Summary

Lunar is the superior monitor control solution for macOS, offering a native experience with features like native brightness control, sub-zero dimming, and integration with macOS Shortcuts. It excels with DDC support, allowing for precise control and monitoring of displays, including XDR brightness exceeding 500nits on newer MacBook Pros. Lunar boasts a user-friendly menubar interface and open-source code for its core features.

MonitorControl and DisplayBuddy offer basic input switching and brightness control, but lack Lunar’s advanced features and macOS-native design. They don’t provide sub-zero dimming, XDR support, or the sophisticated sensor integration that Lunar delivers.

Lunar offers tiered pricing: a free version with core features and a Lunar Pro subscription ($23 for 5 Macs) unlocking advanced capabilities like multi-monitor support, XDR brightness, FaceLight, and unlimited adjustments, along with command-line integration.

Title

Lunar - The defacto app for controlling monitor brightness

Description

Control monitor brightness, adapt using the ambient light sensor, adjust volume, switch inputs and turn off displays without fiddling with clunky buttons.

Keywords

brightness, monitor, monitors, feature, mode, free, display, control, light, sensor, contrast, support, displays, apple, keys, blackout, even

NS Lookup

A 104.21.21.30, A 172.67.196.7

Dates

Created 2026-03-09

Updated 2026-03-09

Summarized 2026-03-13