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Developer Tools · head to head

RAD Studio vs Rollup

RAD Studio logo

RAD Studio

Developer Tools

Cross-platform native app development with Delphi and C++Builder

From
$2000/perpetual
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Rollup logo

Rollup

Web Development

JavaScript module bundler built for libraries

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Rollup has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: RAD Studio professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax; Rollup slower than the Go and Rust bundlers that followed it, since it is written in JavaScript
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RAD Studio and Rollup actually diverge.

Attributes where RAD Studio and Rollup differ
AttributeRAD StudioRollup
Starting price$2000/perpetualFree
Pricing modelone-timeOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryDeveloper ToolsWeb Development

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in RAD Studio

Nothing recorded that Rollup does not also cover.

Only in Rollup

  • Tree shaking
  • Clean output
  • Multiple output formats
  • Plugin API

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

RAD Studio

  • Building Windows desktop applications with VCL componentsnot Rollup
  • Creating iOS and Android apps from shared Delphi codebasenot Rollup
  • Connecting to Oracle databases through FireDAC connectivitynot Rollup
  • Building REST web services that run on Linux serversnot Rollup

Rollup

  • Publishing a JavaScript library in several module formatsnot RAD Studio
  • Builds where output size and cleanliness matter more than build speednot RAD Studio
  • Producing ES module output for consumers who will bundle it themselvesnot RAD Studio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

RAD Studio

  • Professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
  • Enterprise edition steps up to $3,400 license plus $1,199 maintenance, and Architect edition to $4,416 license plus $2,183 maintenance
  • The perpetual license only entitles the buyer to updates for one year; continued access to new updates and upgrades requires an annually renewable Update Subscription

Rollup

  • Slower than the Go and Rust bundlers that followed it, since it is written in JavaScript
  • Application concerns like dev servers and hot reloading are not its job, so app builds need Vite on top
  • Configuration for non-trivial applications gets verbose compared with tools that assume more

Pricing, plan by plan

RAD Studio

$2000/perpetual
  • Professional Edition$2000/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $599
    • Total $2,599 + Tax
  • Enterprise Edition$3400/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $1,199
    • Total $4,599 + Tax
  • Architect Edition$4416/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $2,183
    • Total $6,599 + Tax

Rollup

Free
  • RollupFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose RAD Studio if

Nothing in the data separates RAD Studio from Rollup on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

RAD Studio review

Choose Rollup if

  • You need tree shaking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want clean output.
Rollup review

Questions people ask

Is RAD Studio or Rollup better?
Neither clearly leads. RAD Studio starts at $2000/perpetual and Rollup at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RAD Studio or Rollup?
Rollup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2000/perpetual for RAD Studio and Free for Rollup.
Does RAD Studio or Rollup run on more platforms?
RAD Studio runs on Web. Rollup runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Rollup for free?
Yes. Rollup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RAD Studio starts at $2000/perpetual.
What is RAD Studio best used for?
RAD Studio is most often used for building windows desktop applications with vcl components, creating ios and android apps from shared delphi codebase, connecting to oracle databases through firedac connectivity, building rest web services that run on linux servers. Of those, building windows desktop applications with vcl components and creating ios and android apps from shared delphi codebase are not what Rollup is typically brought in for.
What can RAD Studio do that Rollup cannot?
Rollup covers Tree shaking, Clean output, Multiple output formats, Plugin API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

RAD Studio: How much does RAD Studio cost?

RAD Studio uses perpetual licensing: Professional Edition $2,000 perpetual license + $599 first year maintenance ($2,599 total + tax). Enterprise Edition $3,400 license + $1,199 maintenance ($4,599 total + tax). Architect Edition $4,416 license + $2,183 maintenance ($6,599 total + tax).

Source
Rollup: Is Rollup free?

Yes, open source under the MIT licence.

RAD Studio: What is the difference between RAD Studio editions?

Professional Edition ($2,599 total + tax) targets individual developers. Enterprise Edition ($4,599 total + tax) adds multi-tier app capabilities. Architect Edition ($6,599 total + tax) includes advanced database and cloud features. All three include perpetual licenses.

Source
Rollup: Rollup or webpack?

Rollup is the usual choice for libraries thanks to cleaner output and better tree shaking. webpack remains stronger for complex applications with heavy asset handling.

RAD Studio: Does RAD Studio offer Kai AI integration and discounts?

Yes, adding Kai AI to any edition provides discounts: 25% off Professional ($2,136 + tax), 30% off Enterprise ($3,394 + tax), and 40% off Architect ($4,109 + tax). This promotion is active through August 31, 2026.

Source
Rollup: Do I need Rollup if I use Vite?

Not directly. Vite uses Rollup for production builds, so you already benefit from it.

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