OpenRGB vs Polychromatic

OpenRGB controls RGB devices from multiple manufacturers through one application without relying on manufacturer software. It is free and open source under the GNU General Public License version 2, and runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS. The interface is designed to use little RAM and CPU. Device support is not uniform: listings distinguish fully supported, problematic, partial, unsupported, and not-applicable features. Its network-based SDK lets third-party software control supported devices and synchronize OpenRGB instances across multiple PCs; bindings are available for C++, Python, C#, and Java. Integrations include Artemis, Project Aurora, Home Assistant, and Keyboard Visualizer. Plugins can add synchronized effects, hardware-status indicators, third-party lighting integrations, and scheduled profile changes. The Effects Plugin includes options such as Rainbow, Breathing, audio visualizations, Ambilight, GIF playback, and GLSL shader rendering. The HTTP Hook plugin can trigger basic actions such as profile switching. Standalone Linux use may require udev rules for hardware access. Pipeline builds are unreleased development versions and may be unstable.

Polychromatic is a free, open-source GNU/Linux frontend for OpenRazer. It controls lighting and other settings on supported Razer peripherals, with the home page listing more than 210 devices including keyboards, mice, mouse mats, and headsets. You can adjust built-in effects, brightness, DPI, and polling interval, or create static and animated mappings from pixels and frames for games, applications, or ambience. The app shows firmware versions and serial numbers and can test individually addressable LEDs. A tray applet provides settings access when the desktop supports system-tray indicators, and a troubleshooter addresses problems such as OpenRazer failures or missing devices. It runs locally without cloud services or a login and is licensed under GPLv3. Polychromatic supports OpenRazer only; other brands are unavailable, and key remapping is not supported.