EarthDesk vs Papyrus
EarthDesk
xericdesign.comPapyrus
github.comSide by side
| Figure | EarthDesk | Papyrus |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1.25/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 7 | 1 |
| Spec score · Desktop Wallpaper Software | 8.9 (#4) | 7.3 (#24) |
| Multiple monitors | EarthDesk supports separate maps on multiple displays or one map spanning all connected screens. | Users can set different wallpapers and scaling options independently for each monitor. |
| Privacy | Apple lists the developer's stated privacy practice as collecting no data from the Mac app. | The project states that Papyrus has no accounts, telemetry, or cloud service and stores its configuration in a local JSON file. |
| Purpose | EarthDesk turns the desktop into a continuously updating image of Earth from space. | Papyrus is a free, open-source animated wallpaper manager for Wayland desktops, built primarily for COSMIC. |
Plans
EarthDesk
- EarthDesk 7 upgrade$12.99, paid once
- EarthDesk data subscription$14.99 a year
- Single-user data subscription$14.99 a year
- EarthDesk 7 with 1-year subscription upgrade$20.99, paid once
- EarthDesk 7 single-user license$24.99, paid once
- Five-user data subscription$24.99 a year
- Small-business data subscription$39.99 a year
In their own words
EarthDesk
EarthDesk turns a computer desktop into an updating view of Earth from space, with near-real-time clouds, sun and moon depictions, and city lighting. It offers 12 map projections, including Mercator, Azimuthal, Equirectangular, and a globe with optional starfield. Maps can be centered using latitude and longitude, relative to the sun or moon, or on one of 10,000 locations; a data subscription adds other centering choices. On multiple displays, it can show a different map on each screen or span one map across them. Standard cloud imagery is global, 2-megapixel, and refreshed every six hours. The data subscription adds geo-located, parallax-corrected imagery from 23 satellites at 32-megapixel detail, refreshed every three hours, plus earthquake, tropical storm, and International Space Station information. The maker offers a free Mac or Windows trial before purchase. A single-user license starts at 24.99 USD once and covers two Mac or Windows computers. An upgrade costs 12.99 USD once and requires a previous license key; the data subscription costs $14.99 a year. Minimums are macOS 10.14, Windows 7, or tvOS 13.2.