DisplayFusion vs Fences
We give DisplayFusion a 3.0 GPA and Fences a 2.8, out of 4.0. DisplayFusion grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
DisplayFusion
Multi-monitor taskbars, wallpaper and window control for Windows
Fences
Windows desktop organizer that groups icons into shaded areas
How we grade them
| 3.0GPADisplayFusionVery good | 2.8GPAFencesGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APro Standard is $34 once per machine, a lifetime license that's valid for all future versions. Got several PCs at home? Pro Personal is $49 for any number of them in one household. No subscription anywhere. That's good going for a tool this deep. | A$9.99 a year for one PC is well under what paid utilities here usually charge. If you'd rather pay once, Fences 6 on Steam is $29.99, though that licence stops at 6.x updates. The Multi-Device Upgrade add-on there is another $19.99. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe Free version covers per-monitor wallpaper, monitor configuration, TitleBar Buttons, key combinations and edge snapping, for personal use only. But the headline features, multi-monitor taskbars and profiles among them, are Pro. Every download starts with a 30-day Pro trial. | CThere's no free version. You get a 30-day free trial download, and the listing doesn't say whether it asks for a card. After that it's pay or stop. |
| Features | AA taskbar on every monitor, wallpaper per screen, saved monitor and window-position profiles, monitor splitting with padding for bezels, more than 30 ready-made window Functions, and Triggers that act when a window opens or the desktop unlocks. For multiple monitors, that's everything. | AShaded fences you can resize, colour and roll up, rules that file new desktop items by type, name or time, and Folder Portals that mirror any folder onto the desktop. Peek brings it all on top of your open windows, and Fences 6 adds tabs. That's the whole desktop-tidying job. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating is on record to go by, so a B. The basics are key combinations and extra title bar buttons, which need little explaining. Triggers and Functions scripted in C# or VB.net are there for people who want to go further. | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It's a normal Windows install, and once the rules are set they do the sorting for you. Windows key and Space brings your fences to the front. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only: Windows 11, Windows 10 (1607 or higher) or Windows Server 2016, 2019 or 2022. Pro can be controlled from an iPhone, iPad or Android device, but that's for changing wallpaper or toggling monitors on the PC. | DWindows 10 and 11 only, ARM devices included. No Mac or Linux version is listed, and the listing shows no integrations. |
| Best for | running two or more monitors on Windows | tidying a crowded Windows desktop |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: DisplayFusion and Fences. How we grade
Where they differ
- DisplayFusion starts at $34 one-time purchase per machine (Pro Standard, lifetime license). Fences starts at $9.99 per year (Single, 1 Year Subscription).
- DisplayFusion has a free plan. Fences does not, though it has a free trial.
- DisplayFusion also covers window management and display control.
- Fences also covers file management.
At a glance
| DisplayFusion | Fences | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $34 one-time purchase per machine (Pro Standard, lifetime license) | $9.99 per year (Single, 1 Year Subscription) |
| Free plan | Free version, for personal use only: per-monitor wallpaper, monitor configuration, TitleBar Buttons, key combinations and edge snapping. No multi-monitor taskbars, profiles, Triggers or monitor fading. | None |
| Free trial | 30-day Pro trial license with every download; afterwards the app reverts to the Free version | 30-day free trial download |
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Binary Fortress Software | Stardock |
| Price read from | displayfusion.com | stardock.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
DisplayFusion
- Windows users working across two or more monitors
- Ultrawide owners who want to split one screen into virtual monitors
- IT teams deploying one license key across a site with MSI and ADMX templates
Fences
- Windows users whose desktop is crowded with shortcuts and files
- Keeping game launchers, school work or project files in separate groups
- IT teams that want the same organized desktop on every company PC
Worth knowing
DisplayFusion
- Windows only: the current version needs Windows 11, Windows 10 (1607 or higher) or Windows Server 2016, 2019 or 2022.
- The Free version is licensed for personal use only; company use needs a Pro license.
- Multi-monitor taskbars, Monitor Profiles, monitor splitting, Triggers, monitor fading and Window Position Profiles are Pro features.
- The vendor notes that full-screen videos and games cannot currently be constrained to monitor splits.
Fences
- Windows 10 and 11 only, including ARM devices; no Mac or Linux version is listed.
- A copy bought as a subscription stops working if the subscription is allowed to lapse.
- A permanent license covers Fences 6 and its 6.x updates but not later major versions, and the Steam edition is permanent-license only.
- The Single plan covers one device; running Fences on up to 5 PCs needs the Multi-Device plan or a 5-pack license.
Key features
DisplayFusion
- Multi-monitor taskbars
- Pro adds a taskbar to every monitor, showing all windows or only those on that monitor, with button grouping, pinned items, a clock and system tray icons.
- Wallpaper per monitor
- Sets a different image on each monitor or spans one across several, from local files or online sources. Wallpaper Profiles and random image rotation need Pro.
- Monitor configuration and splitting
- Sets resolution, colour depth, refresh rate and orientation. Pro saves Monitor Profiles and splits a monitor into smaller virtual monitors, with padding for bezel compensation.
- Functions and TitleBar Buttons
- More than 30 pre-configured Functions move, size and span windows from key combinations or extra title bar buttons. Custom Functions and C# or VB.net scripted ones need Pro.
- Triggers
- Pro listens for events such as window creation, window focus, desktop unlock or system idle, then moves or resizes the window, shows a notification or runs a Function.
- Window profiles and remote control
- Pro saves and reloads window layouts as Window Position Profiles, and can be controlled from an iPhone, iPad or Android device to change wallpaper or toggle monitors.
Fences
- Fence groups
- Desktop icons, files and folders sit in shaded areas whose size, color, transparency and sorting can be changed. A fence can be rolled up to keep its contents out of sight until needed.
- Automatic sorting rules
- Rules place new desktop items into fences by file type, name, time or target location, for example collecting every screenshot in one fence.
- Folder Portals
- Mirror any folder, including cloud and network folders, onto the desktop as a fence, so its contents can be reached without opening File Explorer.
- Peek
- Pressing the Windows key and Space brings your fences on top of all open windows for quick access to files, folders and applications.
- Tabs, Icon Tint and Chameleon
- Fences 6 stacks several fences together as tabs, applies a uniform color tint to desktop icons, and can fade icons into the background to reduce visual noise.
- Business deployment
- Fences 6 for Business adds tooling to deploy configurations from network drives, content locking, single-key activation and centralized activation management.
Plans
DisplayFusion
Free$0
Personal use only. Per-monitor wallpaper, monitor configuration, TitleBar Buttons, key combinations and window snapping, without the Pro features.
Pro Standard$34
one-time purchase per machine, lifetime license
All Pro features on 1 computer, for personal or company use. Valid for all future versions.
Pro on Steam$39.99
one-time purchase through Steam, lifetime license
All Pro features wherever the buyer's Steam account is installed. The Steam desktop client is needed to install it, not to run it.
Pro Personal$49
one-time purchase, lifetime license
All Pro features on any number of personal computers in one household, plus 1 company computer that only the buyer uses.
Pro Site$899
one-time purchase per site, lifetime license
Unlimited machines at 1 site under a single license key, with no license server.
Pro Enterprise$3,899
one-time purchase, lifetime license
Unlimited computers at an unlimited number of company-owned sites.
Fences
Single$9.99
per year (US dollar price in the page's metadata)
A 1 Year Subscription for one device, kept on the latest version. Read from India, the page showed ₹1,025.22 with ₹1,206.00 crossed out.
Multi-Device₹2,411.00
per year, as shown to a visitor in India
A 1 Year Subscription with one key and 5 simultaneous activations. The US dollar price could not be read.
Fences 6 on Steam$29.99
one-time purchase (US Steam store)
A permanent license for Fences 6 with a 1 PC activation limit. It gets 6.x updates but not later major versions. A Multi-Device Upgrade add-on is $19.99.
Object Desktop₹4,820.82
per year, as shown to a visitor in India
Stardock's suite of more than a dozen apps including Fences, with up to 5 active installs. Shown with ₹6,026.00 crossed out.
Fences 6 for BusinessCustom
Priced in an order builder by number of licenses, with volume discounts, single or per-machine keys and a year of maintenance and premium support.
Ways to pay less
DisplayFusion
- Lifetime license
Lifetime license for all future versions
Every Pro license is a one-time purchase that the vendor describes as a lifetime license, valid for all future versions.
- Other savings
Discount for owners of other Binary Fortress apps
The purchase page says buyers save money if they already own ClipboardFusion, FileSeek, LogFusion, TrayStatus or VoiceBot. The amount is not stated.
Fences
- Other savings
Upgrade pricing for owners of earlier versions
Owners of Fences 3, 4 or 5 can check their eligibility on the product page for a discounted upgrade to Fences 6. The amount is shown after the check.
