// full-length feature comparison

Appify vs Every Other Way to Turn a Site Into an App

Linux Mint's Web App Manager, a browser's built-in "Install App," Nativefier, and WebCatalog all solve the same basic problem. Here is every feature, side by side, including where Appify is not the best option, so you can see exactly what you are trading off.

Linux Mint Web App Manager Browser Built-in Install Nativefier WebCatalog ✦ Appify
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See the Workflow

Search or paste a link, pick a browser, click install. The full showcase above runs faster start-to-finish than Mint's Web App Manager takes to get through its four-step dialog alone, see the "Steps to install" row below for the breakdown.

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The Contenders

Linux Mint Web App Manager
Built into Cinnamon. GTK-based, GUI, no account. Paste a URL, pick a browser, done. Simple, but stays basic by design.
Browser Built-in Install
Chrome, Edge, and Brave's "Install as App" menu option. Zero setup since it's already in your browser, but shares your main profile.
Nativefier
Open-source CLI tool. Wraps any site in its own Electron/Chromium binary. Powerful and scriptable, but requires Node.js and the terminal.
WebCatalog
Closed-source commercial desktop app. Electron-based catalog with session isolation and multi-account "Spaces." Free tier caps out fast.
Appify
Free, open-source, GUI-only. Uses the browser you already have installed instead of bundling its own runtime, with a full isolated profile per app.
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Feature Matrix

✓ Leads or ties for best
~ Partial / limited
✕ Not supported
Feature Mint Web App Manager Browser Built-in Nativefier WebCatalog Appify
01, Setup & Workflow
Steps to install an appfewer is faster 4 steps: open manager, paste URL, choose browser, install 4 steps: open browser, navigate, menu, install ✕Install Node.js, run CLI command with flags, wait for build Install app, sign in, browse catalog or paste URL, install ✓Search or pick, click install, no separate build step
Typical time to first launch ~60–90 seconds ~60–90 seconds ✕2–5+ minutes, including the build ~1–2 minutes, after the app itself is installed ✓~14 seconds, opening Appify to opening the app
Requires CLI or Node.js ✓No, GUI only ✓No, GUI only ✕Yes, npm install plus terminal flags ✓No, GUI only ✓No, GUI only, no dependencies to install for the AppImage
Account or sign-in required ✓No ✓No ✓No ✕Yes, for the app catalog and sync features ✓No, fully local, no account anywhere
02, Isolation & Browser Engine
Per-app profile isolationcookies, storage, history ~Limited compared to a full dedicated profile ✕Shares your main browser profile ~Separate binary per site, but no profile management tooling ✓Full, sandboxed Chromium profile per app ✓Full, dedicated profile directory, zero disk use until first launch
Multiple profiles for the same appe.g. two Gmail accounts ✕Not supported ✕Not supported ✕Requires a separate build per account ✓Yes, dedicated multi-profile system, 2 profiles/app free, unlimited on Pro ($5/user/mo) ✓Yes, via Clone App: install the same site again under a new name (e.g. "Gmail Work", "Gmail Home"), each with its own fully isolated profile
Uses your real installed browservs. a bundled runtime ✓Yes, launches your chosen installed browser ✓Yes, it is the browser ✕No, bundles its own Electron/Chromium (~130–200MB per app) ✕No, separate Electron process per app ✓Yes, Firefox, Chrome, Brave, or whatever you already have, native/Flatpak/Snap
Browser extension support ~Depends on the target browser, no per-app management ~Full, but shared globally across every open site ~Community workarounds only, not first-class ✕No official extension support (a couple built-ins added 2026) ✓Full, real extensions, per-app presets (SponsorBlock, BTTV, etc.), plus Add Custom
03, PWA Creation Features
Custom app icons ✕Auto-downloaded favicon only ✕Auto-downloaded favicon only ✓Yes, via an --icon flag at build time ~Catalog icon or favicon; limited custom upload ✓Yes, browse for PNG/JPEG/GIF/BMP/ICO/SVG, or reset to auto
Choice of installed browser per appnative, Flatpak, and Snap detection ✓Yes, pick from your installed browsers ✕Fixed, it is whichever browser you opened ✕Fixed to its bundled Electron/Chromium build ✕Fixed to its bundled Electron build ✓Yes, auto-detects every installed browser, including native, Flatpak, and Snap
Extension presets at install timee.g. SponsorBlock, BTTV ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✓Yes, curated presets per site, plus Add Custom for any extension
Firefox UI reskinninguserChrome.css / userContent.css ✕Not offered; would require manual editing outside the tool ✕Not offered ✕Not offered ✕Not offered ✓Built into the GUI as a paste field under Firefox Advanced Options; Appify writes the files and flips the legacy-stylesheet preference for you, no manual about:config editing or hunting for the profile folder
Kiosk mode + gamepad/cloud-gaming auto-configWebHID flags, portal checks ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✓Yes, kiosk windows, WebHID flags, xdg-desktop-portal checks, per-service browser defaults
Process priority & GPU flags per appnice/ionice, GPU acceleration ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✓Yes, configurable per app under Advanced Options, with a tooltip explaining each one
Wayland/X11 compositor-specific tuning ~Basic session detection ~Basic session detection ~Standard Electron defaults ~Standard Electron defaults ✓Dedicated flags for KDE Plasma, GNOME, Hyprland, Sway, COSMIC, and more
04, Maintenance, Cost & Reach
Backup & restore ✕None ✕None ✕None built-in ~Cloud backup & sync, but only on Pro ($5/user/mo) ✓Free, built-in, per-app or bulk, 10 timestamped versions kept automatically
Self-update mechanism ~Via the distro package manager only ~N/A, the browser updates itself ✕None, rebuild manually when something breaks ✓Yes, auto-updates itself ✓In-app check, one-click install (.deb or AppImage), optional systemd schedule
Cost ✓Free, open source ✓Free ✓Free, open source ✕Free tier capped at 2 apps; $5–8/user/mo for full features ✓Free, open source, GPL-3.0, no tiers
Supported platforms ✕Linux Mint / Cinnamon-based only ~Cross-platform, but Chromium-based browsers only ✓Windows, macOS, Linux ✓Windows, macOS, Linux ✕Most systemd Linux distros (.deb + AppImage) only; a Windows version is planned but not yet released
9 Outright wins
9 Ties for best
1 Where others lead
Appify's clearest edge is depth at install time: browser choice, extension presets, GUI-based userChrome.css/userContent.css, kiosk and gamepad auto-config, and per-app priority and GPU flags are all things no other tool here offers at all, not "offers it worse." WebCatalog matches Appify on profile isolation (via its native multi-profile system vs. Appify's Clone App) and on self-updating; Nativefier and WebCatalog are both genuinely ahead on one thing: they already ship for Windows and macOS, which Appify does not yet.

Methodology: Feature claims for Mint Web App Manager and Browser Built-in Install are based on their default, out-of-the-box behavior. Nativefier and WebCatalog claims reflect their publicly documented features and pricing as of mid-2026; WebCatalog pricing and free-tier limits change periodically, check their pricing page for current numbers. Appify claims reflect v3.0.0; a Windows build of Appify is planned but not yet released, so all Appify claims here refer to the current Linux release only. This is a comparison of features, not a claim that any tool is unfit for its intended audience, Mint's manager and browser built-ins are the right call for a single quick app, and Nativefier remains a flexible choice if you need a portable cross-platform build.