EarthDesk vs Walltone
EarthDesk
xericdesign.comWalltone
github.comSide by side
| Figure | EarthDesk | Walltone |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 7.7 (#15) |
| Multiple monitors | EarthDesk supports separate maps on multiple displays or one map spanning all connected screens. | Users can configure wallpapers per display and adjust monitor layout and scaling. |
| Purpose | EarthDesk turns the desktop into a continuously updating image of Earth from space. | Walltone is a wallpaper and theme manager for Linux that supports images, videos, and Wallpaper Engine content. |
| Support | The maker directs users to review the product support page and offers a contact form for help. | The project directs users to GitHub Issues for bug reports and GitHub Discussions for discussion. |
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.
Walltone
Walltone is a free GPL-3.0 wallpaper and theme manager for Linux. It handles static images, video wallpapers, and animated Wallpaper Engine content, with browsing and downloads from Pexels, Unsplash, Wallhaven, and Wallpaper Engine. Users can assign wallpapers per display, arrange monitor layouts, and adjust scaling. From wallpapers, Walltone generates light and dark Base16 and Material You color schemes; a color picker allows refinements and theme exports for other applications. Tag filters, search, sorting, Boolean filters, and a JavaScript-capable template engine support organization and customization. Video controls include mute and scaling. Wallpaper Engine controls include volume, FPS, audio, parallax, fullscreen pause, and texture clamping. Video or animated wallpapers can be captured as still images for login managers or GRUB. Online sources require API keys, including a Steam Web API key for Wallpaper Engine. Installation is listed through the Arch User Repository, a Nix flake, or source builds. Requirements include Linux, Node.js 18+, and playback and screenshot utilities.