EasySwitchEasySwitch vs Barrier / Input Leap
EasySwitch vs Barrier / Input Leap
The short version
Barrier is the free, open-source fork of Synergy; its maintained successor is Input Leap. It shares keyboard, mouse and text clipboard across Windows, macOS and Linux at no cost, but development has been intermittent and it has no file transfer and no phone bridge. EasySwitch adds image and file clipboard, drag-and-drop file transfer, encrypted-by-default sessions and a web bridge, with a polished installer and a free two-computer tier.
Side by side
| Capability | EasySwitch | Barrier / Input Leap |
|---|---|---|
| Windows, macOS & Linux | Yes all three | Yes all three |
| Use another computer as a second monitor | Yes Pro | No |
| Same-OS pairs (two PCs, two Macs) | Yes | Yes |
| Works with any keyboard & mouse | Yes | Yes |
| End-to-end encrypted — free tier too | Yes Noise, every tier | Partial optional TLS |
| Clipboard: text, images & files | Yes | Partial text only |
| File transfer & drag-and-drop | Yes up to 10 MB free, unlimited on Pro | No |
| Control from a phone or browser | Yes web bridge | No |
| Free tier | Yes 2 computers | Yes open source |
| One-time price (no subscription) | Yes | Yes free |
✓ yes · ~ partial or paid · — no. Barrier / Input Leap details as of 2026 — check Barrier / Input Leap's site for current terms.
Why people move to EasySwitch
- Move files, images and drag-and-drop between machines — Barrier does text clipboard only.
- Encrypted by default with the Noise protocol; Barrier's TLS is optional and fiddly.
- Signed, notarised installers and automatic updates instead of building from source.
- Control a machine from your phone or a browser over the web bridge.
When Barrier / Input Leap is the better pick
Barrier or Input Leap is the better choice if you want fully open-source software you can audit and build yourself, and you only need keyboard, mouse and text clipboard.
See for yourself
EasySwitch is free for two computers, forever — nothing to sign up for.