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Head-to-head · Runtime Version Managers

SDKMAN! vs GHCup

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score SDKMAN! #3 in Runtime Version Managers 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit SDKMAN!
GHCup #7 in Runtime Version Managers 8.4/10 Open source ✓ 0 of 3 features Visit GHCup

SDKMAN! leads on 1 check, GHCup on 0, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSDKMAN! · 8.9/10
  • Free planonly SDKMAN!
  • Most featuresSDKMAN! · 1 of 3

SDKMAN! scores higher on our rubric for runtime version managers: 8.9 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #7.

SDKMAN! offers project version pinning; GHCup doesn't.

SDKMAN! is the better fit for teams standardizing multiple SDK toolchains. GHCup is the better fit for haskell developers managing complete toolchains.

  • SDKMAN! fits best

    Teams standardizing multiple SDK toolchains

  • GHCup fits best

    Haskell developers managing complete toolchains

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Side by side

Feature SDKMAN! 8.9/10 Visit ↗ GHCup 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.9 8.4
Ranking #3 in Runtime Version Managers #7 in Runtime Version Managers
Best for Teams standardizing multiple SDK toolchains Haskell developers managing complete toolchains
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Desktop
Platforms macOS, Windows, Linux Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Docs Community, Tickets, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features SDKMAN! 1/3 · GHCup 0/3
Automatic switching Not checked yet Not checked yet
Project version pinning ✓ (best) —
Team controls Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Runtime types Not checked yet Not checked yet
Version source Not checked yet Not checked yet
Supported platforms Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Installs, switches, upgrades, and pins SDK versions per project
  • Automatically switches versions when entering project directories
  • Supports macOS, Linux, Windows environments, APIs, and CI mode
  • Manages GHC, Cabal, Haskell Language Server, and Stack
  • Supports recommended, specific, and source-compiled tool versions
  • Provides CI installation and GPG metadata verification
Cons
  • Windows use requires WSL, MSYS+MinGW, or Git Bash
  • Command-line workflows may not suit teams seeking a graphical interface
  • Focused on language and SDK toolchains rather than broader developer tooling
  • Focused on Haskell rather than multiple language ecosystems
  • Does not provide project pinning
  • Does not automatically switch versions
Our verdict

SDKMAN! is an open-source command-line tool for managing parallel versions of software development kits and JVM-related tools. It is designed for developers and teams that need consistent SDK versions across projects, shells, and automated…

Read the review →

GHCup is an open-source installer and version manager for Haskell development tools. It manages the Glasgow Haskell Compiler (GHC), Cabal, Haskell Language Server, and Stack from command-line and text-based interfaces. Developers can list…

Read the review →
  1. SDKMAN!Runtime Version Managers 8.9Free plan
  2. GHCupRuntime Version Managers 8.4Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • SDKMAN! — where it wins

    • Installs, switches, upgrades, and pins SDK versions per project
    • Automatically switches versions when entering project directories
    • Supports macOS, Linux, Windows environments, APIs, and CI mode

    Where it doesn't

    • Windows use requires WSL, MSYS+MinGW, or Git Bash
    • Command-line workflows may not suit teams seeking a graphical interface
    • Focused on language and SDK toolchains rather than broader developer tooling

  • GHCup — where it wins

    • Manages GHC, Cabal, Haskell Language Server, and Stack
    • Supports recommended, specific, and source-compiled tool versions
    • Provides CI installation and GPG metadata verification

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused on Haskell rather than multiple language ecosystems
    • Does not provide project pinning
    • Does not automatically switch versions

More comparisons

All runtime version managers comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update