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XScreenSaver vs Afterglow
Side-by-side comparison for macOS
XScreenSaver
8.0Screen savers
Afterglow
8.0Classic After Dark screen savers emulator
| Metric | XScreenSaver | Afterglow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Utilities | Utilities |
| AI Score | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| 30-day Installs | 35 | 41 |
| 90-day Installs | 84 | 218 |
| 365-day Installs | 398 | 218 |
| Version | 6.17 | 1.1 |
| Auto-updates | No | Yes |
| Deprecated | No | No |
| GitHub Stars | 273 | 470 |
| GitHub Forks | 79 | 24 |
| Open Issues | 22 | 16 |
| License | — | EPL-2.0 |
| Language | C | Clojure |
| Last GitHub Commit | 9mo ago | 10mo ago |
| First Seen | Jun 18, 2014 | Aug 29, 2026 |
Reviews
XScreenSaver
XScreenSaver offers a wide variety of customizable screen savers with a retro and creative flair, making it a favorite for users who enjoy unique visual effects. It has been a staple in the open-source community for years.
XScreenSaver provides a collection of screen savers for macOS, offering various visual effects and animations.
Pros
- + Extensive library of screen savers
- + Customizable settings for each saver
- + Open-source and community-driven
Cons
- - No auto-update feature
- - Some input-related bugs reported
Afterglow
Afterglow lets users experience the classic After Dark screen savers on modern macOS, offering a nostalgic and visually appealing experience for design enthusiasts and retro tech fans.
Emulates and runs classic After Dark screen savers on macOS.
Pros
- + Revives nostalgic screen savers from the 90s
- + Actively maintained with auto-update feature
- + Clean and minimal design aesthetic
Cons
- - Niche appeal may limit its user base
- - Still a new project with a small install base