diff --git a/.claude/skills/release-manager/SKILL.md b/.claude/skills/release-manager/SKILL.md
index b24124326d..8316255027 100644
--- a/.claude/skills/release-manager/SKILL.md
+++ b/.claude/skills/release-manager/SKILL.md
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ Auto-merge being enabled is not a completed merge. Confirm `mergedAt` and the me
      -q '.[] | "\(.environment.name) can_approve=\(.current_user_can_approve) reviewers=\([.reviewers[]?.reviewer.login] | join(","))"'
    ```
 
-4. `Release`: publishes the NAPI bindings (`@voidzero-dev/vite-plus-<platform>`) and standalone CLI packages (`@voidzero-dev/vite-plus-cli-<platform>`, via `packages/cli/publish-native-addons.ts`), then `@voidzero-dev/vite-plus-core` and `vite-plus` to npm (`--tag latest`). Each dependency tier waits for npm propagation before publication advances. It then creates the `vX.Y.Z` GitHub release (draft, with installer/binary assets, then undrafted). The generated body has only Published Packages and Installation sections.
+4. `Release`: publishes the NAPI bindings (`@voidzero-dev/vite-plus-<platform>`) and standalone CLI packages (`@voidzero-dev/vite-plus-cli-<platform>`, via `packages/cli/publish-native-addons.ts`), then `@voidzero-dev/vite-plus-core`, `vite-plus`, and `create-vite-plus` to npm (`--tag latest`). Each dependency tier waits for npm propagation before publication advances. It then creates the `vX.Y.Z` GitHub release (draft, with installer/binary assets, then undrafted). The generated body has only Published Packages and Installation sections.
 5. `publish-docker`: multi-arch toolchain image to `ghcr.io/voidzero-dev/vite-plus`, after npm publish (the image installs vp from npm).
 6. `deploy-docs`: deploys the production docs after a stable release is published. It is skipped for prereleases. When a prerelease is published to `latest` and its notes or CLI messages link to docs that production does not serve yet, ask the release manager whether to run `gh workflow run deploy-docs.yml --ref <ref>` once the `Release` job is publishing. Use the `vX.Y.Z` tag, or `main` while it still points at the release commit, and confirm the run's head SHA. The `vp` version that builds the docs does not need to match the release: the site and its install scripts come from the checked-out commit. The job authenticates with the `VOID_TOKEN` repository secret. When that token has expired, the job fails with `` `VOID_TOKEN` is invalid or expired `` and `discord-notify` is skipped. Ask someone with access to rotate the secret, then run `gh run rerun <run-id> --failed` to rerun the docs deployment and the Discord notification.
 7. `discord-notify`: announces to Discord after Docker publishing and docs deployment succeed (docs are skipped for prereleases).
@@ -446,6 +446,7 @@ The full package document can update before npm's separately cached installation
    ```bash
    npm view vite-plus version                       # X.Y.Z
    npm view @voidzero-dev/vite-plus-core version    # X.Y.Z
+   npm view create-vite-plus version                # X.Y.Z
    npm view @voidzero-dev/vite-plus-cli-darwin-arm64 version   # X.Y.Z, spot-check a native platform package
    npm view vite-plus dist-tags.latest              # X.Y.Z
    docker run --rm ghcr.io/voidzero-dev/vite-plus:X.Y.Z vp --version
diff --git a/.github/workflows/prepare_release.yml b/.github/workflows/prepare_release.yml
index 967d7aaca6..7d1a414f78 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/prepare_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/prepare_release.yml
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ jobs:
           update_json packages/cli/package.json
           update_json packages/core/package.json
           update_json packages/prompts/package.json
+          update_json packages/create-vite-plus/package.json
           update_toml packages/cli/binding/Cargo.toml
           update_toml crates/vp_global_cli/Cargo.toml
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-preview.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-preview.yml
index 265d50ac72..6ef043c78d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-preview.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-preview.yml
@@ -200,6 +200,10 @@ jobs:
             packages/cli
             packages/core
             packages/prompts
+            packages/create-vite-plus
+          # Must match the upload step in publish-preview-register.yml, which
+          # validates the same batch from main.
+          workspace-packages: vite-plus,create-vite-plus,@voidzero-dev/vite-plus-*
 
       - name: Upload packed packages
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@cf430e030ddbb5b0abf93d22962f4752f3646cd9 # v7.0.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index f31fab03a9..58cb332724 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -205,6 +205,15 @@ jobs:
           "vite-plus@${VERSION}"
           "@voidzero-dev/vite-plus-prompts@${VERSION}"
 
+      # create-vite-plus pins vite-plus via workspace:* (rewritten to this exact
+      # version), so it publishes only after vite-plus is installable.
+      - name: Publish create-vite-plus
+        run: >-
+          node ./.github/scripts/publish-npm-package.ts
+          "create-vite-plus@${VERSION}"
+          --
+          pnpm publish --filter=./packages/create-vite-plus --tag latest --access public --no-git-checks
+
       - name: Create release body
         env:
           REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
@@ -219,6 +228,7 @@ jobs:
 
           - \`@voidzero-dev/vite-plus-core@${VERSION}\`
           - \`vite-plus@${VERSION}\`
+          - \`create-vite-plus@${VERSION}\`
 
           ### Installation
 
@@ -375,6 +385,7 @@ jobs:
             **Published Packages:**
             • @voidzero-dev/vite-plus-core@${{ env.VERSION }}
             • vite-plus@${{ env.VERSION }}
+            • create-vite-plus@${{ env.VERSION }}
 
             **Docker (GHCR):**
             • `docker pull ${{ env.IMAGE }}:${{ env.VERSION }}`
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_next_command_application/snapshots.toml b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_next_command_application/snapshots.toml
index 27c73be16d..4581abc19a 100644
--- a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_next_command_application/snapshots.toml
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_next_command_application/snapshots.toml
@@ -5,6 +5,15 @@ steps = [
   { argv = ["vp", "create", "vite:application", "--no-interactive"], comment = "verify next command suggests vp run", continue-on-failure = true },
 ]
 
+[[case]]
+name = "create_next_command_application_from_package_manager"
+vp = "local"
+comment = "`npm create vite-plus` stamps npm's user agent: create with npm and run vp through it, since the global CLI may be missing."
+env = { npm_config_user_agent = "npm/11.0.0 node/v24.0.0 linux x64 workspaces/false" }
+steps = [
+  { argv = ["vp", "create", "vite:application", "--no-interactive"], comment = "verify npm is selected and the next command uses npx", continue-on-failure = true },
+]
+
 [[case]]
 name = "create_git_command_application"
 vp = "global"
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_next_command_application/snapshots/create_next_command_application_from_package_manager.md b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_next_command_application/snapshots/create_next_command_application_from_package_manager.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3bc1f29655
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_next_command_application/snapshots/create_next_command_application_from_package_manager.md
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# create_next_command_application_from_package_manager
+
+`npm create vite-plus` stamps npm's user agent: create with npm and run vp through it, since the global CLI may be missing.
+
+## `vp create vite:application --no-interactive`
+
+verify npm is selected and the next command uses npx
+
+```
+● Using default package name: vite-plus-application
+◇ Scaffolded vite-plus-application with Vite application
+• Node <version>  npm <version>
+→ Next: cd vite-plus-application && npx vp run
+```
diff --git a/docs/guide/create.md b/docs/guide/create.md
index 202294c691..cf0f7499e4 100644
--- a/docs/guide/create.md
+++ b/docs/guide/create.md
@@ -20,6 +20,40 @@ vp create <template>
 vp create <template> -- <template-options>
 ```
 
+### Without the Global CLI
+
+If you haven't installed [the global `vp`](/guide/global-cli) yet. Vite+ provides `create-vite-plus` package running `vp create` through your package manager.
+
+::: code-group
+
+```bash [pnpm]
+pnpm create vite-plus
+```
+
+```bash [npm]
+npm create vite-plus@latest
+```
+
+```bash [Yarn]
+yarn create vite-plus
+```
+
+```bash [Bun]
+bun create vite-plus
+```
+
+:::
+
+The new project uses the package manager that ran the command, unless you pass `--package-manager` or create it inside an existing workspace. Arguments are forwarded to `vp create` unchanged, so the first argument is the template, not the target directory:
+
+```bash
+pnpm create vite-plus vite:application --directory my-app
+```
+
+If you are using npm, there is a `--` needed before options meant for `vp create`, for example `npm create vite-plus@latest -- vite:application --directory my-app`.
+
+After creating the project, run `vp` through your package manager, for example `pnpm exec vp run`.
+
 ## Built-in Templates
 
 Vite+ ships with these built-in templates:
diff --git a/docs/guide/local-cli.md b/docs/guide/local-cli.md
index c6cf093a41..f08818016a 100644
--- a/docs/guide/local-cli.md
+++ b/docs/guide/local-cli.md
@@ -11,19 +11,19 @@ For most of use cases, we recommend to use Vite+ cli to install in a project or
 ::: code-group
 
 ```bash [pnpm]
-pnpm dlx --package=vite-plus vp create
+pnpm create vite-plus
 ```
 
 ```bash [npm]
-npx --package=vite-plus vp create
+npm create vite-plus@latest
 ```
 
 ```bash [Yarn]
-yarn dlx --package vite-plus vp create
+yarn create vite-plus
 ```
 
 ```bash [Bun]
-bunx --package vite-plus vp create
+bun create vite-plus
 ```
 
 :::
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/utils.spec.ts b/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/utils.spec.ts
index d935aa240a..fb48cec86c 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/utils.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/utils.spec.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@ import fs from 'node:fs';
 import os from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
 
-import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 
 import {
   deriveDefaultPackageName,
+  detectLauncherPackageManager,
   ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries,
   ensureGitignoreVsCodeEditorConfigs,
   formatTargetDir,
@@ -41,6 +42,22 @@ describe('editor configuration policy', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('detectLauncherPackageManager', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllEnvs();
+  });
+
+  it('detects the package manager that launched the process, but not vp', () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('npm_config_user_agent', 'pnpm/11.0.0 npm/? node/v24.0.0 darwin arm64');
+    expect(detectLauncherPackageManager()).toBe('pnpm');
+    // `vp run` and `vp exec` prefix the agent with vp, where the global CLI is already available.
+    vi.stubEnv('npm_config_user_agent', 'vp/1.1.0 npm/11.0.0 node/v24.0.0 darwin arm64');
+    expect(detectLauncherPackageManager()).toBeUndefined();
+    vi.stubEnv('npm_config_user_agent', undefined);
+    expect(detectLauncherPackageManager()).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
+
 describe('formatTargetDir', () => {
   it('should format "." as current directory with empty package name', () => {
     expect(formatTargetDir('.')).toEqual({
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts b/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts
index 6271fc3ae1..355f7838e9 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts
@@ -88,9 +88,11 @@ import {
 import { BuiltinTemplate, TemplateType } from './templates/types.ts';
 import {
   deriveDefaultPackageName,
+  detectLauncherPackageManager,
   ensurePnpmCreateCatalogEntries,
   ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries,
   ensureGitignoreVsCodeEditorConfigs,
+  formatLocalVpCommand,
   formatTargetDir,
   shouldConfigureEditorsForCreate,
 } from './utils.ts';
@@ -672,13 +674,15 @@ Use \`vp create --list\` to list all available templates, or run \`vp create --h
     }
   }
 
-  // Resolve package manager: existing monorepo > CLI flag > ambient detection > prompt/default
+  // Resolve package manager: existing monorepo > CLI flag > ambient detection > launcher > prompt/default
   const requestedPackageManager = options.packageManager;
   const detectedPackageManager = workspaceInfoOptional.packageManager;
+  const launcherPackageManager = detectLauncherPackageManager();
   const packageManager =
     (isMonorepo
       ? (detectedPackageManager ?? requestedPackageManager)
       : (requestedPackageManager ?? detectedPackageManager)) ??
+    launcherPackageManager ??
     (await selectPackageManager(options.interactive, compactOutput));
   const packageManagerVersion =
     packageManager === detectedPackageManager
@@ -699,6 +703,10 @@ Use \`vp create --list\` to list all available templates, or run \`vp create --h
     packageManager,
     downloadPackageManager: downloadResult,
   };
+  // Only the global CLI puts `vp` on PATH; launches through a package manager reach it through the project's package manager.
+  const vpRunCommand = launcherPackageManager
+    ? formatLocalVpCommand(packageManager, 'vp run')
+    : 'vp run';
 
   const existingAgentTargetPaths =
     options.agent !== undefined || !options.interactive
@@ -975,7 +983,7 @@ Use \`vp create --list\` to list all available templates, or run \`vp create --h
       description: describeScaffold(selectedTemplateName, selectedTemplateArgs),
       gitInitialized,
       installSummary,
-      nextCommand: getNextCommand(projectDir, 'vp run'),
+      nextCommand: getNextCommand(projectDir, vpRunCommand),
       packageManager: workspaceInfo.packageManager,
       packageManagerVersion: workspaceInfo.downloadPackageManager.version,
       projectDir,
@@ -1333,7 +1341,7 @@ Use \`vp create --list\` to list all available templates, or run \`vp create --h
     description: describeScaffold(selectedTemplateName, selectedTemplateArgs),
     gitInitialized,
     installSummary,
-    nextCommand: getNextCommand(projectDir, 'vp run'),
+    nextCommand: getNextCommand(projectDir, vpRunCommand),
     packageManager: workspaceInfo.packageManager,
     packageManagerVersion: workspaceInfo.downloadPackageManager.version,
     projectDir,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/create/utils.ts b/packages/cli/src/create/utils.ts
index 85f69c320a..83fbddb9e2 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/create/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/create/utils.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import path from 'node:path';
 import validateNpmPackageName from 'validate-npm-package-name';
 import { parseDocument } from 'yaml';
 
+import { PackageManager } from '../types/index.ts';
 import {
   VITE_PLUS_NAME,
   VITE_PLUS_OVERRIDE_PACKAGES,
@@ -76,6 +77,26 @@ export function shouldConfigureEditorsForCreate({
   return hasExplicitEditorOptIn(editor);
 }
 
+// Package managers stamp `npm_config_user_agent` (`pnpm/11.0.0 npm/? node/v24.0.0 ...`) on what they launch, e.g. `pnpm create vite-plus`; `vp run` prefixes it with `vp/<version>`, so it never matches.
+export function detectLauncherPackageManager(): PackageManager | undefined {
+  const name = process.env.npm_config_user_agent?.split('/')[0];
+  return Object.values(PackageManager).find((packageManager) => packageManager === name);
+}
+
+export function formatLocalVpCommand(packageManager: PackageManager, command: string) {
+  switch (packageManager) {
+    case PackageManager.pnpm:
+      return `pnpm exec ${command}`;
+    case PackageManager.yarn:
+      return `yarn exec ${command}`;
+    case PackageManager.bun:
+      return `bunx ${command}`;
+    case PackageManager.npm:
+    default:
+      return `npx ${command}`;
+  }
+}
+
 // Helper functions for file operations
 export function copy(src: string, dest: string) {
   const stat = fs.statSync(src);
diff --git a/packages/create-vite-plus/LICENSE b/packages/create-vite-plus/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2efd4ba7eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-vite-plus/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2026-present, VoidZero Inc.
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
+
diff --git a/packages/create-vite-plus/README.md b/packages/create-vite-plus/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7650dc4737
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-vite-plus/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# create-vite-plus
+
+Create a new [Vite+](https://viteplus.dev) project without installing the global `vp` CLI.
+
+```bash
+pnpm create vite-plus
+npm create vite-plus@latest
+yarn create vite-plus
+bun create vite-plus
+```
+
+This runs [`vp create`](https://viteplus.dev/guide/create) from the `vite-plus` package and uses the package manager that ran it, unless you pass `--package-manager` or create the project inside an existing workspace. Arguments are forwarded unchanged, so the first argument is the template:
+
+```bash
+pnpm create vite-plus vite:application --directory my-app
+pnpm create vite-plus vite -- --template react-ts
+```
+
+npm needs `--` before options meant for `vp create`, for example `npm create vite-plus@latest -- vite:library --no-interactive`.
diff --git a/packages/create-vite-plus/bin/create-vite-plus b/packages/create-vite-plus/bin/create-vite-plus
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..c7c924bec6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-vite-plus/bin/create-vite-plus
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+import module from 'node:module';
+if (module.enableCompileCache) {
+  module.enableCompileCache();
+}
+// `pnpm create vite-plus <args>` runs this bin with `<args>`; the CLI entry
+// dispatches on the first argument, so this becomes `vp create <args>`.
+process.argv.splice(2, 0, 'create');
+// Dynamic import so it runs AFTER enableCompileCache and the argv rewrite.
+await import('vite-plus/bin');
diff --git a/packages/create-vite-plus/package.json b/packages/create-vite-plus/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..09d88985fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-vite-plus/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+{
+  "name": "create-vite-plus",
+  "version": "1.1.0",
+  "description": "Create a new Vite+ project",
+  "keywords": [
+    "vite-plus"
+  ],
+  "homepage": "https://viteplus.dev/guide/create",
+  "bugs": {
+    "url": "https://github.com/voidzero-dev/vite-plus/issues"
+  },
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "author": "VoidZero Inc.",
+  "repository": {
+    "type": "git",
+    "url": "git+https://github.com/voidzero-dev/vite-plus.git",
+    "directory": "packages/create-vite-plus"
+  },
+  "bin": {
+    "create-vite-plus": "./bin/create-vite-plus"
+  },
+  "files": [
+    "bin"
+  ],
+  "type": "module",
+  "dependencies": {
+    "vite-plus": "workspace:*"
+  },
+  "engines": {
+    "node": "^22.18.0 || ^24.11.0 || >=26.0.0"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 1136e150a6..8897d6472f 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -758,6 +758,12 @@ importers:
         specifier: ~2.3.3
         version: 2.3.3
 
+  packages/create-vite-plus:
+    dependencies:
+      vite-plus:
+        specifier: workspace:vite-plus@*
+        version: link:../cli
+
   packages/prompts:
     dependencies:
       '@clack/core':