Head-to-head · Package Managers
uv vs pip
uv leads on 0 checks, pip on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreuv · 9.2/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresuv · 5 of 5
uv scores higher on our rubric for package managers: 9.2 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #8.
uv is the better fit for modern Python project management. pip is the better fit for flexible Python package installation.
- uv fits best
Modern Python project management
- pip fits best
Flexible Python package installation
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Side by side
| Feature | uv 9.2/10 Visit ↗ | pip 8.5/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.2 | 8.5 |
| Ranking | #2 in Package Managers | #8 in Package Managers |
| Best for | Modern Python project management | Flexible Python package installation |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Desktop | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Docs | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features uv 5/5 · pip 4/5 | ||
| Dependency resolution | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lockfile support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Workspace support | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Private registry auth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Offline installation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Package formats | source distributions, wheels, requirements.txt, pylock.toml | sdist, wheel |
| Supported platforms | macOS, Linux, Windows, CPython, PyPy, Pyodide, GraalPy | Linux, macOS, Windows, Python |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
|
|
| Cons |
|
|
| Our verdict | uv is an open-source Python package and project manager from Astral, written in Rust. It is aimed at developers and teams managing dependencies, virtual environments, Python versions, command-line tools, packages, and multi-package… Read the review → |
pip is an open-source command-line package installer for Python. It is suited to developers and teams that need to install packages from PyPI, private package indexes, version-control URLs, local project directories, distribution files,… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
uv — where it wins
- Universal lockfiles support cross-platform dependency consistency
- Workspaces support multi-package Python repositories
- Combines environments, Python versions, tools, and builds in one tool
Where it doesn't
- Focused on Python rather than multi-language package management
- Primary platform coverage is macOS, Linux, and Windows
- Its broad scope may exceed simple package-installation needs
pip — where it wins
- Installs from PyPI, private indexes, VCS URLs, and local projects
- Backtracking resolution supports requirements and constraints files
- Caching and wheelhouses support repeatable or offline installation
Where it doesn't
- Lockfile generation through pylock.toml is experimental
- Offline installation requires creating a wheelhouse first
- Workspace support is not established in the published positioning
- uv9.2/10 · Free plan
A broad, open-source toolkit for managing modern Python projects across three platforms.
Visit uvFull verdict → - pip8.5/10 · Free plan
A flexible, open-source installer for Python packages across major desktop platforms.
Visit pipFull verdict →
More comparisons
All package managers comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update