Softwr

Cloud · head to head

Skopeo vs Xlinesoft

Skopeo logo

Skopeo

Cloud

Inspect, copy and sign container images without pulling them

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Xlinesoft logo

Xlinesoft

Developer Tools

PHPRunner and ASPRunner.NET: low-code builders that turn databases into web apps

From
$599/one-time
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Skopeo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Skopeo single-purpose: it neither builds nor runs images, so it is one tool in a chain rather than a solution; Xlinesoft the purchase includes one year of support and upgrades only; after that, newer versions require a paid upgrade.
  • They diverge on capability: Skopeo covers Remote inspection, Xlinesoft covers Database to web application.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 12 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Skopeo and Xlinesoft actually diverge.

Attributes where Skopeo and Xlinesoft differ
AttributeSkopeoXlinesoft
Starting priceFree$599/one-time
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOSWindows, macOS, Linux, Web
CategoryCloudDeveloper Tools

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 Skopeo

  • Remote inspection
  • Registry-to-registry copy
  • Format conversion
  • Image signing

Only in Xlinesoft

  • Database to web application
  • Page Designer and themes
  • Events, custom code and AI assistance
  • Security and dynamic permissions
  • Reports, charts and dashboards
  • Wide database support
  • Enterprise authentication
  • Application templates and plugins

What people use each for

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

Skopeo

  • Promoting images between staging and production registries without a round tripnot Xlinesoft
  • Inspecting an image’s contents before deciding to deploy itnot Xlinesoft
  • Mirroring images into an air-gapped or internal registrynot Xlinesoft

Xlinesoft

  • Building an internal web application on top of an existing SQL databasenot Skopeo
  • Replacing a Microsoft Access application with a browser-based onenot Skopeo
  • Creating admin interfaces and customer or partner portals with role-based accessnot Skopeo
  • Agencies and freelancers delivering self-hosted database applications to clientsnot Skopeo
  • Teams that need low-code tooling but must keep applications on their own serversnot Skopeo

Where each one falls short

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

Skopeo

  • Single-purpose: it neither builds nor runs images, so it is one tool in a chain rather than a solution
  • Command syntax with transport prefixes such as docker:// is unusual and trips people up initially
  • Documentation is sparse compared with the rest of the container ecosystem

Xlinesoft

  • The purchase includes one year of support and upgrades only; after that, newer versions require a paid upgrade.
  • Multiple database connections, REST API connections and single sign-on through Active Directory, Okta or SAML are Enterprise-only, which raises the price from $599 to $999 per developer.
  • Self-hosted only. Hosting, database administration, backups, runtime updates and access-control configuration remain the customer's job, as Xlinesoft's own product facts page states.
  • Applications built on Microsoft Access require a Windows web server.
  • PHPRunner and ASPRunner.NET are separate products with separate licences, so moving a project between PHP and .NET is not covered by one purchase.

Pricing, plan by plan

Skopeo

Free
  • SkopeoFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Xlinesoft

$599/one-time
  • PHPRunner Professional$599/one-time
    • Single developer licence
    • Core application-building product
    • One year of email support and upgrades
  • PHPRunner Enterprise Edition$999/one-time
    • Single developer licence
    • Multiple database and REST API connections
    • Data encryption
  • PHPRunner MultiDev Edition$3599/one-time
    • Three Enterprise Edition licences
    • Multiple developers working on the same project at the same time
    • One year of email support and upgrades
  • ASPRunner.NET Professional$599/one-time
    • Generates ASP.NET web applications
    • Same database coverage and security model as PHPRunner
    • Enterprise Edition available

Which should you pick?

Choose Skopeo if

  • You need remote inspection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS.
  • You also want registry-to-registry copy.
Skopeo review

Choose Xlinesoft if

  • You need database to web application.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want page designer and themes.
Xlinesoft review

Questions people ask

Is Skopeo or Xlinesoft better?
Neither clearly leads. Skopeo starts at Free and Xlinesoft at $599/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Skopeo or Xlinesoft?
Skopeo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Skopeo and $599/one-time for Xlinesoft.
Does Skopeo or Xlinesoft run on more platforms?
Skopeo runs on Linux, macOS. Xlinesoft runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
Can I use Skopeo for free?
Yes. Skopeo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Xlinesoft starts at $599/one-time.
What is Skopeo best used for?
Skopeo is most often used for promoting images between staging and production registries without a round trip, inspecting an image’s contents before deciding to deploy it, mirroring images into an air-gapped or internal registry. Of those, promoting images between staging and production registries without a round trip and inspecting an image’s contents before deciding to deploy it are not what Xlinesoft is typically brought in for.
What can Skopeo do that Xlinesoft cannot?
Skopeo covers Remote inspection, Registry-to-registry copy, Format conversion, Image signing. Xlinesoft covers Database to web application, Page Designer and themes, Events, custom code and AI assistance, Security and dynamic permissions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Skopeo: Is Skopeo free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Xlinesoft: How much does PHPRunner cost?

PHPRunner Professional is $599, Enterprise Edition is $999 and MultiDev Edition, which includes three Enterprise licences, is $3,599. Professional and Enterprise prices are per developer, and each purchase includes one year of email support and free upgrades.

Source
Skopeo: Why copy images without pulling them?

A registry-to-registry copy avoids downloading and re-uploading gigabytes, which is faster and much cheaper on bandwidth in CI.

Xlinesoft: Which databases does PHPRunner support?

MySQL, MariaDB, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft Access, IBM DB2, Informix, SQLite and ODBC-compatible databases. Using multiple database connections in one project is an Enterprise Edition feature.

Source
Skopeo: Can Skopeo run containers?

No. It only inspects, copies, signs and deletes images. Running them is Podman’s or Docker’s job.

Xlinesoft: Is there a free trial?

Yes. PHPRunner can be downloaded and evaluated for 21 days, and public live demos show the generated applications, with add, edit and delete disabled.

Source
Xlinesoft: Where do PHPRunner applications run?

On your own web server. The documented options are Apache and Microsoft IIS with a compatible PHP runtime and database extensions, and a built-in web server is available for local testing. The development application itself runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Source
Xlinesoft: What does the Enterprise Edition add?

Multiple database and REST API connections, data encryption, and enterprise authentication including Active Directory, Okta, Azure AD, OpenID and SAML, on top of all Professional features.

Source
Xlinesoft: What is ASPRunner.NET?

Xlinesoft's equivalent builder for ASP.NET. It generates database-driven ASP.NET web applications with the same kind of forms, reports, charts, permissions and Page Designer, and is sold separately from $599.

Source
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