Encore vs MacDisplay.
For an old iMac as a monitor.
MacDisplay costs €29.99 plus VAT once for up to three Macs, and has a free version in timed blocks, for iMacs from 2014 on. It needs only macOS 12.3 on your Mac. Pick it if your Mac is too old for macOS 14 and your iMac is from 2014 or later. Pick Encore for an iMac before 2014, for a lower price, or for the iMac as a smart display when you stop.
Who should pick which
- Pick MacDisplay if your Mac can only run macOS 12.3 or 13, your iMac is 2014 or newer, or you want to try it free in 10-minute blocks first.
- Pick Encore if your iMac is older than 2014, your iMac has Thunderbolt 1 or 2 and you want to use a Thunderbolt cable (see below), or you want the iMac as a clock, calendar and AirPlay speaker when you stop.
Side by side
| Encore | MacDisplay | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free during the public beta | €29.99 plus VAT once for up to 3 Macs; free version limited to 10-minute blocks and 60 minutes a day |
| Your Mac | macOS 14 or later | macOS 12.3 or later |
| Oldest iMac | Late 2009 (macOS 10.13); 2007 to Early 2009 with Encore Receiver Legacy | iMacs from 2014, macOS 11 or later |
| Connection | Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet or Thunderbolt | Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi on 5 GHz. Thunderbolt 2 Macs: Ethernet or Wi-Fi; Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter is not yet certified |
| Picture and speed | Sharp, lossless picture over a cable; latency not published yet | Native resolution; the maker's own clock tests over Ethernet showed offsets of about 70 and 80 ms |
| Keyboard and mouse | The iMac's keyboard and mouse control your Mac, over a cable | Share one set of keyboard and mouse across both Macs (Accessibility permission on both) |
| iMac camera and microphone | Coming soon | Not listed |
| Smart display when idle | StandBy clocks, weather, calendar, AirPlay music, Hey Mac | No |
iMac years and macOS
MacDisplay asks for macOS 11 on the iMac, which means iMacs from 2014 and later, and macOS 12.3 on your Mac. Encore's receiver works from macOS 10.13, so it reaches further back: every Intel iMac from Late 2009 to 2020, and older ones with Encore Receiver Legacy. On the sending side, MacDisplay is the more forgiving: macOS 12.3, against macOS 14 for Encore.
Cables
MacDisplay's page says Thunderbolt 2 Macs should use Ethernet or Wi-Fi and that Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter isn't certified yet. iMacs before 2017 have Thunderbolt 1 or 2 ports, so MacDisplay points those owners to Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Encore over Thunderbolt uses Apple's adapter for those iMacs: see the cable guide. Gigabit Ethernet is a good choice with either app.
Where Encore is weaker
MacDisplay has a free tier, works with much older Macs as the sender, and includes file transfer over Thunderbolt or Ethernet. Encore has no published latency figure yet, and MacDisplay publishes rough figures from its own tests. Try it free and see.
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
Does MacDisplay work with a 2012 iMac?
Its site lists iMacs from 2014 and later, on macOS 11 or later, so a 2012 iMac isn't covered. Encore supports every Intel iMac from Late 2009 to 2020.
Is MacDisplay free?
It has a free version with 10-minute blocks and 60 minutes a day. The licence is €29.99 plus VAT once, for up to 3 Macs.
Can I use a Thunderbolt 2 iMac with MacDisplay?
Its site says Thunderbolt 2 Macs should use Ethernet or Wi-Fi, and that Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter isn't certified yet.