Nx vs Xmake

Nx9.1Visit Xmake8.7Visit

Higher score Nx #3 in Build Automation Software 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Nx

vs

Xmake #6 in Build Automation Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit xmake

• Nx fits best

  JavaScript monorepos with managed CI scaling

• Xmake fits best

  Cross-platform C/C++ builds and packaging

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Side by side

Feature	Nx 9.1/10 Visit ↗	Xmake 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.7
Ranking	#3 in Build Automation Software	#6 in Build Automation Software
Best for	JavaScript monorepos with managed CI scaling	Cross-platform C/C++ builds and packaging
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	$29/mo	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Docs, Community
Integrations	12 integrations	4 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Nx 4/5 · Xmake 5/5
Build as code	✓	✓
Dependency locking	—	✓ (best)
Build caching	✓	✓
Remote execution	✓	✓
Artifact packaging	✓	✓
Specs
Supported operating systems	Multi-platform	Multi-platform
Our review
Pros	Runs only projects affected by a change Combines local and remote caching with distributed CI Supports npm, pnpm, Yarn, Bun, and major build tools	Built-in C/C++ dependency and package management Local, remote, and distributed compilation support Cross-compilation, project generation, and xpack packaging
Cons	Nx Cloud paid tiers add ongoing monthly costs Enterprise pricing is custom Dependency locking is not included	Lua-based configuration adds a language-specific learning curve Its core focus is native C/C++ build workflows Remote compilation is specified for Linux, macOS, and Windows servers
Our verdict	Nx is an open-source build system for JavaScript and TypeScript monorepos, with plugins that extend support to additional technologies. It also supports polyrepos, so it suits teams coordinating multiple projects rather than only… Read the review →	xmake is an open-source, cross-platform build utility for developers working on C, C++, and other supported-language projects. Its Lua-based xmake.lua files define build logic, while the tool can compile source directly or generate project… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Nx — where it wins

  • Runs only projects affected by a change
  • Combines local and remote caching with distributed CI
  • Supports npm, pnpm, Yarn, Bun, and major build tools

  Where it doesn't

  • Nx Cloud paid tiers add ongoing monthly costs
  • Enterprise pricing is custom
  • Dependency locking is not included

• Xmake — where it wins

  • Built-in C/C++ dependency and package management
  • Local, remote, and distributed compilation support
  • Cross-compilation, project generation, and xpack packaging

  Where it doesn't

  • Lua-based configuration adds a language-specific learning curve
  • Its core focus is native C/C++ build workflows
  • Remote compilation is specified for Linux, macOS, and Windows servers

• Nx9.1/10 · Free plan

  A capable choice for JavaScript monorepos that need affected builds and managed CI scaling.

  Visit NxFull verdict →
• Xmake8.7/10 · Free plan

  A capable open-source choice for C/C++ builds, caching, cross-compilation, and packaging.

  Visit xmakeFull verdict →