# Wallper alternatives for Mac, by the reason you’re leaving

> Source: https://macplus.pro/wallper-alternatives-mac.html  
> Language: en  
> Updated: 2026-10-07

Match the replacement to your reason for leaving: **Wallspace** or Mac+ for a free tier with no time limit, Phosphene for free and open source (macOS 26+), Mac+ below macOS 14.6. Apple’s aerials, in **System Settings** then **Wallpaper**, animate as you lock or unlock.

Match the replacement to why you are leaving Wallper: a free tier points to Wallspace, free and open source to Phosphene, a Mac below macOS 14.6 to Mac+, and a Lock Screen that broke on macOS 27 to an update first. Every figure below comes from a vendor page read on 7 October 2026. I make Mac+, so it comes last, with its limits.

By [Adrien Pennetier](https://macplus.pro/about.html)

macOS developer, creator of Mac+

Updated 2026-10-07 · 9 min read

![A Mac desktop with soft grey-blue swirling flows behind a calendar widget and a weekend countdown card](https://macplus.pro/img/scene-flux.jpg)

One of Mac+’s 15 generated scenes: a wallpaper drawn live on the GPU rather than played back from a video file.

## Which alternative fits which reason for leaving Wallper?

Your reason for leaving decides the app, and every pick has a catch. Where a vendor’s own pages contradict each other, the cell says so.

*Reason for leaving Wallper, matched to apps, with vendor statements checked 7 October 2026*

| Your reason | Look at | What the vendor states | The catch |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Trial over, you want a free tier | Wallspace, Mac+ | Wallspace: Free plan, “$0 · Forever”. Mac+: six animated scenes | Wallspace keeps own video and Lock Screen in Pro; Mac+ has no catalogue |
| $14.99 is too much | Wallux, Wallspace, MacWall, Mac+ | One-time $9.99, $12.99, $12.99 and €9.99 | Currencies and Mac counts differ (price table below) |
| Mac on macOS 13 or 14.0–14.5 | Mac+ | Requires macOS 13 or later | Generated scenes only; no Lock Screen |
| Intel Mac | MacWall, Phosphene, Aerial, Mac+ | Intel stated (Phosphene: universal binary) | Phosphene and Aerial need macOS 26; Backdrop, Wallspace, Wallux pages are silent |
| Lock Screen video stopped on macOS 27 | Update Wallper first; then Backdrop, Wallux, Phosphene | Wallper: 1.9 or later restores it. The other three name macOS 27 | Vendor statements, none tested here |
| Lock Screen video below macOS 26 | Backdrop | Its maker’s blog says macOS 15 and later | Not on its product or store pages; €29.99 lifetime |
| Open source, auditable | Phosphene, Aerial | Both MIT; Aerial adds “no telemetry” | Your own videos, no catalogue; macOS 26 |
| A little motion, nothing to install | Apple’s aerials | Apple says they animate at lock and unlock | No own video; nothing documented at other moments |
| No video library; widgets and folder icons too | Mac+ | 15 generated scenes, 12 widgets, 52 folder-icon patterns | No Lock Screen; own video needs Pro |

## What do Apple’s own Wallpaper settings give you for free?

They give you Apple’s aerial wallpapers. Apple says they “animate as you lock or unlock your Mac”; nothing more is documented. The path is **System Settings**, then **Wallpaper** in the sidebar, where the aerials sit in the Landscape, Cityscape, Underwater and Earth categories.

Apple’s wallpaper guide adds that, by default, the aerial you select doubles as your screen saver. **Dynamic Wallpapers** only shift between lighter and darker with the time of day. For your own pictures the guide covers a single photo, an image file or a photo set; it documents no way to use your own video. That is the free baseline every app below is measured against: if motion at lock and unlock is all you wanted, nothing needs replacing.

## Is Wallper broken, or is it your macOS version? Check before switching

On macOS 27, Wallper states that animated Lock Screen wallpapers need Wallper 1.9 or later, so an out-of-date copy is the first suspect. Its 1.9.0 release post (27 July 2026) says macOS 27 “changed how moving lock screen wallpapers are installed, which stopped them working”.

Wallper’s FAQ adds the other conditions: Lock Screen video needs macOS 26 or later, desktop wallpapers keep playing on earlier systems, and Wallper’s own setting “Use Lock Screen & Screensaver” must be on before you set the wallpaper again (that is Wallper’s wording, not a macOS label). One page lags: its supported-versions FAQ, updated 2 April 2026, still says “up to macOS 26”. The vendor’s pages disagree, so read the version number inside the app.

## The 7-day trial ended: which apps keep a free tier?

Wallspace and Mac+ keep a free tier with no time limit stated. Wallper itself says “Try every Pro feature for 7 days”, then “the app locks until you purchase a lifetime license”: beyond that trial, no free tier. The others offer trials, not tiers.

- **Wallspace:** the Free plan reads “$0 · Forever”: curated wallpapers, multi-monitor support, background running, AI-powered search. Auto-change, premium collections, Lock Screen live wallpapers and custom wallpapers (your own video) are Pro-only. One contradiction: the pricing table puts “No download limits” in Free, while the FAQ says Pro unlocks “unlimited downloads, 4K quality, and lock screen support”.
- **Backdrop:** the trial has no time limit but allows “up to 3 watermarked backdrops”, imports from its Creator feature included. A capped trial, not a free tier.
- **Wallux:** its pricing page says “7-day desktop trial”, while its home-page FAQ says “Wallux has a free plan”. Both are the vendor’s words; I cannot reconcile them.
- **MacWall:** “Free for 24 hours, then $12.99 once.” A trial again.
- **Mac+:** a free tier of six animated scenes (full contents below); no clock stated, no account asked. Your own video needs Pro.

## If $14.99 is the problem, what do the other one-time prices look like?

Wallux Lifetime is $9.99, Wallspace Pro $12.99 for one Mac, MacWall $12.99 for three, Mac+ €9.99 and Backdrop €29.99 lifetime. Currencies and licence scopes differ, so this is not a ranking.

*One-time prices on vendor pages, checked 7 October 2026 (currencies not converted)*

| App | One-time price | Macs covered | Also sold as |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wallper | $14.99 | 3 Macs | Pro+ $24.99, up to 5 Macs |
| Wallux | $9.99 Lifetime | Up to 3 Macs | Pro $2.99 a month |
| Wallspace Pro | $12.99 | 1 Mac | 2 Macs $19.49, 3 Macs $27.28, 5 Macs $38.97 |
| MacWall | $12.99 after 24 free hours | Up to 3 Macs | Pro+ $19.99 |
| Backdrop | €29.99 lifetime | Not checked | €1.99 a month or €14.99 a year |
| Mac+ | €9.99 | Not stated on the site | €1.99 a month, 7-day trial |

Two cautions. Wallper’s euro figure is a conversion: its pricing page calls euro amounts “approximate” and says payment is “processed in USD by Stripe at the live exchange rate”. Refund windows differ too: 14 days at Wallper, MacWall and (before licence activation) Backdrop, five at Wallspace. Our [price guide](https://macplus.pro/mac-live-wallpaper-apps-price-no-subscription.html) covers subscriptions and multi-year cost.

## Which apps still run below macOS 14.6, or on an Intel Mac?

Among the apps compared here, only Mac+ states macOS 13; the rest state 14.6, 15 or 26. Intel is stated for Wallper, MacWall, Aerial and Mac+, Phosphene ships as a universal binary, and the Backdrop, Wallspace and Wallux pages I read are silent.

*Minimum macOS, Intel and macOS 27 statements on vendor pages, checked 7 October 2026*

| App | Minimum macOS stated | Intel stated | macOS 27 stated |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mac+ | 13 | Yes | No version-specific statement |
| Wallper | 14.6 | Yes | Lock Screen needs 1.9 or later |
| Backdrop | 15 | Not stated | “Fully supports macOS 27 Golden Gate” |
| Wallspace | 15.0 | Not stated | Not stated |
| MacWall | 15 | Yes | Not stated |
| Wallux | 15.0 | Not stated | “Including the latest macOS 27” |
| Aerial | “Built for macOS 15+”; latest release “macOS 26+” | Yes | Not checked |
| Phosphene | 26.0 | Universal binary | “Validated on macOS 26 and 27” |

The Intel column matters because of Apple’s own roadmap. [MacRumors](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/20/macos-golden-gate-marks-the-end-of-an-era/) wrote on 20 August 2026, during the beta, that macOS 27 will only run on Macs with an M1 chip or newer. In practice an Intel Mac stays on macOS 26 Tahoe. Our [guide to Intel Macs on Tahoe](https://macplus.pro/intel-mac-macos-tahoe-customization.html) covers what you can still customize there.

## Which apps state Lock Screen video, and from which macOS?

Wallper, Wallspace (Pro), MacWall, Wallux and Phosphene state macOS 26 for Lock Screen video; Backdrop’s maker says macOS 15, in a blog post rather than on its product or store pages. Apple documents only the aerial behaviour quoted above, so every requirement here is a vendor statement.

- **macOS 26 or later:** Wallper’s FAQ; Wallspace (Pro; “Lock screen live wallpapers require macOS 26 or later”); MacWall (“Lock Screen & Screen Saver video: macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later”); Wallux (“video lock screen wallpapers require macOS 26+”, while static ones work from macOS 15); Phosphene, which needs macOS 26 for the whole app.
- **macOS 15 or later:** Backdrop, per a [Cindori blog post](https://cindori.com/how-to/best-live-wallpaper-apps-mac) updated 30 September 2026 (“It works on macOS 15 Sequoia and later”). Its product page says yes to Lock Screen video without naming a version.
- **Not supported:** Mac+.

On macOS 27, Backdrop, Wallux and Phosphene name the release (see the table above), and Wallper does through version 1.9. The Wallspace and MacWall pages I read carry no macOS 27 statement, which is not the same as failing there. [Our Lock Screen guide](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-mac-lock-screen.html) explains what macOS itself allows.

## Free and open source: what do Phosphene and Aerial actually give you?

They give you a way to play your own videos, with no catalogue and no price; the current releases of both state macOS 26.

[Phosphene](https://github.com/kageroumado/phosphene), by kageroumado, is “free and open source (MIT)” per its README. It needs macOS 26.0 or later, ships as a universal binary, installs with `brew install --cask phosphene` and, says the README, adds your videos (MP4, MOV, anything AVFoundation reads) to the Wallpaper settings of macOS itself, for the desktop and the Lock Screen. GitHub showed release v1.8 (30 September) and 871 stars on 7 October 2026. Mind the README’s caveat: the app leans on a private Apple framework, so a major macOS release might break it.

[Aerial](https://aerialscreensaver.github.io/) is MIT-licensed and calls itself “Free, open source, no telemetry”, the vendor’s own statement. Version 4.1.7 (5 October 2026) plays Apple’s aerial videos and, per its site, any .mov or .mp4 dropped into one folder. Since 4.1 it can register as a native wallpaper, a section tagged Beta. Its page says both “Built for macOS 15+” and, for the latest release, “macOS 26+”: check which applies to your download.

## When is Wallper still the right call?

Wallper fits when your Mac runs macOS 14.6 or later, you want one licence for three Macs plus a ready-made library, and paying is fine. Its pages state Apple Silicon and Intel support, $14.99 once for 3 Macs, your own MP4 files from the start of the trial and a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Library size is the soft number: 2,640 wallpapers (post of 30 July), 3,000+ (roundup of 2 August), “2900+” (pricing page, 7 October). Read it as about three thousand, by the vendor’s own count. On privacy, Wallper’s policy lists “limited telemetry” (feature usage, errors, performance) and a hardware identifier to bind licence keys, and Wallspace’s describes anonymous analytics through TelemetryDeck; I did not read the Backdrop, MacWall or Wallux policies. Wallper says it stays outside the Mac App Store because it uses system-level features the store does not support.

## Where does Mac+ fit, and where does it not?

Mac+ is not a like-for-like Wallper replacement. It has no Lock Screen support, no screen-saver mode and no wallpaper catalogue: 15 generated, abstract scenes drawn live with Metal, against about three thousand videos on Wallper’s pages. Importing your own video is a Pro feature, and it is not on Homebrew.

It fits a narrower case: macOS 13 or later on Apple Silicon and Intel, so Macs below Wallper’s 14.6 floor; generated scenes rather than footage; 12 widgets and 52 folder-icon patterns in the same app (the widgets sit on the desktop layer, behind windows, as Apple’s do). Everything renders locally; there are no ads and no telemetry. Playback pauses while the screen sleeps and while any app, full-screen ones included, sits over the desktop.

Without paying you get two widgets, six folder icons, an image background, eight palettes and exactly six animated scenes, on one display or several. Pro is a €9.99 one-time purchase, or €1.99 a month starting with a 7-day trial; I checked these prices on 7 October 2026, and the site does not say how many Macs a licence covers. More apps are in [our comparison of live wallpaper apps for Mac](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-mac-alternatives.html). If none of the reasons in the first table is yours, Wallper may well still be the right app.

macOS 13 or later. Apple Silicon and Intel. Free download; Mac+ Pro €9.99 once or €1.99/month.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is there a free alternative to Wallper for Mac?

Yes, in three forms. Wallspace has a Free plan marked “Forever”, though your own video and the Lock Screen need Pro. Phosphene and Aerial are free, MIT-licensed players for your own videos and state macOS 26 for current releases. Apple’s aerials come with macOS and, per Apple, animate as you lock or unlock. Mac+ also has a free tier of six scenes.

### Does Wallper have a free version, or does it lock after the trial?

Beyond the trial, no free tier. Wallper’s pricing page gives every Pro feature for 7 days, then says the app locks until you buy a lifetime licence ($14.99 for 3 Macs, checked 7 October 2026). Separately, its FAQ says gallery wallpapers are free to download for personal use; the paid part is the app.

### Does Wallper work on macOS Ventura or Sonoma?

Not on Ventura (macOS 13), and not on Sonoma before 14.6: Wallper states 14.6 as its minimum. Mac+ states macOS 13; the other apps compared here state macOS 15 or 26 (vendor pages, checked 7 October 2026).

### Why did my Wallper Lock Screen wallpaper stop working on macOS 27?

Wallper’s release post of 27 July 2026 says macOS 27 changed how moving Lock Screen wallpapers are installed and that Wallper 1.9 or later restores them. Its FAQ says to turn on its Lock Screen setting and set a wallpaper again. Backdrop, Wallux and Phosphene state macOS 27 support on their own pages.

### Is there an open-source alternative to Wallper for Mac?

Two turned up: Phosphene (MIT, macOS 26.0 or later) and Aerial (MIT, macOS 26 or later for the current download). Neither is a catalogue; both play videos you supply. Phosphene’s README warns that its private Apple framework could change at any major macOS release.

### Can Mac+ replace Wallper?

Only if you want generated scenes rather than a video library. Mac+ lacks Lock Screen support and a catalogue, and importing your own video needs Pro. It does run on macOS 13 or later, Intel included, which Wallper (14.6 minimum) does not.

## Keep reading

[Compare more live wallpaper apps for Mac →](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-mac-alternatives.html)

[What live wallpaper apps for Mac really cost →](https://macplus.pro/mac-live-wallpaper-apps-price-no-subscription.html)

[Can a live wallpaper animate on the Mac Lock Screen? →](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-mac-lock-screen.html)

[Intel Mac on macOS Tahoe: what you can still customize →](https://macplus.pro/intel-mac-macos-tahoe-customization.html)

## Sources

- [Apple Support — Customize the wallpaper on your Mac (aerials, Dynamic Wallpapers, own pictures)](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/choose-your-desktop-picture-mchlp3013/mac)
- [Wallper — pricing, trial, licences and macOS floor (checked 7 October 2026)](https://www.wallper.app/pricing)
- [Wallper — 1.9.0 release post on macOS 27 and the Lock Screen (27 July 2026)](https://www.wallper.app/blog/2026/07/wallper_1.9.0_major)
- [Wallspace — Free and Pro plans, one-time prices (checked 7 October 2026)](https://wallspace.app/pricing)
- [Backdrop — euro prices, lifetime licence and refund terms (checked 7 October 2026)](https://cindori.com/store/backdrop)
- [MacWall — download page, macOS requirements and Lock Screen (checked 7 October 2026)](https://macwall.app/download)
- [Wallux — plans, trial limits and one-time price (checked 7 October 2026)](https://wallux.app/pricing)
- [Phosphene — README, licence and requirements on GitHub (checked 7 October 2026)](https://github.com/kageroumado/phosphene)

[← All guides](https://macplus.pro/blog.html)

## Keep reading

[Wallper or Backdrop for Mac? How to pick the one to buy →](https://macplus.pro/wallper-vs-backdrop-mac.html)

[Leaving Backdrop on Mac: what you keep, what you give up, and what to pick →](https://macplus.pro/backdrop-alternatives-mac.html)

[Which live wallpaper apps still run on macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia? →](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-older-macos.html)

[Phosphene for Mac: the free open-source video wallpaper app, and where it stops →](https://macplus.pro/phosphene-macos-video-wallpaper.html)