DisplayFusion vs Synergy
We give DisplayFusion a 3.0 GPA and Synergy a 2.8, out of 4.0. DisplayFusion grades higher on the free plan. Synergy grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
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
Synergy
Share one keyboard and mouse across Windows, Mac and Linux PCs
How we grade them
| 3.0GPADisplayFusionVery good | 2.8GPASynergyGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | AA one-time payment with no subscription: $15 for Lite on up to 3 computers, $19 for Plus on 5 and $29 for Max on 15. All well under a year of a typical paid utility here. We'd look at Plus, since Lite has no TLS/SSL encryption or hotkeys. |
| 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. | FPersonal licenses have nothing free: no free version and no trial. You get a 30-day money-back guarantee instead, which isn't the same thing. The 14-day free trial is for Business plans only. |
| 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. | AIt does one thing, sharing a keyboard, mouse and clipboard between computers, and does it fully. Text and images paste across machines, the Windows and Command keys can swap by themselves between Windows and Mac, and Synergy 3 finds and configures your computers automatically. Encryption starts at Plus. |
| 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. Synergy 3 has automatic configuration and discovery, plus a screen layout for arranging your computers. They do all have to sit on the same local network. |
| 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. | BWindows, macOS and Linux, which is three unrelated systems under one license. No internet connection needed. There are no phone or tablet apps and no integrations listed, and it doesn't share video, so each computer needs its own screen. |
| Best for | running two or more monitors on Windows | one keyboard and mouse across a PC, a Mac and a Linux box |
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 Synergy. How we grade
Where they differ
- DisplayFusion starts at $34 one-time purchase per machine (Pro Standard, lifetime license). Synergy starts at $15 one-time payment (Synergy 3 Lite, personal use).
- DisplayFusion has a free plan. Synergy does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Synergy lists macOS and Linux apps.
- DisplayFusion also covers window management and display control.
- Synergy also covers keyboard and mouse remapping.
At a glance
| DisplayFusion | Synergy | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $34 one-time purchase per machine (Pro Standard, lifetime license) | $15 one-time payment (Synergy 3 Lite, personal use) |
| 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 | 14-day free trial for Business plans only; personal licenses have a 30-day money-back guarantee instead |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Binary Fortress Software | Synergy App Ltd |
| Price read from | displayfusion.com | symless.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
Synergy
- Desks with a Windows PC, a Mac and a Linux machine side by side
- Developers and IT staff working across several computers at once
- Individuals who want a one-time payment and no subscription
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.
Synergy
- Personal licenses have no free trial, only a 30-day money-back guarantee; the 14-day trial is for Business plans.
- Lite covers 3 computers and has no TLS/SSL encryption or hotkeys. Plus allows 5 computers and Max allows 15.
- All computers must be on the same local network and each needs its own screen, because Synergy does not share video.
- A Business license is required when a company pays for, reimburses or deploys Synergy, and Business editions send a daily usage report.
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.
Synergy
- Shared keyboard and mouse
- Move the pointer off the edge of one screen to control the next computer with the same keyboard, mouse or trackpad, without a hardware KVM switch or its switching delay.
- Clipboard sharing
- Copy text or an image on one computer, move the pointer to another and paste it there.
- TLS/SSL encryption
- Encrypts the keystrokes and clipboard data sent between computers over the local network. It is included from the Plus tier upward, not in Lite.
- Hotkeys and key swapping
- Shortcuts switch between computers or send keystrokes to another machine, and the Windows and Command keys can swap automatically when moving between Windows and Mac.
- Auto-config and discovery
- Synergy 3 has an interface rebuilt from the ground up with automatic configuration and discovery of computers, and a screen layout for arranging them.
- Business controls
- Business licenses add policy-based settings, centralized configuration, challenge-based offline activation for air-gapped networks and priority support.
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.
Synergy
Synergy 3 Lite$15
one-time payment
Personal license to control up to 3 computers on a local network, with copy and paste between them. No TLS/SSL encryption or hotkeys.
Synergy 3 Plus$19
one-time payment
Up to 5 computers, adding TLS/SSL network encryption and keyboard shortcuts to switch computers or send keystrokes to another one.
Synergy 3 Max$29
one-time payment
Everything in Plus for up to 15 computers.
Synergy Business Essential$90
per year, priced per seat
Unlimited computers, priority support with a 4-hour SLA, offline air-gapped activation and invoicing. Includes Synergy 1 and Synergy 3.
Synergy Business Advanced$190
per seat / year
Adds policy-based controls, centralized configuration and deployment support, and custom LTS and legacy operating system support.
Synergy EnterpriseCustom
Keyless offline deployment, zero telemetry, bespoke builds, site and volume licensing and a custom SLA. Priced through sales.
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.
Synergy
- Other savings
25% off for newsletter subscribers
The Synergy homepage offers 25% off Synergy to people who subscribe to its newsletter, with the discount sent by email.
