This comparison is editorial. Lively Wallpaper is developed by Dani John. Wallpaper Engine is a separate paid app on Steam. Prices and features change; check each store page before you buy or install.
Who each option is for
Choose Lively if you want a free, open-source app, you already have video files, or you want HTML and shader wallpapers without a Steam account.
Choose Wallpaper Engine if you want the large Steam Workshop catalog and you are willing to pay the Steam price. The existing public listing price has commonly been a few US dollars; confirm the current price on Steam.
What both can do
Project documentation for both apps describes video wallpapers, web or HTML content, multi-monitor support, and pausing during fullscreen games. Those overlapping features are why people treat Lively as a free alternative, not a clone of Workshop.
Where they differ
- Lively is GPL-3.0 and has no app store ads inside the program. Wallpaper Engine is a commercial Steam app.
- Wallpaper Engine’s Workshop is larger than Lively’s file-sharing model. Lively uses
.livelypackages and drag-and-drop files instead of Steam subscriptions. - Lively documents screen-saver integration. Do not assume every Wallpaper Engine feature exists there, or the reverse.
If you only need files
You can keep Wallpaper Engine for Workshop and still use Lively for local MP4s, or the other way around. This site’s library is for Lively-style video files, not Steam Workshop items.