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Barrier VS Easy2Boot

Compare Barrier VS Easy2Boot and see what are their differences

Barrier

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

Rating
0 reviews
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Alternatives Is it good?
Easy2Boot

Flexible and configurable USB drive multiboot solution which also supports UEFI booting including Secure Boot. Includes agFM and Ventoy menu systems.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Free
Promote on VibeVoted
Alternatives Is it good?
DisplaySwitcher
Switch your monitor’s video input and seamlessly transfer text and files! A Linux/macOS/Windows Desktop Application. sponsored
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Barrier seems to be a lot more popular than Easy2Boot. While we know about 349 links to Barrier, we've tracked only 4 mentions of Easy2Boot.

social mentions
349 vs 4
Remote PC Access popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
71 vs 70

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Barrier
Easy2Boot
Website github.com easy2boot.xyz
Pricing —
Free
Platforms —
Windows Linux VirtualBox
Company — Startup from the United Kingdom · 1 - 9 employees · 2018
Listed in
Remote Desktop Remote PC Access Mouse Tools Multi Monitor +1
Bootable USB Utilities Boot Disk Utilities Backup & Sync +1

About Barrier and Easy2Boot

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Barrier
Easy2Boot

No description of Barrier yet.

Just add (or delete) .ISO, .VHD, .IMG, etc, and MBR or UEFI-boot. Secure UEFI boot also supported (does not use MOK Manager). Linux+persistence supported. Unattended install of Windows 7/8/10 + driver install + applications supported (SDI_CHOCO). True Secure Boot using Partition image files which...

Read more about Easy2Boot

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Barrier 5 features
Easy2Boot 3 features
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Barrier works on various operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD, making it versatile for users with multiple devices.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, users can review and modify the code, contributing to transparency and security while fostering a community-driven project.
  • Cost-Free
    Barrier is free to use, unlike some alternatives that require purchasing a license, making it accessible to a wider audience.
  • Unified Control
    Allows seamless control of multiple computers using a single keyboard and mouse, enhancing productivity and convenience.
  • Customizability
    Offers various customization options such as hotkeys, screen edges, and clipboard sharing, adapting to user-specific workflows.

Possible disadvantages

  • Setup Complexity
    Initial setup can be complex for non-technical users, involving network configurations and firewall adjustments.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Occasional compatibility problems with certain versions of operating systems or hardware, potentially requiring troubleshooting.
  • Lag and Latency
    Users may experience slight lag or latency, especially over wireless networks, which can affect the fluidity of control.
  • Limited Technical Support
    As a community-driven project, it lacks the dedicated support of commercial alternatives, relying mostly on community forums for help.
  • Security Concerns
    Network-based connectivity might expose systems to security risks if not properly configured, necessitating careful network management.
  • Secure Boot
    Supports UEFI Secure Boot (no MOK Manager needed)
  • Easy to Set-up and use
    Add or delete ISOs, IMG, VHD, IMA
  • Automate Windows installs, inc. drivers and apps
    Install XP from ISO

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Barrier
Easy2Boot

Overall verdict

  • Barrier is generally considered a good option for individuals looking for an open-source solution to seamlessly share peripherals across multiple computers. It has a positive reception within the tech community, especially among those who value open-source projects for their flexibility and community-driven support.

Why this product is good

  • Barrier is an open-source software application that allows users to share a single keyboard and mouse setup across multiple computers, which can be particularly useful for those who use multiple machines for work or development. It is a fork of the earlier project Synergy and focuses on providing a simpler, streamlined setup process with improved stability. The software is lightweight, easy to configure, and supports cross-platform functionality (Windows, macOS, and Linux), making it versatile for different operating systems.

Recommended for

  • Users with multiple computers who want to use a single keyboard and mouse setup.
  • Cross-platform users who work with Windows, macOS, and Linux machines.
  • Developers and IT professionals seeking open-source tools for better control over their working environment.
  • Individuals who prefer community-driven projects and are comfortable with a more hands-on approach to software setup and troubleshooting.

Overall verdict

  • Easy2Boot is generally considered good for tech-savvy users looking to manage multiple bootable ISOs on a USB drive. Its flexibility and extensive support for different systems make it a reliable choice, although newcomers might find its setup process slightly complex.

Why this product is good

  • Easy2Boot is popular among users who need a versatile and customizable tool for creating multiboot USB drives. It supports a wide range of operating systems and tools, allowing users to boot various environments from a single drive. Its ability to boot into UEFI and Legacy BIOS further enhances its utility.

Recommended for

  • System administrators who need to deploy or test multiple operating systems.
  • IT professionals maintaining a toolbox of diagnostic and repair utilities.
  • Advanced users who frequently install or experiment with different OS setups.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Barrier 3 videos + Add
Easy2Boot 4 videos + Add

Reviews In a Flash: Barrier

More videos

  • - 🌊KraveBeauty Great Barrier Relief • Everything you need to know!
  • - Kravebeauty's Great Barrier Relief Serum: REVIEW

Add Payload files

More videos

  • - Setting up an Easy2Boot v2 Legacy+Secure-boot UEFI multiboot drive
  • - Install Windows XP from a USB Flash Drive with Easy2Boot
  • - Make a UEFI\MBR Multiboot USB drive for Hirens, Windows Install & linux ISOs, etc. using Easy2Boot

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Barrier
Easy2Boot
100% 100%
Remote PC Access
0% 0%
0% 0%
Bootable USB
100% 100%
100% 100%
Mouse Tools
0% 0%
0% 0%
Utilities
100% 100%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Barrier and Easy2Boot.

What makes your product unique?

Easy2Boot's answer:

  1. Boots Linux ISOs by physically mapping ISO file to a partition. This is a more generic way of booting.
  2. Can Secure UEFI Boot 2024 computers by switching in a FAT32 image partition file of your Windows or Linux, etc. ISO. You then reboot from that partition. This means it supports Secure Boot without using shims, MOK Manager, certificates, etc.
  3. Contains three menu systems, grub4dos (legacy), agFM (based on grub2 grubfm - legacy and UEFI), Ventoy for Easy2Boot (branch of Ventoy).
  4. The USB drive can be converted to an official Ventoy drive (latest release of Ventoy can be used).
  5. Install XP with mass storage drivers automatically added from an XP ISO.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Easy2Boot's answer:

It has a steep learning curve, so really for use by techies who need one USB drive which supports a range of payloads. Many types of payloads are supported - Win98, XP, floppy disk images, DOS images, partition images (useful for Secure Boot). Online chat help (free). Series of PDF eBooks available.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

Easy2Boot's answer:

grub4dos, grub2, grubfm and Ventoy (all open source on github). Some VB6 apps to help in the preparation of the USB drive, etc, are written by the developer (not available on github). Once the USB drive is prepared, all software is open source or contains text readable source batch code.

Who are some of the biggest customers of your product?

Easy2Boot's answer:

Repair shops, schools, Universities, amateur computer enthusiasts, companies.

What's the story behind your product?

Easy2Boot's answer:

E2B started off as a grub4dos legacy-only boot menu system.

Support for XP ISO install with automatic mass storage driver was added (later also included in WinSetupFromUSB with permission)

Later a modified version of a1ive's grub2-based grubfm was added to support UEFI booting

Later Ventoy for Easy2Boot was added (branch of Ventoy for use on an E2B drive)

Later, support for converting the USB drive into an official Ventoy-only USB drive - this allows the latest version of Ventoy to be used, if required, instead of the slightly older 'Ventoy for Easy2Boot' compiled version.

Easy2Boot is regaining popularity as it supports true Secure Boot of multiple payloads from one USB drive.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Easy2Boot's answer:

Keen amateurs to professional techs. Over 2 million downloads.

User comments

Share your experience with using Barrier and Easy2Boot. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Barrier no reviews yet
Easy2Boot no reviews yet

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Barrier 349 mentions
Easy2Boot 4 mentions
  • Starlink from 1984
    You kind of can do this already with a raspberry pi strapped to the back of a monitor and "barrier", the successor to synergy, to use the keyboard and pointing device of your laptop on as many displays on the same desk as you want. Each... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • So I made a WebRTC powered VNC client in Vue/Rust 🦀
    I used to and still do use and recommend Barrier for sharing a mouse and clipboard and keypresses across OS's. It works for Mac, Windows, and Linux. They have a fork input-leap... It doesn't work, and there is a paid on from the same... - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Hrvach/Deskhop: Fast Desktop Switching Device
    Barrier is a Cross-Plattform, open source Synergy fork that works quite well without any additional HW too [0] [0] https://github.com/debauchee/barrier. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago

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  • easy2boot freezes
    Recommended XP ISOs are listed on the 'Tested Payloads' page of easy2boot.xyz site. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Anyone of you dealt with corrupted NVME?
    Last time I built a multi tool using YUMI but it was for legacy BIOS, not UEFI (clearly been a few years). https://easy2boot.xyz/ seems to be what I'm seeing reccomended for creating UEFI multiboot USBs these days, but I don't have... Source: over 3 years ago
  • Including AHCI Drivers on ISO?
    If you want to use your own iso and ntlite doesn't work for you, try easy2boot (https://easy2boot.xyz/). It basically patches the iso on-the-fly with its own AHCI drivers (for x86 only) and ramdisk driver (which stores the iso file in... Source: about 4 years ago

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Alternatives to Barrier and Easy2Boot

When comparing Barrier and Easy2Boot, you can also consider the following products.

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