Alternatives to Lunar

{"intro": "Lunar gives macOS users centralized control of external monitor brightness, volume, and input through DDC, with hotkeys, profiles, adaptive modes, scheduling, and automation through Shortcuts or its command-line interface. Sensor and Location modes can adjust displays to ambient light or the sun’s position, while Pro adds XDR Brightness, sub-zero dimming, Auto BlackOut, BlackOut, and FaceLight. The free version permits 100 daily adjustments and 100 daily Shortcuts action calls; Pro costs $23 once, and a 14-day trial is available.\n\nAlternatives become relevant when you use Windows or Linux, need self-hosted or API control, or want software for peripherals and smart monitors. Lunar supports macOS only. Its Gamma fallback can dim a display when DDC is unavailable, but cannot control monitor volume or input. Compare connection requirements, supported devices, profiles, scheduling, automation interfaces, and deployment. A free utility may replace a paid license, while a cross-platform app or hardware-specific tool may suit a mixed setup better.", "rows": [{"ref": "sw:monitor-switch", "name": "Monitor Switch", "best_for": "Self-hosted monitor input and Home Assistant control", "pricing": "Free; open source", "key_difference": "Monitor Switch runs as a Raspberry Pi service with HTTP, web UI, and Home Assistant control, unlike Lunar’s macOS app.", "choose_when": "Choose it for LAN-based input switching, editable profiles, and broader monitor controls on Linux or a self-hosted setup."}, {"ref": "sw:aoc-g-menu", "name": "AOC G-Menu", "best_for": "AOC gaming peripherals and display profiles", "pricing": "Free plan", "key_difference": "AOC G-Menu manages supported AOC monitors plus keyboards, mice, mouse mats, and headsets, while Lunar focuses on monitors.", "choose_when": "Choose it when AOC gaming peripherals, macros, lighting, shared profiles, or executable-linked profiles matter more than macOS monitor automation."}, {"ref": "sw:asus-displaywidget-center", "name": "ASUS DisplayWidget Center", "best_for": "ASUS displays across macOS and Windows", "pricing": "Free plan", "key_difference": "DisplayWidget Center supports macOS and Windows, adds voice or text display control, and includes model-dependent OLED care.", "choose_when": "Choose it for ASUS-specific display settings, AI Assistant controls, Display CLI, or OLED Care on either supported desktop platform."}, {"ref": "sw:ddcutil", "name": "ddcutil", "best_for": "Linux monitor control through CLI or API", "pricing": "Free plan", "key_difference": "ddcutil is a Linux DDC/CI and USB monitor utility with Qt, C, and C++ interfaces rather than a macOS app.", "choose_when": "Choose it for scriptable Linux control, VCP inspection, or saving and restoring color-related monitor settings."}, {"ref": "sw:deeppurge", "name": "DeepPurge", "best_for": "Local Windows software cleanup and uninstall review", "pricing": "Free plan", "key_difference": "DeepPurge is an operating-system cleanup and uninstaller toolkit, not a monitor-control application like Lunar.", "choose_when": "Choose it when guarded uninstalling, leftover scanning, batch removal, or local recovery evidence is your priority."}, {"ref": "sw:displaybuddy", "name": "DisplayBuddy", "best_for": "Cross-platform monitor control with smart-display support", "pricing": "From $24.99; 7-day trial", "key_difference": "DisplayBuddy supports macOS and Windows, adds contrast, resolution, rotation, smart-monitor Wi-Fi control, and display-triggered automation.", "choose_when": "Choose it for Windows support, smart LG or Samsung monitors, richer display controls, or presets and automation beyond Lunar."}, {"ref": "sw:monitor-brightness-control", "name": "Monitor Brightness Control", "best_for": "Linux brightness profiles and hotkeys", "pricing": "Free plan", "key_difference": "Monitor Brightness Control is a Linux tool with GUI, CLI, service, per-monitor profiles, and batch operations, while Lunar targets macOS.", "choose_when": "Choose it for Linux startup profiles, customizable global shortcuts, or per-monitor and batch brightness control through DDC/CI."}]}