Chocolatey
Repository management software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$96 per year
Free TrialFree version
Small
Medium
Large
- Information technology and software
- Public sector and nonprofit organizations
- Banking and insurance
What is Chocolatey
Chocolatey is a Windows-focused package manager and repository solution used to install, update, and manage software packages via command line and automation. It supports internal package feeds for enterprises and integrates with CI/CD and configuration management workflows for repeatable endpoint and server provisioning. The product centers on NuGet-based packaging and Windows software distribution, with options for community and commercial editions.
Strong Windows package workflow
Chocolatey is purpose-built for Windows software packaging and deployment, which fits organizations standardizing on Windows endpoints and servers. It provides a consistent CLI-driven approach for installing and upgrading applications, reducing manual installation steps. Its NuGet-based packaging model aligns with common Windows packaging conventions and tooling.
Automation and CI/CD friendly
The CLI and scripting model supports unattended installs and upgrades in build pipelines and infrastructure automation. Teams can use packages as versioned artifacts to make environment provisioning more repeatable. This is useful for DevOps and IT operations workflows where software state must be codified and auditable.
Private feeds and governance options
Chocolatey supports hosting and consuming internal repositories/feeds to distribute approved software within an organization. This enables controlled promotion of packages and reduces reliance on public sources for production environments. Commercial features can add policy, security, and management capabilities depending on edition and deployment model.
Primarily Windows-centric scope
Chocolatey focuses on Windows package management and does not serve as a general-purpose, multi-language artifact repository for container images and diverse build artifacts. Organizations needing a single repository for many artifact types may require additional tooling. Cross-platform development teams may find coverage uneven compared with broader artifact management platforms.
Package quality varies by source
When using community-maintained packages, metadata quality, update cadence, and packaging practices can vary by maintainer. Enterprises often need to curate, rebuild, or internally maintain packages to meet reliability and compliance requirements. This adds operational overhead compared with fully vendor-curated repositories.
Repository features can be narrower
Compared with full artifact repository managers, Chocolatey’s repository capabilities are oriented around Windows application packages and feed management. Advanced capabilities such as deep artifact metadata, multi-format repository consolidation, and complex promotion workflows may require complementary systems. Some governance and security controls depend on paid editions and configuration choices.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open Source | Free | No limit on machines; create packages, host your own repository, 30+ PowerShell functions, package extensions (community edition). |
| Pro (Individual) | $96 / year | Personal, named license for individuals; covers up to 8 personal machines. Adds enhanced functionality (Package Reducer, Package Throttle, runtime malware/virus protection, CDN cache, etc.). Refund: full refund within first 30 days. |
| Business (Chocolatey for Business - C4B) | $18.00 / license / year (starting); Minimum pack: 100 nodes / $1,800 per year; volume pricing and perpetual options available | For organizations: all Pro features plus central management, self-service install management, package synchronizer/internalizer/audit, commercial support for 100+ licenses. Volume price breaks (retail annual w/Standard Support): 40-499: $18.00; 500-1,999: $17.60; 2,000-9,999: $17.00; 10,000+: $16.50. Perpetual pricing examples shown on site (Perpetual w/Standard Support): listed as $54.00 / $9.00*, $52.80 / $8.80*, $50.99 / $8.50*, $49.51 / $8.25* (see vendor for exact interpretation). 14-day "white glove" free trial for Business is offered. |
Notes: Pricing is per-node (per machine). The site states Chocolatey for Business annual starts at $1,800/year (100-node minimum at $18.00/node/year). Perpetual licensing is available for C4B (contact sales for details). All information taken from Chocolatey official pricing pages.
Seller details
Chocolatey Software, Inc.
Topeka, Kansas, USA
2011
Private
https://chocolatey.org/
https://x.com/chocolateynuget
https://www.linkedin.com/company/chocolatey-software/
