Encore vs Deskreen.
For an old iMac as a monitor.
Deskreen is free, open source, and uses any web browser as the screen, so the iMac needs only a browser. For a true extended desktop it needs a virtual display adapter, and it is built around Wi-Fi. Encore is a dedicated app with a cable option, the iMac's keyboard and mouse, and a smart display. Encore is free during the public beta. Pick Deskreen if free comes first and you can accept a browser picture. Pick Encore if you want the iMac to feel like a monitor.
Who should pick which
- Pick Deskreen if it must be free and open source (its Community Edition is AGPL-3.0), if you want any device with a browser as a screen, or for a quick teleprompter or mirror.
- Pick Encore if you want an extended desktop that behaves like a monitor, a cable for a sharp picture, the iMac's keyboard and mouse over that cable, or a smart display when you stop.
Side by side
| Encore | Deskreen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free during the public beta | Free and open source (a Pro version is mentioned on its site) |
| How it works | Two apps: Encore and Encore Receiver | A desktop app on your Mac, any web browser on the screen |
| What runs on the iMac | Encore Receiver (macOS 10.13 or later), Legacy for 2007 to Early 2009 | A web browser. Deskreen says any device with a browser; we could not confirm which browsers on the oldest macOS versions work |
| Extended desktop | Yes, the iMac is an extra display | Needs a Virtual Display Adapter; without one you can mirror |
| Connection | Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet or Thunderbolt | Over Wi-Fi, on your local network |
| iMac keyboard and mouse (camera and microphone coming soon) | Yes, over a cable | No |
| Encryption | ChaCha20-Poly1305, X25519, no unencrypted fallback | "End-to-end encryption", no further detail |
| Smart display when idle | StandBy clocks, weather, calendar, AirPlay music, Hey Mac | No |
What Deskreen needs for an extended desktop
Deskreen's site says a true extended desktop needs a Virtual Display Adapter. On macOS that means a separate virtual display tool. In Deskreen's own GitHub discussions, users report using BetterDummy (now BetterDisplay) with it, and one notes "a short lag". That extra step is the main practical difference. Encore makes the iMac an extra display by itself.
Picture and cable
Deskreen sends your screen to a browser over Wi-Fi, which suits text and a browser window but is not built for a sharp, lossless picture. Encore aims for that picture over a cable with at least 400 Mbps. Over Wi-Fi, Encore's picture is always lower quality as well: for monitor use, plug in a cable. Read Wi-Fi or cable for a second screen for why.
Project status
Deskreen's Community Edition is at version 3.2.16, from 8 July 2026, with an Apple silicon download. Encore's releases are listed in the changelog.
Where Encore is weaker
It is not free after the beta, it only works Mac to Mac, and it needs macOS 14 on your Mac. Deskreen needs nothing but a browser on the receiving side, on any device.
Facts on this page were checked on 9 November 2026 on the linked pages. Speeds are each maker's own figures, not independent measurements. Something out of date? Tell us and we fix it.
Questions
Is Deskreen really free?
Yes. Deskreen's Community Edition is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. Its site also mentions a Pro version, with Community Edition features limited; we could not find a Pro price.
Can Deskreen extend my desktop to an old iMac?
Deskreen's site says extended desktop needs a Virtual Display Adapter. In its own GitHub discussion, users report using BetterDummy (now BetterDisplay) on Macs. We have not tested it ourselves.
Does Deskreen work over a cable?
Its site describes sharing over Wi-Fi on a local network. It doesn't describe a cable mode.
Does Encore work without a browser?
Yes. Encore is two apps: Encore on your Mac and Encore Receiver on the iMac.