BetterDisplay is one of the best-known Mac utilities for people who use external monitors, Studio Display setups, TVs, headless Macs, custom HiDPI resolutions, or display workflows that macOS does not handle well out of the box. It goes far beyond a simple brightness slider: custom resolutions, DDC control, XDR and HDR brightness features, virtual screens, Picture in Picture, soft disconnect, EDID overrides, layout protection, Shortcuts, and command-line integrations all live in one app.

But BetterDisplay is not the only sensible choice. Lunar focuses heavily on monitor brightness, DDC, adaptive sync, schedules, sensors, XDR brightness, and automation. DisplayBuddy is a more approachable monitor controller with presets, input switching, schedules, smart monitor support, and a cleaner buy-once setup. MonitorControl is the free, open-source option for users who mainly want brightness, volume, contrast, native OSD, keyboard shortcuts, and basic display syncing.

This comparison looks at external monitor control, brightness behavior, HiDPI and resolution features, automation, advanced display tuning, pricing, and which Mac users should choose each app.

Quick Verdict

Choose BetterDisplay if you want the most powerful display utility here, especially for HiDPI scaling, custom resolutions, virtual screens, XDR/HDR brightness, display disconnect/reconnect, EDID work, Picture in Picture, display layout protection, and advanced automation.

Choose Lunar if monitor brightness is the main problem and you want strong DDC control, adaptive sync, schedules, sensor-based behavior, XDR brightness, BlackOut, FaceLight, Shortcuts, and command-line control.

Choose DisplayBuddy if you want a polished, simpler paid app for brightness, contrast, volume, presets, input switching, schedules, smart monitor control, and Setapp availability without learning a more technical utility.

Choose MonitorControl if you want a free, open-source display controller for brightness, volume, contrast, native macOS OSD, keyboard shortcuts, DDC, Apple display support, and basic syncing.

Feature Comparison

BetterDisplay

BetterDisplay is the power-user option. If you have ever fought macOS scaling, wished a 4K monitor behaved more like a Retina display, needed a custom HiDPI resolution, wanted better HDR or XDR brightness behavior, or had a display arrangement break after reconnecting a dock, BetterDisplay is the app in this group most likely to expose the control you need.

Its feature list is wide: custom resolutions, flexible HiDPI scaling, refresh rate selection, color mode selection, EDID retrieval and override, virtual screens, Picture in Picture, teleprompter mode, display streaming, layout protection, display groups, display disconnect and reconnect, DDC brightness and volume, input switching, TV and AVR network control, Shortcuts, URL schemes, HTTP, notifications, and command-line integration.

That depth is the reason to choose it, but it is also the reason some users should start elsewhere. BetterDisplay can be simple if you only use a few menu bar controls, but the app is built for people who want to tune display behavior carefully. If you only need brightness keys for a Dell or LG monitor, Lunar, DisplayBuddy, or MonitorControl may feel lighter.

BetterDisplay has free features and a paid Pro license. The official site listed a 14-day trial, then a $21.99 or €19.99 Pro license, with tax potentially applying. The license is perpetual for the current major app version and includes at least one year of free updates, including any major version upgrade during that period.

Choose BetterDisplay when macOS display settings feel too limited and you want the deepest toolkit in this comparison.

Lunar

Lunar is more focused than BetterDisplay. Its core promise is that your external monitors should respond to Mac brightness keys and automation as naturally as an Apple display. It uses DDC for real hardware brightness and control where the monitor supports it, Apple native control for Apple displays, and fallback methods when DDC is not available.

The free version already covers a lot: DDC controls, sub-zero dimming, fallback behavior, brightness keys, volume keys, command-line integration, input switching, and multi-monitor support. Lunar Pro adds the more distinctive automation features, including Sync Mode, App Presets, XDR Brightness, FaceLight, BlackOut, Location Mode, Sensor Mode, Clock Mode, and unlimited manual and Shortcuts actions.

Lunar is especially compelling if brightness changes throughout the day are the problem. Sync Mode can mirror MacBook adaptive brightness to external monitors. Clock and Location modes can follow time or sun position. Sensor Mode can adapt monitors based on an external ambient light sensor. BlackOut can disable screens you are not using, and FaceLight can temporarily turn a monitor into a video-call light source.

It is less compelling if your main need is custom HiDPI scaling, EDID overrides, virtual screens, or advanced display layout tools. Lunar can automate monitors beautifully, but BetterDisplay is the broader display-engineering toolbox.

Lunar lists a free version, a 14-day trial, and Lunar Pro at $23 for a lifetime license. The current app is compatible with macOS 11 or newer, with a separate older Lunar 3 download available for older macOS versions.

Choose Lunar when brightness, automation, schedules, and external monitor behavior matter more than deep resolution tweaking.

DisplayBuddy

DisplayBuddy is the most approachable paid app in this comparison. It is built around the everyday frustrations of external monitors: brightness buttons hidden behind the display, mismatched monitor brightness, different inputs, repeated setup changes, and the need for a simple menu bar controller.

Its official site highlights hardware brightness, contrast, volume, input source switching, sync, presets, schedules, resolution, rotation, display arrangements, smart monitor control over Wi-Fi for LG webOS and Samsung Tizen displays, Shortcuts and Siri support, a CLI, and gamma fallback when a monitor does not cooperate with DDC. That gives it more range than a basic brightness utility without turning it into a technical display lab.

DisplayBuddy is also a good fit if you want presets. You can save work, gaming, movie, night, or meeting setups and switch them quickly. Schedules can tie preset changes to sunrise, sunset, time of day, charger state, or connected displays. For many users, that is more practical than manually adjusting three monitors every morning and evening.

The tradeoff is depth. DisplayBuddy does not try to match BetterDisplay's HiDPI, EDID, virtual-screen, Picture in Picture, or advanced color-mode controls. It also overlaps heavily with Lunar for brightness and automation, so the decision often comes down to interface preference, pricing, Setapp availability, and whether Lunar's sensor, XDR, BlackOut, and deeper automation features matter to you.

DisplayBuddy's official site listed a $24.99 one-time purchase, free lifetime updates, and a 7-day refund window during this check. It is also available through Setapp, which makes sense only if you already use, or plan to use, several Setapp apps. Setapp's pricing page listed the Mac plan at $14.99 per month with a seven-day trial, plus annual options shown separately.

Choose DisplayBuddy when you want a polished paid app for external monitor controls without diving into the deepest BetterDisplay-style features.

MonitorControl

MonitorControl is the best starting point if you want to spend nothing and mainly need external monitor brightness or volume to feel native on macOS. It is open source, free, and intentionally focused.

The app supports brightness, volume, and contrast control; native macOS OSD for brightness and volume; DDC for compatible external displays; native Apple protocol for Apple and built-in displays; gamma table control for software dimming; shade control for AirPlay, Sidecar, DisplayLink, and other virtual screens; smooth transitions; brightness syncing; dimming to black; Apple keyboard media keys; and custom shortcuts.

That is enough for many desks. If all you want is to press the Mac brightness keys and adjust a common external monitor, MonitorControl can solve the problem with minimal cost and complexity. It is also a good way to test whether your monitor responds well to DDC before paying for a more advanced app.

The limitations are expected. MonitorControl is not a commercial app with a broad support team, premium workflow design, or the deep feature set of BetterDisplay, Lunar, or DisplayBuddy. It is weaker for presets, schedules, smart monitor control, custom resolutions, EDID work, virtual screens, and advanced automation.

The project lists Catalina 10.15 or newer for MonitorControl v4, with full functionality on Big Sur or newer. It also notes that Sequoia and Tahoe 26 compatibility requires v4.3.3 or newer.

Choose MonitorControl if free, open-source brightness and volume control are enough.

Which Mac Display Utility Should You Use?

Use BetterDisplay if you are solving display problems that macOS hides from normal users: HiDPI scaling, custom resolutions, EDID, display layouts, HDR or XDR behavior, virtual screens, Picture in Picture, display disconnects, and advanced display integrations.

Use Lunar if your daily pain is brightness, especially across several monitors or changing light conditions. It is strongest when DDC, adaptive sync, schedules, location-based brightness, sensors, Shortcuts, and command-line control matter.

Use DisplayBuddy if you want a friendly paid display controller for brightness, contrast, volume, inputs, presets, schedules, smart displays, and easy setup. It is the least intimidating commercial option here.

Use MonitorControl if your needs are simple, your monitor supports the right controls, and you would rather start with a free open-source app before paying for more advanced display tooling.

These apps can also overlap. A user might keep MonitorControl on a simple office Mac, use DisplayBuddy on a home desk with presets, and choose BetterDisplay for a complex development or studio setup. Lunar sits in the middle for users who care deeply about brightness automation but do not need every advanced display feature BetterDisplay exposes.

Final Verdict

BetterDisplay is the best advanced display utility for Mac. It is the strongest choice when the problem involves scaling, HiDPI, custom modes, HDR, EDID, display layouts, virtual screens, or deep automation.

Lunar is the best brightness automation app. It is focused, technically capable, and especially useful for external monitors that need to follow your keyboard, ambient light, schedule, or MacBook display.

DisplayBuddy is the best polished mainstream paid option. It gives most external-monitor users the controls they actually touch every day, with presets, schedules, input switching, and Setapp availability.

MonitorControl is the best free starting point. It will not replace the advanced paid tools for every setup, but it is hard to beat when basic brightness, volume, OSD, keyboard shortcuts, and DDC control are enough.

My practical recommendation: start with MonitorControl if you only need brightness and volume, move to DisplayBuddy if you want a cleaner paid preset workflow, choose Lunar if brightness automation is the whole point, and pick BetterDisplay if you need the deepest control over how your Mac sees and drives its displays.

Note: Features and prices are current as of June 2026. Display compatibility, DDC behavior, macOS support, Setapp availability, taxes, license terms, trial rules, refund windows, and advanced display features can change. Verify current details on each developer's official product, pricing, GitHub, Setapp, or documentation page before purchasing.

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