Paneo vs MagicMirror²
Keep the freedom. Skip the terminal.
MagicMirror² is open source and endlessly customizable. It also wants a Raspberry Pi, an install, and a config file you edit over SSH every time you move something. Paneo gives you the same kind of board on any screen with a browser, edited from your phone or laptop.
Side by side
Same goal, different weekend.
| Compare | Paneo | MagicMirror² |
|---|---|---|
| What a screen needs | Any browser: a tablet, a TV, an old iPad, or a Pi | A computer running it, usually a Raspberry Pi |
| Setup | Open a link, scan a QR code with your phone | Install Node.js and MagicMirror², then modules, from a terminal |
| Changing the layout | Drag tiles on a grid, from anywhere | Edit config.js on the device, then restart |
| Several screens | Unlimited, from one account. Change a board once, every screen showing it updates. | One install per screen, each with its own config |
| Look and feel | Every tile follows one design. Your own CSS on any plan. | Each module styled by its author. Your own CSS. |
| Notifications | Doorbell snapshots, reminders and rain alerts, pushed to every screen, on Pro | Per module |
| Updates | Automatic | You update it and its modules |
| Price | Free, Pro $5/mo coming soon | Free and open source, plus the hardware |
Already have a Pi on the wall?
Keep it. Point it at Paneo.
A Raspberry Pi running a browser in kiosk mode makes a great Paneo screen. Open trypaneo.com/screen, scan the code with your phone, and the Pi shows your board. No modules to install, nothing to update on the device.
Paneo is built to stay smooth on a Pi: small pages, no heavy effects, and a lite mode for slow devices.
Being fair
When MagicMirror² is the better pick.
If you want everything to run on your own hardware, with no account and no cloud, or you need one of its many community modules today, MagicMirror² is the right tool. It's a great project.
If you'd rather spend the weekend on something else, Paneo is for you.
Your screen. Your way.
No terminal required. Set up your first board in a couple of minutes.
Start free