I'm as much a fan of Wallpaper Engine as the next guy, thanks to the amazing value it provides for a one-time purchase of $4. With limitless wallpapers, easy discovery, and tons of editing options, it's one of the best wallpaper apps for PC users. However, you might not want to shell out $4 for a wallpaper app, and that's completely understandable. In that case, Lively Wallpaper might be just the right thing for you. It's an open-source project that's getting better with support from the public, and it has some more advantages over Wallpaper Engine.

4 It's free and open-source

FOSS ftw

I get it, sometimes paying for stuff sucks. Even I took a long time to become comfortable with the $4 fee for Wallpaper Engine, before which I was using random images as wallpapers. If you want much of the same experience as that of Wallpaper Engine, but without the cost, Lively Wallpaper is the best option available. For a free and open-source project, it's pretty impressive.

It not only allows you to apply pre-installed animated and interactive wallpapers on Windows, but you can also set pretty much any GIF or video as your wallpaper. It supports WebGL, so you can even create dynamic webpages using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and slap them on your screen to truly make your desktop your own.

If you don't need the additional features of Wallpaper Engine, such as creating your own wallpapers and browsing wallpapers through Steam Workshop, Lively Wallpaper can be more than enough to beautify your desktop.

3 The UI is objectively cleaner

You've struggled with Wallpaper Engine too

I love Wallpaper Engine, but its UI can be kind of cluttered and uninspiring. Lively Wallpaper, on the other hand, is based on WinUI 3, so it feels like a native Windows application, which does wonders for usability. Wallpaper Engine's custom UI is certainly not bad, but it's far from the smooth experience seen on Lively Wallpaper.

Another aspect that makes Lively Wallpaper simpler to use is that there are no "Discover" or "Workshop" sections. While they're certainly missed, the app is less cluttered because of their absence. You only have the "Library" and "Gallery" sections to care about, and for any custom wallpapers, you can browse Reddit or sites like DeviantArt.

2 It's less resource-intensive

Generally speaking

When you use Wallpaper Engine for the first time, you'll be shocked to see how GPU-intensive it is. Just glance at Task Manager, and you'll see anywhere from 15% to 40% GPU usage attributed to Wallpaper Engine alone. Lively Wallpaper is not "lightweight" by any stretch, but it generally uses fewer GPU resources when showing complex 3D wallpapers. While gaming or launching any full-screen application, it boasts 0% GPU usage.

This is because Lively Wallpaper primarily works as a video player, which doesn't stress the GPU as much as the heavy rendering done by Wallpaper Engine. The difference between the two applications might not matter if you have a reasonably high-end system, but it is an important factor for more modest PCs. Lively Wallpaper can also consume as much GPU resources as Wallpaper Engine at times, but it's generally a lighter program.

1 It has a "lively" community

You won't get bored

The community aspect is huge in the case of either application. While Wallpaper Engine users enjoy a much greater collection of community-created wallpapers available within the program, Lively Wallpaper isn't lacking either. You can find excellent wallpapers on the Lively Wallpaper subreddit, GitHub, wallpaper sites like DeviantArt, and many other repositories with animated and dynamic wallpapers.

Thousands of followers appreciate the open-source nature of Lively Wallpaper, and are responsible for the impressive collection of wallpapers available for new users. I suggest trying Lively Wallpaper for a few days, browsing for wallpapers on different sites, and getting comfortable with the process of applying a new wallpaper before finalizing your opinion about it. Who knows, you might not feel the need to pay for Wallpaper Engine at all.

Lively Wallpaper is good, but Wallpaper Engine has its perks

It's always worth trying out open-source alternatives to popular Windows programs, and Lively Wallpaper is certainly one of the best. It achieves almost everything you need from a dynamic wallpaper app — a great collection of wallpapers, an easy-to-use interface, and relatively low system usage. Wallpaper Engine, however, remains the more feature-rich application, has an overall better way of finding new wallpapers, and doesn't cost too much for the privilege.