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BetterDisplay

Mac menu bar app for display scaling, brightness, virtual screens and DDC monitor control.

Free plan + paidDisplay and brightness tools
Visit BetterDisplaySee 3 alternatives
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5 of 5
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About BetterDisplay

BetterDisplay is a macOS utility that takes over the parts of display management Apple leaves out. It can turn almost any external monitor into a scalable HiDPI display, control real hardware brightness and volume over DDC (including on Apple Silicon HDMI ports), push XDR and HDR panels past their default brightness, and create virtual screens for headless Macs, screen sharing or Sidecar tricks. It also does picture-in-picture windows of any display, EDID overrides, layout protection, color profile switching and a command-line interface for automation. Most of this lives in a single menu bar app built by an independent developer. The core features are free; a one-time Pro license unlocks the advanced ones and covers the current major version, with a 14-day trial first. Business use requires a license even for free features. It is Mac-only, and the sheer number of settings can be a lot for someone who just wants a brightness slider.

Best for: Mac users with external or unusual monitors who want scaling, DDC brightness and virtual screens in one app.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Covers HiDPI scaling, DDC, XDR brightness and virtual screens in one app
  • DDC works on Apple Silicon built-in HDMI ports
  • Pro is a one-time purchase, not a subscription
  • CLI, URL scheme and Shortcuts support for automation

Why people leave

  • macOS only
  • Very dense settings; overkill if you only need brightness keys
  • Business users must buy a license even for free features

Top BetterDisplay alternatives

See all 3
  1. 1Lunar logo
    Lunar

    Focused on DDC brightness syncing and adaptive modes, with a simpler free tier and a lifetime Pro license.

    66.5
  2. 2MonitorControl logo
    MonitorControl

    Free and open source; covers brightness and volume keys for external monitors without the extra features.

    62.6
  3. 3DisplayBuddy logo
    DisplayBuddy

    Simpler one-time-purchase app for brightness, volume and input switching, plus Wi-Fi control of LG and Samsung smart monitors.

    59.6

Why people left BetterDisplay

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BetterDisplay: common questions

Is BetterDisplay free?

BetterDisplay has a free plan and paid plans.

Is BetterDisplay open source?

No, BetterDisplay is not open source. Open-source alternatives include MonitorControl.

What platforms does BetterDisplay run on?

BetterDisplay is available for macOS.

What are the best alternatives to BetterDisplay?

The highest-ranked BetterDisplay alternatives right now are Lunar, MonitorControl and DisplayBuddy. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 3 BetterDisplay alternatives