Best Monitor Control Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Lunar is ranked #1 of 25 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of ASUS DisplayWidget Center and ddcutil. The best-ranked option with a free plan is ASUS DisplayWidget Center.
Brightness, inputs and repeatable settings are among the differences to weigh when choosing monitor control software. The entries are compared on DDC/CI control, auto brightness and input switching, as well as monitor profiles and settings scheduling. CLI or API access may matter if you want to control settings programmatically; supported platforms, free plans and paid-from prices round out the criteria. Lunar and Twinkle Tray appear first, with ASUS DisplayWidget Center and DisplayBuddy also among the opening entries. Compare the listed platform support and controls against your monitor setup, then consider whether scheduling or scripting belongs in your workflow.
25 monitor control software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
25ranked
6free plans on this page
4 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Monitor Control Software 25 channels on this page · 129 of 200 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromSupported platformsDDC/CI controlInput switchingMonitor profilesSettings schedulingCLI or API access Spec sheet Score
01 Lunar Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsmacOSDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingYesCLI or API accessYes 7/8spec lines stated 7.2
02 ASUS DisplayWidget Center Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindows, macOSDDC/CI controlnot statedInput switchingYesMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingYesCLI or API accessYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.9
03 ddcutil Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsLinuxDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.9
04 DeepPurge Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindowsDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingYesCLI or API accessYes 7/8spec lines stated 6.9
05 DisplayBuddy Free planNoPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsmacOS, WindowsDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingYesCLI or API accessYes 7/8spec lines stated 6.9
06 Twinkle Tray Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindowsDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingYesCLI or API accessYes 7/8spec lines stated 6.9
07 BetterDisplay Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsmacOSDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesNoSettings schedulingNoCLI or API accessYes 7/8spec lines stated 6.8
08 DDC-CI Control Bridge Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindows, Linux, macOSDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesnot statedSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 5/8spec lines stated 6.8
09 ClickMonitorDDC Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindowsDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingYesCLI or API accessYes 7/8spec lines stated 6.7
10 MonitorControl Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsmacOSDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingnot statedMonitor profilesnot statedSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 6.6
11 WhatInStartup Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindowsDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.4
12 ControlMyMonitor Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindowsDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 6/8spec lines stated 5.9
13 ExtLume Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindowsDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingNoMonitor profilesNoSettings schedulingNoCLI or API accessNo 6/8spec lines stated 5.9
14 Monitor Brightness Control Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsLinuxDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingNoMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingNoCLI or API accessYes 7/8spec lines stated 5.9
15 Monitor Switch Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsweb, Linux, API, self-hosted Raspberry PiDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 5/8spec lines stated 5.9
16 LG OnScreen Control Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindows, macOSDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingnot statedMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 5.8
17 AOC G-Menu Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindowsDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingnot statedMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 5.7
18 ddcci Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsLinuxDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesnot statedSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 4/8spec lines stated 5.7
19 DDCcontrol Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsLinuxDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingnot statedMonitor profilesYesSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 5/8spec lines stated 5.7
20 ddcctl Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsmacosDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesnot statedSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 5/8spec lines stated 5.7
21 Dell Command | Update Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDDC/CI controlnot statedInput switchingnot statedMonitor profilesnot statedSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.7
22 m1ddc Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsmacOS (Apple Silicon)DDC/CI controlYesInput switchingYesMonitor profilesnot statedSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 5/8spec lines stated 5.7
23 Monitorian Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindowsDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingnot statedMonitor profilesnot statedSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 4/8spec lines stated 5.7
24 winddcutil Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformswindowsDDC/CI controlYesInput switchingnot statedMonitor profilesnot statedSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessYes 4/8spec lines stated 5.7
25 PowerToys Command Palette Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDDC/CI controlnot statedInput switchingnot statedMonitor profilesnot statedSettings schedulingnot statedCLI or API accessnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.2
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | DDC/CI control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lunar | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | macOS | Yes |
| 2 | ASUS DisplayWidget Center | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Windows, macOS | — |
| 3 | ddcutil | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Linux | Yes |
| 4 | DeepPurge | 6.9 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows | Yes |
| 5 | DisplayBuddy | 6.9 | No | — | No | — | macOS, Windows | Yes |
| 6 | Twinkle Tray | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Windows | Yes |
| 7 | BetterDisplay | 6.8 | No | — | Yes | — | macOS | Yes |
| 8 | DDC-CI Control Bridge | 6.8 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows, Linux, macOS | Yes |
| 9 | ClickMonitorDDC | 6.7 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Windows | Yes |
| 10 | MonitorControl | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | macOS | Yes |
| 11 | WhatInStartup | 6.4 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows | Yes |
| 12 | ControlMyMonitor | 5.9 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows | Yes |
| 13 | ExtLume | 5.9 | No | — | — | — | Windows | Yes |
| 14 | Monitor Brightness Control | 5.9 | No | — | Yes | — | Linux | Yes |
| 15 | Monitor Switch | 5.9 | No | — | — | — | web, Linux, API, self-hosted Raspberry Pi | Yes |
| 16 | LG OnScreen Control | 5.8 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows, macOS | Yes |
| 17 | AOC G-Menu | 5.7 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows | Yes |
| 18 | ddcci | 5.7 | No | — | — | — | Linux | Yes |
| 19 | DDCcontrol | 5.7 | No | — | Yes | — | Linux | Yes |
| 20 | ddcctl | 5.7 | No | — | Yes | — | macos | Yes |
| 21 | Dell Command | Update | 5.7 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 22 | m1ddc | 5.7 | No | — | Yes | — | macOS (Apple Silicon) | Yes |
| 23 | Monitorian | 5.7 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows | Yes |
| 24 | winddcutil | 5.7 | No | — | Yes | — | windows | Yes |
| 25 | PowerToys Command Palette | 5.2 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which monitor control software is ranked first on Specifiction?
Lunar is ranked #1 of 25 with a score of 7.2. ASUS DisplayWidget Center is second and ddcutil third.
How many of these have a free plan?
6 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing. Paid placements never change a rank.
More in Cloud, Backup & PC
All cloud, backup & PC listsBackup software 151Web browsers 148Remote desktop software 133Data recovery software 130Keyboard and Mouse Customization Software 107File transfer services 105Disk Space Analyzers 104PC Optimization Software 103File Manager Software 99Media Player Software 76Photo Storage Services 71PC Benchmark Software 65