Comparison
LiquidPad vs Ferdium
Ferdium is a community-driven, open-source messaging aggregator (a fork of Ferdi, which forked Franz) built on Electron under Apache 2.0. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, letting you pile Slack, WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Teams and hundreds of other services into a single window organized by Workspaces, with built-in Todos, service hibernation, and a self-hostable sync server. It is genuinely free. LiquidPad takes a different shape: a native macOS-only menu-bar app built on AppKit and WKWebView (not Electron) that slides a Liquid-Glass panel in from the screen edge on a global shortcut, pairing the multi-account web-app idea with native productivity tools and Apple-platform polish.
Feature comparison
Why people pick LiquidPad over Ferdium
- Native macOS app on AppKit + WKWebView instead of Electron, lighter and more system-integrated.
- Slides a Liquid-Glass panel in from the screen edge on a global shortcut for instant access.
- Native macOS Liquid Glass design rather than a generic web-tech UI.
- Built-in native tools: terminal, SSH manager, focus/pomodoro, tasks, habits, and a system monitor.
- Boards / multi-view, a ⌘K command palette, Workspace scenes, and Universal Picture-in-Picture.
- Vault PIN lock, AI omnibar, notification badges, and per-app fully isolated sessions.
- Cloud sync across Macs on Pro, with a curated 10,000+ app catalog.
Where Ferdium shines
Credit where it's due, Ferdium is a strong product. It's the better choice when:
- Completely free and open-source (Apache 2.0), no subscription ever.
- Truly cross-platform: Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Self-hostable sync server for full control over your data.
- 100+ community-maintained service recipes, plus any custom website.
- Privacy-respecting: works without an account, data stays local unless you enable sync.
- Workspaces, built-in Todos, and service hibernation.
Pricing
Ferdium is 100% free and open-source, and you can self-host its sync server at no cost. LiquidPad is freemium: free (3 apps, 1 board), Pro at $4.99/mo or $47.88/yr, or a $59 one-time lifetime license, with a 14-day trial. If price and open-source freedom are your priorities, Ferdium wins on cost.
The verdict
Choose Ferdium if you want a free, open-source, cross-platform aggregator that runs everywhere, can be self-hosted, and keeps your data under your control. Choose LiquidPad if you're on macOS and want a native, non-Electron app with a Liquid-Glass panel that slides in on a shortcut, plus built-in native tools and tight Apple-platform polish. Ferdium optimizes for openness and reach; LiquidPad for native macOS speed, design, and an all-in-one workspace.
Try LiquidPad free, no account needed.
Three apps and one workspace on the house. Go unlimited with a 14-day trial whenever you're ready.
Download for MacmacOS 14 Sonoma or later · Apple Silicon & Intel