Comparison · 2 min read · facts checked
Both open a window from another Mac on this one as a window of its own, with its own Dock icon. Wormhole needs no account and is a one-time license; Beam needs a sign-in, is sold as a subscription or a lifetime license, and adds browser share links.
Wormhole and Beam solve the same problem: a window that lives on your Mac mini or Studio, shown on the Mac in front of you as if it were local. Every fact about Beam below comes from its own site, checked on 2 November 2026; prices and plans change, so follow the sources before you decide. Prices are not repeated here for the same reason: a copied price is the first fact to go stale.
How do they compare?
| Wormhole | Beam | |
|---|---|---|
| One window from another Mac | Yes | Yes |
| A whole display | Yes, "Whole screen" in the picker | Yes |
| Requirements | macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon or Intel, the app on both Macs | macOS Sonoma or later, Apple silicon or Intel, the app on both Macs |
| Account | None | Sign-in required |
| How the Macs connect | Directly on your network, or by IP address or hostname (over Tailscale, for example) | Directly on the same network; Tailscale suggested for Macs elsewhere |
| Pairing and encryption | A six-digit code confirmed on both Macs, once; every frame end-to-end encrypted | Described as encrypted; the protocol is not named |
| Dock icon and ⌘Tab per window | Yes | Yes |
| Password managers and hidden windows | Never offered | Kept out of the picker |
| Clipboard and dropping files | Text, images and files both ways; no folders, and a size limit (known issues) | Clipboard and dropping files on a window |
| Showing a window to someone without the app | No | Browser share links; sending them needs a paid plan |
| A Mac with no display attached | Built for it, not tested yet | Supported, per its site |
| How it is sold | Once, for up to 3 Macs you sit at; a Mac that only shares needs no key (pricing) | Free for 20 minutes a day; a monthly or yearly subscription, or a lifetime license (pricing) |
What is different in practice?
Accounts. Wormhole has none: two Macs find each other on your network, or you type the other one's address, and you pair them once. Beam's site says you sign in once and your account knows your Macs and your plan.
Paying. Wormhole is a license you pay for once, and the version you have keeps working for good (what it includes). Beam has a daily free allowance, a subscription, and a lifetime license; its pricing page lists direct connections under the lifetime plan.
Sharing with other people. Beam can send a link that opens one window in someone else's browser. Wormhole only shows windows between Macs you have paired yourself, with someone at each Mac to confirm the code.
Headless Macs. Beam says a Mac with no display can share its windows. Wormhole is built for exactly that Mac mini, but has not been tested on one yet, and the features list will say so when it has.
Where to read more
- How to set up Wormhole on two Macs.
- Everything that does not work yet, or works differently on purpose.
- Frequently asked questions.