Wallpaper Engine Alternatives for Linux

Wallpaper Engine is not available for Linux but there are some alternatives that runs on Linux with similar functionality. The best Linux alternative is Variety Wallpaper Changer, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 25 alternatives to Wallpaper Engine and eight of them are available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Linux alternatives to Wallpaper Engine are ScreenPlay, Hidamari, Layered WallPaper and HydraPaper.

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Wallpaper Engine alternatives are mainly Wallpapers Hubs but may also be Shell Extensions or Desktop Customization Tools.  Other popular filters includes Windows + Free and Mac + Desktop Customization. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Wallpaper Engine.
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Use stunning live wallpapers on your Windows desktop. Animate your own images to create new wallpapers or import videos and websites and share them with others!.

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Wallpaper Engine alternatives page was last updated Jan 22, 2025
  1. Variety Wallpaper Changer icon
     135 likes

    Variety is a wallpaper changer for Ubuntu which is featureful, yet slim and very easy to use. It can automatically download wallpapers from various online sources, allows rotating them on a regular interval or on demand, and provides easy to use ways to separate the great images...

    43 Variety Wallpaper Changer alternatives
    Main settings, indicator menu and thumbnails display

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Variety Wallpaper Changer Features

    1.  Wallpaper Cycling
    2.  Image Filters
    Variety Wallpaper Changer iconWallpaper Engine Icon

    Variety Wallpaper Changer VS Wallpaper Engine

    Is this a good alternative to Wallpaper Engine?
     
    • Most users think Variety Wallpaper Changer is a great Wallpaper Engine alternative.

    • Variety Wallpaper Changer is the most popular Linux alternative to Wallpaper Engine.

    • Variety Wallpaper Changer is Free and Open SourceWallpaper Engine is Paid and Proprietary
  2. ScreenPlay icon
     30 likes

    ScreenPlay is an Open Source cross-platform app for displaying Video Wallpaper & Widgets. It is written in modern C++20/Qt6/QML. It currently supports Windows and macOS (x64 and arm).

    36 ScreenPlay alternatives
    ScreenPlay screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Steam
    • Linux

    ScreenPlay Features

    1.  Live Wallpapers
    2.  Video Wallpaper
    3.  Widgets
    4.  Steam Workshop
    5.  Portable
    6.  Visualize Music
    7.  Wallpaper Cycling
    ScreenPlay iconWallpaper Engine Icon

    ScreenPlay VS Wallpaper Engine

    Is ScreenPlay a good alternative to Wallpaper Engine?
     
    Comments about ScreenPlay as an Alternative to Wallpaper Engine
     
    tvgoing1

    It does not support screen sharing, the entire project rely too much on Steam gaming platform. Don't use it.

    Negative commentJun 23, 2024
    0
    Guest

    It's open source and cross platform. It also has very active development!

    Positive commentOct 12, 2020
    2
    Guest

    Works great and soon on Linux and Mac as well!

    Positive commentMay 18, 2021
    0
    Wallpaper Engine Icon
    ScreenPlay icon
    • Most users think ScreenPlay is a great Wallpaper Engine alternative.

    • ScreenPlay is the most popular Mac alternative to Wallpaper Engine.

    • ScreenPlay is Free and Open SourceWallpaper Engine is Paid and Proprietary
  3. Hidamari icon
     8 likes

    Video wallpaper for Linux. Written in Python.

    7 Hidamari alternatives
    Hidamari screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Hidamari Features

    1.  Video Wallpaper
    2.  Live Wallpapers
    3.  Streaming
    4.  Video playback
    Hidamari iconWallpaper Engine Icon

    Hidamari VS Wallpaper Engine

    Is Hidamari a good alternative to Wallpaper Engine?
     
    Comments about Hidamari as an Alternative to Wallpaper Engine
     
    Maretheyu606

    This was the first LWPE I used for Linux, and I have to say there is nothing better I can find that is still FOSS. Luv it

    Positive commentJul 10, 2024
    0
    Wallpaper Engine Icon
    Hidamari icon
    • Almost everyone thinks Hidamari is a great Wallpaper Engine alternative.

    • Hidamari is Free and Open SourceWallpaper Engine is Paid and Proprietary
  4.  3 likes

    Layered WallPaper allows You to create multi-layered parallax wallpapers. Each layer moves with Your mouse cursor, creating beautiful parallax effect.

    8 Layered WallPaper alternatives
    Layered WallPaper screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux

    Layered WallPaper Features

    1.  Live Wallpapers
    Wallpaper Engine Icon

    Layered WallPaper VS Wallpaper Engine

    Is Layered WallPaper a good alternative to Wallpaper Engine?
     
  5. HydraPaper icon
     1 like

    Manage your collection simply with folders, then add all of them to HydraPaper. You can enable or disable them with just a click.

    12 HydraPaper alternatives
    HydraPaper screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux

    HydraPaper Features

    1.  Wallpaper Cycling
    2.  Live Wallpapers
    3.  Video Wallpaper
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Support for HD videos
    HydraPaper iconWallpaper Engine Icon

    HydraPaper VS Wallpaper Engine

    Is HydraPaper a good alternative to Wallpaper Engine?
     
  6. xlivebg icon
     1 like

    xlivebg is a live wallpaper framework, and collection of live wallpapers, for the X window system. xlivebg is independent of window managers and desktop environments, and should work with any of them, or even with no window manager at all.

    21 xlivebg alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Linux

    xlivebg Features

    1.  Live Wallpapers
    2.  Debian package compatible
    3.  OPENGL
    xlivebg iconWallpaper Engine Icon

    xlivebg VS Wallpaper Engine

    Is xlivebg a good alternative to Wallpaper Engine?
     
  7.  Like this app

    QuickWall was initialy launched as a wallpaper app that would set wallpapers directly from the commandline. Later due to a lot of requests from users , a theme option was added which uses pywal to generate themes from the wallpapers.

    41 QuickWall alternatives
    QuickWall screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux

    QuickWall Features

    1.  Wallpaper Cycling
    2. Unsplash icon  Unsplash integration
    Wallpaper Engine Icon

    QuickWall VS Wallpaper Engine

    Is QuickWall a good alternative to Wallpaper Engine?
     
  8. LivePaper icon
     Like this app

    A lightweight app that displays animated wallpapers on Windows and Linux.

    3 LivePaper alternatives
    LivePaper screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux

    LivePaper Features

    1.  Live Wallpapers
    2.  Video Wallpaper
    LivePaper iconWallpaper Engine Icon

    LivePaper VS Wallpaper Engine

    Is LivePaper a good alternative to Wallpaper Engine?
     
8 of 8 Wallpaper Engine alternatives