Lively Wallpaper vs Plash

Lively Wallpaper9.3Visit Plash7.8Visit

Higher score Lively Wallpaper #1 in Desktop Wallpaper Software 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Try Lively Wallpaper

vs

Plash #16 in Desktop Wallpaper Software 7.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit Plash

• Lively Wallpaper fits best

  Windows users wanting a broad free feature set

• Plash fits best

  Mac users who want websites as backgrounds

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Side by side

Feature	Lively Wallpaper 9.3/10 Visit ↗	Plash 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	7.8
Ranking	#1 in Desktop Wallpaper Software	#16 in Desktop Wallpaper Software
Best for	Windows users wanting a broad free feature set	Mac users who want websites as backgrounds
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free	Free
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows	macOS
Integrations	4 integrations	4 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Lively Wallpaper 5/6 · Plash 5/6
Live wallpapers	✓	✓
Automatic rotation	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Multi-monitor support	✓	✓
Video wallpapers	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Interactive wallpapers	✓	✓
Performance controls	✓	✓
Specs
Platform coverage	Windows	Macos
Our review
Pros	Supports video, GIF, web, shader, stream and interactive wallpapers Includes multi-monitor layouts and configurable playback rules Free, open-source software with AutoHotkey, Unity, Godot and Shadertoy integrations	Free plan includes unlimited web access Supports CSS, JavaScript, reloads, and display selection Works with Shortcuts, Safari, Alfred, and Raycast
Cons	Supports Windows rather than multiple desktop operating systems The feature set is focused on wallpaper and screensaver customization Only a Free plan is listed, without separate paid tiers	Available only on macOS Separate websites per display are not supported Focused on websites rather than a general wallpaper library
Our verdict	Lively Wallpaper is a free, open-source Windows application for animated and interactive desktop backgrounds. It is aimed at Windows users who want more than static images, with support for video and GIF files, webpages, shaders, streams,… Read the review →	Plash is a free macOS utility that displays remote or local websites above the desktop wallpaper. It is designed for Mac users who want informational, interactive, or animated backgrounds, including calendars, feeds, images, animated GIFs,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Lively Wallpaper — where it wins

  • Supports video, GIF, web, shader, stream and interactive wallpapers
  • Includes multi-monitor layouts and configurable playback rules
  • Free, open-source software with AutoHotkey, Unity, Godot and Shadertoy integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Supports Windows rather than multiple desktop operating systems
  • The feature set is focused on wallpaper and screensaver customization
  • Only a Free plan is listed, without separate paid tiers

• Plash — where it wins

  • Free plan includes unlimited web access
  • Supports CSS, JavaScript, reloads, and display selection
  • Works with Shortcuts, Safari, Alfred, and Raycast

  Where it doesn't

  • Available only on macOS
  • Separate websites per display are not supported
  • Focused on websites rather than a general wallpaper library

• Lively Wallpaper9.3/10 · Free plan

  A feature-rich free wallpaper app for Windows users who want animated, interactive desktops.

  Try Lively WallpaperFull verdict →
• Plash7.8/10 · Free plan

  A free Mac utility for interactive, automated website-based desktop backgrounds.

  Visit PlashFull verdict →