Dimmerly
Dimmerly, MonitorControl, Lunar, or BetterDisplay?
All four apps control an external monitor’s brightness from the Mac menu bar over DDC/CI, and all four fall back to software dimming when DDC/CI isn’t available. They differ in price, in whether you can read the source, and in what they add on top.
Side by side
“Pro” means the feature needs the paid license. Prices and features change, so check the linked sources before you buy.
| Feature | Dimmerly 1.4.2 | MonitorControl 4.4.0 | Lunar 6.11.3 | BetterDisplay 5.2.1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free | Free; Pro $23 once, up to 5 Macs | Free; Pro $21.99 once, 2 Macs |
| Source code | MIT, complete | MIT, complete | MIT repository; Pro code is encrypted | Closed source |
| Minimum macOS | 15 Sequoia | 10.15; 11 for every feature | 12 Monterey | 26.3 Tahoe; 4.3.7 runs on 13.2 |
| DDC/CI brightness, contrast, volume | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Input switching | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Warmth (color temperature) | Yes, manual and automatic | No | No | Pro |
| Saved presets | Yes, up to 10, each with a shortcut | No | Per-app brightness (Pro) | Built with the Shortcuts app |
| Schedules | Fixed time, sunrise, sunset | No | Time, sunrise, noon, sunset (Pro) | Built with Shortcuts automations |
| Shortcuts app actions | Yes | No | Yes; free tier 100 action calls a day | Yes |
| Command-line tool | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Apple brightness and volume keys | No; custom global shortcuts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Follow the built-in display’s auto-brightness | No | Yes | Pro | Yes; advanced sync is Pro |
| XDR and HDR brightness boost | No | No | Pro | Pro |
| Resolutions and virtual screens | No | No | Hidden resolutions | Yes; HiDPI scaling is Pro |
| Network connections | Optional update check (direct download, from 1.5.0) | Update checks | Crash reports, license checks, update checks, anonymous monitor data | Crash reports, license checks, update checks; each can be turned off |
Sources: the MonitorControl README and source code; Lunar’s feature table, changelog, and privacy policy; BetterDisplay’s free and Pro feature list, README, and terms. Something out of date? Open an issue and it will be corrected.
Which one fits your desk
Dimmerly
Dimmerly is built around saved display setups. Each monitor gets its own brightness, warmth, and contrast, and a preset or a sunrise and sunset schedule changes all of them at once. It’s free and MIT-licensed, and the app has no license check or crash reporter. From 1.5.0 the direct download can check GitHub for updates; it asks first and sends no system profile. It doesn’t take over the Apple brightness keys or follow the built-in display’s auto-brightness, and it doesn’t manage resolutions or HDR.
MonitorControl
MonitorControl is also free and MIT-licensed. Pick it if you mainly want the keyboard’s brightness and volume keys to work on an external monitor, or want the monitor to follow your MacBook’s automatic brightness. It doesn’t adjust warmth or save presets and schedules. It also runs on older versions of macOS, back to 10.15.
Lunar
Lunar’s free tier covers DDC/CI controls, input switching, the brightness keys, and a command-line tool, with a limit of 100 manual adjustments a day. Lunar Pro adds automatic modes that follow the built-in display, the time of day, or an external light sensor, plus XDR brightness. Pick it if automatic brightness matters more to you than warmth or saved setups.
BetterDisplay
BetterDisplay has the widest feature set of the four. Beyond brightness it manages resolutions, HiDPI scaling, virtual screens, EDID overrides, and HDR. Its free tier already includes DDC/CI, input switching, and brightness keys. Pro adds warmth and the advanced features. Version 5 needs macOS 26.3 or later. Its terms ask businesses to buy Pro even when they only use free features.
Can I run two of them?
Not on the same monitor. Two apps sending DDC/CI commands to one display interleave each other’s replies, and a working monitor can look broken. If you want to try Dimmerly, quit the other app first. If hardware control doesn’t appear, the DDC/CI troubleshooting guide covers the usual causes.