Completed comparison. Save this file or print it to PDF. Every fact cell includes its official source and verification date.
| Option | Operating systems | Software on each computer? | Installation / control permissions | Same network? | Documented limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synergy 3 | Windows, macOS and Linux; supported versions and architectures vary. Windows on Arm is not supported by Synergy 3. Synergy requirements — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Yes, install Synergy on each computer. Synergy setup — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Administrator permissions for installation and firewall exceptions; macOS also requires input-control permission. Synergy setup; Synergy macOS permissions — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Yes: Ethernet or Wi-Fi, with the computers able to reach each other. Synergy setup — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | No video sharing: each computer needs a display. Linux Wayland support is experimental. Synergy requirements — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) |
| Barrier | Windows 7–11 (64-bit), macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD; the current macOS GUI requires 10.12 or later, not a guarantee for every newer release. Barrier README — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Yes, install and run it on every participating computer. Barrier README — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Unconfirmed as a universal yes/no: the reviewed project docs do not specify installation privileges for every OS/package. A note about non-elevated troubleshooting commands is not an installation guarantee. Barrier troubleshooting — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Network connectivity to the server IP is required; the docs do not establish a same-subnet-only rule. Barrier README — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | No 32-bit Windows support; no Linux file drag-and-drop; limited UTF-8 support. Not compatible with Synergy. Barrier README — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) |
| PowerToys Mouse Without Borders | Windows 11 or Windows 10 version 2004+; x64 or ARM64. No macOS. PowerToys installation — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Yes, PowerToys on the participating Windows PCs. Microsoft setup and limits — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | PowerToys offers per-user and machine-wide installers. Lock-screen/elevated-app control specifically needs administrator-enabled Use Service. PowerToys installation; Microsoft setup and limits — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Microsoft's connection checklist calls for the same network. Same subnet only is a separate setting; firewall access must be allowed. Microsoft setup and limits — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Up to four computers. Clipboard transfer: one file, up to 100 MB; folders/multiple files must be zipped first. Microsoft setup and limits — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) |
| ShareMouse | Windows and macOS. ShareMouse installation — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Software must run on every computer. Windows offers installation or a portable edition; macOS uses an installed app. ShareMouse installation — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Windows per-user/portable use can avoid admin rights; all-users installation requires admin. macOS requires Accessibility and Full Disk Access. ShareMouse installation — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Yes, local Wi-Fi/Ethernet; it does not operate over the internet. ShareMouse installation — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Portable Windows mode has no Windows service features. Free edition excludes professional/commercial or organizational use and setups with more than two displays. ShareMouse installation; ShareMouse Free policy — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) |
| Logitech Flow (Options+) | Windows and macOS. Logitech Flow setup — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Yes, Logi Options+ on both computers. Logitech Flow setup — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Windows installation needs administrator rights. macOS requires the relevant Options+ privacy permissions. Options+ installation; Options+ macOS permissions — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Yes, the same Wi-Fi or Ethernet network. Logitech Flow setup — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Requires a Flow-supported mouse; keyboard-following requires a supported keyboard. This is not generic sharing for any keyboard/mouse pair. Logitech Flow setup — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) |
| USB switch — IOGEAR GUS402 | Official specs list Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11 and macOS 10+. Requirements also list Linux/Unix with a possible additional-driver caveat. IOGEAR GUS402 specifications — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | No sharing app for the documented plug-and-play switching workflow; attached peripherals may have their own driver needs. IOGEAR GUS402 specifications — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | No sharing-app installation to authorize. This does not establish approval under an employer's USB-device policy. IOGEAR GUS402 specifications — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | No: host switching uses physical USB connections and a selector button (inferred from the documented connection path). IOGEAR GUS402 specifications — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Two hosts, four built-in USB 2.0 device ports; host cables are USB-A. No video connector or video-switching path. IOGEAR GUS402 specifications — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) |
| HDMI KVM — IOGEAR GCS62HU | Windows, Mac, Linux and Unix are listed; the vendor notes that additional drivers/support may be needed for some systems. IOGEAR GCS62HU specifications — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | No software required for the documented switching function. IOGEAR GCS62HU specifications — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | No switching-software installation to authorize; external-device approval remains a separate employer-policy question. IOGEAR GCS62HU specifications — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | No: local HDMI/USB switching; the vendor explicitly describes switching between internet and intranet computers. IOGEAR GCS62HU specifications — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) | Two computers, one HDMI display, up to 1920 × 1200 at 60 Hz. Each host needs HDMI and two USB ports; stated console requirements use wired USB keyboard/mouse. IOGEAR GCS62HU specifications — checked 2026-10-07 (America/Denver) |
Installation permission and permission to run software are different: a portable app is still software. Hardware rows describe the named models, not all USB switches or KVMs. Unconfirmed means the reviewed official documentation did not settle that field; it does not mean no permission is needed.