platform for turning existing web applications into standalone desktop software.
Developers can enter their app's URL, configure its appearance and behavior, and generate installers for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Deskifier also provides native desktop capabilities, including system tray integration, notifications, global shortcuts, deep links, and file system access. It handles code signing and automatic updates, helping developers distribute and maintain their desktop applications.
It's particularly useful for businesses that want customers to download a dedicated desktop application under their own brand.
1. Using web apps vs. building desktop apps
The biggest difference between WebCatalog Desktop and Deskifier is what you want to accomplish.
WebCatalog Desktop is designed for people who use web applications. If you want Gmail, Notion, Slack, ChatGPT, or another website to run in its own desktop window, you can install it directly without writing code.
You can also keep multiple accounts signed in, organize apps into spaces, and switch between them without managing dozens of browser tabs.
Deskifier is designed for people who create web applications. Instead of installing existing services for personal use, developers use Deskifier to turn their own websites into desktop products for customers.
Both approaches are useful, but they solve different problems.
2. An easier way for developers to reach desktop users
Building a desktop application isn't always necessary to reach desktop users.
With Deskifier, developers can turn their websites into installable applications. However, distributing those applications requires paid production plans. Developers must also decide how to promote their desktop apps and attract downloads.
WebCatalog offers another approach.
Developers can submit their web apps to WebCatalog for free. Once approved, their apps are listed in the WebCatalog catalog, where users can discover and install them on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
This offers several advantages:
- No additional development. Your existing web application works without a separate desktop codebase.
- Free distribution through WebCatalog. No listing fees or paid developer plans.
- Cross-platform availability. Make your app accessible on macOS, Windows, and Linux through a single listing.
- No installers to maintain. There's no need to manage desktop builds, code signing, or a separate desktop update process.
- Reach an existing audience. Your app becomes discoverable to millions of WebCatalog users and website visitors, creating another channel for attracting potential customers.
Developers can also verify ownership of their apps, manage listing details, and access analytics through the WebCatalog Developer Console.
This approach can be especially attractive for startups, independent developers, and SaaS companies that want to expand their reach without investing in standalone desktop software.
Deskifier remains a better choice if you need users to download a fully branded application directly from your website or an app store. But if your goal is to make an existing web app available to desktop users, a WebCatalog listing may be enough.
3. Multiple accounts and workspace management
WebCatalog Desktop includes features specifically designed for people who use many web apps throughout the day.
For example, you can keep multiple Gmail or Slack accounts signed in simultaneously. Each profile maintains separate cookies and login sessions, so switching between accounts doesn't require signing out.
You can also organize apps into spaces for different projects, clients, or personal activities. Each space can have its own window, while individual apps can run independently.
Deskifier doesn't offer an equivalent workspace for organizing unrelated web applications. It creates individual desktop products, and support for multiple accounts depends on how each application is built.
If you're looking for a better way to manage your existing web apps, WebCatalog Desktop is the more appropriate choice.
4. Native features and customization
Deskifier offers extensive customization for developers who want their applications to behave like native desktop software.
Its features include custom application windows, system tray menus, native notifications, keyboard shortcuts, deep linking, and file system access. Developers can configure many of these features visually or integrate them through Deskifier's SDK.
WebCatalog Desktop takes a different approach to customization.
Users can customize app icons, create profiles, organize spaces, and use custom CSS and JavaScript to adjust their experience. WebCatalog also provides desktop conveniences such as dedicated windows, notifications, and app badges.
The distinction is between customizing your own desktop workspace and building a customized desktop product for other people.
For advanced native integrations controlled by an application's developer, Deskifier has the advantage.
5. Pricing and distribution
WebCatalog Desktop and Deskifier use different pricing models because they serve different purposes.
WebCatalog Desktop is free to download and offers optional paid features for users who want more control over their workspace.
For developers, submitting an eligible web application to WebCatalog is completely free. There are no listing fees, and developers don't need to pay for separate macOS, Windows, or Linux builds.
Deskifier allows developers to build, preview, and test applications for free. However, generating production installers requires a paid subscription for each distribution format.
That investment makes sense when you need your own branded application, native installers, app store packages, and control over the update process.
For developers who simply want their existing web apps to reach desktop users, WebCatalog offers a lower-maintenance alternative.
6. App discovery and reaching new users
Distribution is only part of making a desktop application successful. People also need to discover it.
Deskifier helps developers create applications that they can distribute through their own websites or supported app stores. This provides control over branding and the download experience, but developers remain responsible for attracting users.
WebCatalog takes a different approach by combining desktop app installation with app discovery.
Its catalog helps users find web applications and install them for desktop use. Developers who list their apps gain an additional discovery channel alongside their own websites and marketing efforts.
With millions of users and website visitors, WebCatalog provides an opportunity to reach people already looking for applications to use on their computers.
A WebCatalog listing doesn't replace every benefit of a standalone desktop application, but it can help developers expand their reach with considerably less work.
Which should you choose?
Choose WebCatalog Desktop if you want to:
- Install websites as desktop apps without technical setup.
- Manage multiple accounts with separate login sessions.
- Organize web apps into spaces and profiles.
- Use web apps across macOS, Windows, and Linux.
- Submit your own web app for free.
- Reach an existing audience without maintaining desktop installers.
Choose Deskifier if you want to:
- Build a standalone desktop application under your own brand.
- Generate signed installers for customers.
- Publish applications through supported desktop app stores.
- Integrate advanced native desktop functionality.
- Control the desktop application's release and update process.
Conclusion
WebCatalog Desktop and Deskifier offer two different approaches to bringing web applications to the desktop.
Deskifier is designed for developers who want to create and distribute standalone desktop products, with control over branding, native features, and updates.
WebCatalog Desktop focuses on making web applications easier to discover, install, and use. It also gives developers a free way to reach desktop users without building or distributing separate desktop applications.
If you want to organize your favorite web apps or make your own web application available to millions of potential users, WebCatalog provides a straightforward way to get started.
Download WebCatalog Desktop or submit your web app for free.
