Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

AppWrite VS Synergy

Compare AppWrite VS Synergy and see what are their differences

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AppWrite logo AppWrite

Appwrite provides web and mobile developers with a set of easy-to-use and integrate REST APIs to manage their core backend needs.

Synergy logo Synergy

Cross-platform software for sharing your mouse and keyboard between multiple computers
  • AppWrite Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-28
  • Synergy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-05

Synergy is a software application developed by Symless. It is used for sharing a keyboard and mouse between multiple computers, and is useful in situations where several PCs are used together, with a monitor connected to each, but are to be controlled by one user. The user needs only one keyboard and mouse on the desk โ€” similar to a KVM switch without the video.

Partly open source and partly closed source, the open source components are released under the terms of the GNU General Public License, which is free software. The first version of Synergy was created on May 13, 2001, by Chris Schoeneman and worked with the X Window System only. Synergy now supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and other Unix-like operating systems.

Once the program is installed, users can move the mouse "off" the side of their desktop on one computer, and the mouse pointer will appear on the desktop of another computer. Key presses will be delivered to whichever computer the mouse-pointer is located in. This makes it possible to control several machines as easily as if they were a single multi-monitor computer. The clipboard and even screensavers can be synchronized.

The program is implemented as a server which defines which screen-edges lead to which machines, and one or more clients, which connect to the server to offer the use of their desktops. The keyboard and mouse are connected to the server machine.

AppWrite features and specs

  • Open Source
    AppWrite is an open-source platform, allowing developers to inspect, modify, and contribute to the code base, ensuring transparency and flexibility.
  • Self-Hosted
    Being self-hosted, AppWrite gives developers complete control over their data and server environment, enhancing security and customization options.
  • Comprehensive Backend
    AppWrite offers a wide range of backend services out-of-the-box, including authentication, database management, storage, and serverless functions, reducing the need for additional third-party services.
  • Multi-Language Support
    AppWrite supports various programming languages, which makes it versatile and developer-friendly, allowing the integration with different tech stacks.
  • Community and Documentation
    AppWrite has an active community and well-documented guides, tutorials, and API references, which are essential for learning and troubleshooting.

Possible disadvantages of AppWrite

  • Resource Intensive
    Being a self-hosted solution, AppWrite may require significant server resources for optimal performance, which can be costly.
  • Initial Setup Complexity
    The initial setup and configuration can be complex and time-consuming, particularly for those less experienced with server management.
  • Limited Third-Party Integrations
    As compared to some other backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platforms, AppWrite has fewer pre-built third-party integrations, which might limit its extensibility.
  • Newer and Evolving
    AppWrite is relatively new and still evolving, which can mean fewer features compared to more mature platforms and the potential for more bugs.
  • Maintenance Responsibility
    Since it is self-hosted, the responsibility for server maintenance, updates, and security falls solely on the user, which can be a drawback for smaller teams or solo developers.

Synergy features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Synergy supports multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing you to share a single mouse and keyboard across different machines seamlessly.
  • Efficiency
    It enhances productivity by providing smoother workflow transitions between multiple computers without the need for additional hardware.
  • Customization
    Synergy offers a range of customizable options for configuring hotkeys, screen layouts, and behaviors to suit individual user preferences.
  • Encryption
    The software supports SSL encryption, ensuring that data transferred between machines remains secure.
  • Clipboard Sharing
    You can easily copy and paste text and files between different computers, streamlining multi-computer management tasks.

Possible disadvantages of Synergy

  • Cost
    Synergy is a paid application, which might not be ideal for users looking for a free solution.
  • Initial Setup Complexity
    The initial setup can be complicated, especially for non-technical users, involving configuration of network settings and screen layouts.
  • Occasional Lag
    Some users have reported experiencing occasional lag or connectivity issues, particularly over Wi-Fi connections.
  • Security Concerns
    Despite SSL encryption, there are potential security risks involved in transferring data over a network, especially in untrusted environments.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There might be occasional compatibility issues with certain applications or specific versions of an operating system.

Analysis of AppWrite

Overall verdict

  • AppWrite is a solid option for developers looking for an open-source backend solution with robust features. Its well-documented APIs and active community support make it a viable choice for both small projects and growing applications.

Why this product is good

  • AppWrite is considered a good choice, particularly for its comprehensive backend-as-a-service (BaaS) features that cater to web and mobile developers. It provides a suite of services such as user authentication, databases, file storage, and serverless functions, allowing developers to streamline their development process. Its open-source nature means developers have access to the full code base and the community-drive contributions, ensuring transparency and continuous improvements. AppWrite also emphasizes developer experience, offering easy integration with client-side SDKs and providing extensive documentation.

Recommended for

    AppWrite is recommended for developers building applications who require a scalable backend solution without the overhead of managing infrastructure. It is particularly suited for developers who prefer open-source platforms and those who want to avoid vendor lock-in. AppWrite's features make it a good fit for startups, hobby projects, and even educational purposes where full control over the backend is desirable.

Analysis of Synergy

Overall verdict

  • Synergy is generally considered a good tool for those who need seamless control over multiple computers, providing a practical solution to multi-device management. However, user experiences may vary based on the specific setup and technical expertise.

Why this product is good

  • Synergy by Symless allows users to control multiple devices with a single keyboard and mouse across different operating systems. It's known for improving productivity by eliminating the need for multiple input devices on crowded desks and easing workflow for those working with multiple computers simultaneously.

Recommended for

    Synergy is recommended for IT professionals, developers, graphic designers, and other users who regularly work with multiple computers and need an efficient way to manage them all at once.

AppWrite videos

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Synergy videos

Review - Synergy by Symless - Multi Machine Network Control Software

More videos:

  • Review - Symless Synergy Review - Mac (Keyboard & Mouse Sharing)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AppWrite and Synergy)
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Mouse Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Backend As A Service
100 100%
0% 0
Remote PC Access
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare AppWrite and Synergy

AppWrite Reviews

  1. Appwrite is awesome, free and open-source!

    I've use it instead of Firebase on a 15$ DigitalOcean droplet and saved around ~$150 a month. Managing my own infra does take some extra time, but definitely worth it. The APIs and SDK are also surprisingly much easier to consume than Firebase. Waiting for the cloud version.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Firebase
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Easy to use|Cost effective|Open-source|Great user experience|Super simple|Self hosted
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Self hosted

10 Top Firebase Alternatives to Ignite Your Development in 2024
Appwriteโ€™s self-hosted nature gives you complete control over your data and infrastructure, great for those who are security-conscious. It also offers a comprehensive set of features, including user authentication, database management, storage, cloud functions, and more. Itโ€™s like having your very own Firebase, but on your terms.
Source: genezio.com
Top 7 Firebase Alternatives for App Development in 2024
Appwrite is an open-source backend-as-a-service platform that provides a comprehensive set of tools and APIs to help developers build modern applications. It focuses on simplicity and developer experience.
Source: signoz.io
Best Serverless Backend Tools of 2023: Pros & Cons, Features & Code Examples
Appwrite is a self-hosted BaaS platform giving you all the tools you need to build all sorts of application.
Source: www.rowy.io
2023 Firebase Alternatives: Top 10 Open-Source & Free
Appwrite permits the development to benefit from its open-source version without paying anything. However, its official website also declares that it will share the pricing details for Appwrite Cloud soon.
12 Best Open-source Database Backend Server and Google Firebase Alternatives
Appwrite is a self-hosted backend server for building web, mobile and desktop apps. It supports multiple applications natively without hacks or workarounds.It features a dashboard for apps, database, user, functions and storage management, real-time analytics per project, live connections monitor, background tasks and webhooks.Appwrite also is suitable for creating Geo-data...
Source: medevel.com

Synergy Reviews

Top spacedesk Alternatives & Similar Software (2020)
Synergy is yet another software that lets you work on separate computers with the same input devices. It helps you save all the clutter caused by the cables of a traditional KVM. Whatโ€™s more, it works even when the computers are working on separate operating systems. This feature makes it stand out from Spacedesk. For Synergy to function, youโ€™ll need the systems to run on...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Synergy should be more popular than AppWrite. It has been mentiond 284 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

AppWrite mentions (178)

  • Creating a Chatbot that actually Stands Out! (vibe coded version)๐Ÿฆ–
    Initially, I was using the Supabase free tier, but I was hitting the limits, and my app was becoming stale. Then I switched to Appwrite. Both are totally different; one is SQL, while the latter one is NoSQL. Although use node-appwrite package to skip the manual schema add-ons. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • The future of coding: Cursor, AI, and the rise of backend automation with Appwrite
    Appwrite is an open-source platform that simplifies backend setup by providing authentication, databases, storage, functions, and hosting all in one place. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • How to Use Appwrite in Android Jetpack Compose
    I love Appwrite. My first hackathon was actually from Appwrite (using Appwrite) 2 years ago, and I've been using it ever since. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (July 2025)
    Appwrite | Remote | Platform Engineers, AI, Interns | https://www.appwrite.careers Appwrite (https://appwrite.io) is an open-source backend platform that helps developers build secure web and mobile apps faster. Weโ€™re hiring engineers across multiple teams to improve infrastructure, expand developer tooling, and scale our platform. Open roles: โ€“ Platform Engineer. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Build a React File Sharing App with Granular Access Controls (ReBAC)
    Appwrite is a backend-as-a-service platform that provides authentication, storage, and database. Appwrite is used for authentication and storage. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
View more

Synergy mentions (284)

  • Two computers, one monitor, zero fiddling โ€“ Alex Plescan
    I did something similar last year with a monitor without built-in KVM but with good DCC support (Ultrasharp U3417W) and Synergy [0]. I use Synergy as part of my desk setup already, but needed a way to view the UI of a normally headless machine. The solution I built was a small shell script that terminated the active Synergy session and started a new one with a different config file (so keyboard/mouse input would... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mice, and other devices
    Just use Synergy, the OG "soft KVM": https://symless.com/synergy. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Notepad++ is 21 years old
    I continue to use Notepad++ despite having tried every other editor and IDE under the sun. This, of course, drives every person completely insane when I explain that my "IDE" is: - Notepad++ for editing, pretty much stock, no plugins - command line for git and grep (Console2 or Git Bash) - File Explorer alongside Everything [0] for navigating files - Beyond Compare [1] for visual diff/merge - WinSCP/PuTTY for... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Hrvach/Deskhop: Fast Desktop Switching Device
    I use a software called Synergy. https://symless.com/synergy I have one keyboard and mouse connected to one "host" machine, and two machines connected as clients. Sometimes if the host machine bogs a bit (like running a build or something) then the clients will have some latency but I've used this setup for gaming and work for two years and it's been pretty good. My only complaint (about my personal setup, not the... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Hrvach/Deskhop: Fast Desktop Switching Device
    Iโ€™ve been using a software solution for this for over a decade. Itโ€™s called Synergy (https://symless.com/synergy) and it is fast - switches instantly over wifi and also works across Windows/Mac/Linux. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing AppWrite and Synergy, you can also consider the following products

Supabase - An open source Firebase alternative

Barrier - Barrier is a cross-platform software for sharing your mouse and keyboard between multiple computers...

Firebase - Firebase is a cloud service designed to power real-time, collaborative applications for mobile and web.

Input Director - Control multiple windows systems with one keyboard/mouse. Share a keyboard and mouse across multiple windows system.

Clerk - Clerk.io, the artificial intelligence for e-commerce that knows your customers interests.

DisplayFusion - DisplayFusion will make your multi-monitor life much easier.