External display apps for MacHead to head
BetterDisplay vs Lunar
BetterDisplay ranks #1 and Lunar ranks #3 in our guide to the best external display apps for Mac. BetterDisplay is our pick for most people.
BetterDisplayPick BetterDisplay if text looks soft on the non-Apple monitor you plug your MacBook into every day.Free to start#3 in the guide
LunarPick Lunar if you want your external monitor's brightness to follow your MacBook's screen automatically.Free to startWhat decides it
- On price: BetterDisplay is free. Pro is $21.99 once, with at least 1 year of updates. Lunar is free with daily limits. Pro is $23 once for up to 5 Macs.
- Both run on Mac.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | BetterDisplay | Lunar |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Pro is $21.99 once, with at least 1 year of updates | Free with daily limits. Pro is $23 once for up to 5 Macs |
| How you pay | Free, with paid upgrades | Free, with paid upgrades |
| Free trial | Free to start | Free to start |
| Runs on | Mac | Mac |
| Where to buy | Developer | Developer |
| Features | Menu bar app, Shortcuts, Free trial | Menu bar app, Shortcuts, Free trial |
| Last updated | 30 Oct 2026 | 26 Oct 2026 |
Who should get which
Get BetterDisplay if
You plug a MacBook into a non-Apple monitor every day and the text looks soft.
Get Lunar if
You work on a MacBook plus an external monitor and want both screens to dim and brighten together.
Skip BetterDisplay if
You work on the built-in screen or an Apple display, which macOS already renders sharply.
Skip Lunar if
You only need the brightness keys to work on a monitor; MonitorControl does that free with no daily limit.
Our verdicts
BetterDisplay
MonitorControl gives an external monitor working brightness keys for free, and BetterDisplay's free version does the same plus volume, dimming to black and virtual screens. The $21.99 Pro license adds HiDPI scaling, the fix for fuzzy text on non-Apple monitors, and can push an XDR MacBook Pro screen to 1600 nits. If brightness is all you want, MonitorControl or Lunar is simpler.
Lunar
Press your Mac's brightness keys and an external monitor actually responds, because Lunar talks to the monitor's own controls instead of laying a dark filter over the screen. The free version handles brightness and volume but caps you at 100 adjustments a day. Pro, $23 once for up to 5 Macs, syncs the monitor with your MacBook screen; if you only want key control, the free MonitorControl does it with no daily cap.
What each one helps you do
BetterDisplay
- Run sharp HiDPI resolutions on any monitor
- Change monitor brightness with your Mac's keys
- Brighten an XDR screen past its usual limit
- Create a virtual screen at any resolution
Lunar
- Change monitor brightness with your Mac's keys
- Match your monitor's brightness to your MacBook
- Dim a screen below its lowest setting
- Switch monitor inputs from your Mac
Where to get them
Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best external display apps for Mac.
Read the full guideAll BetterDisplay alternativesAll Lunar alternatives