BetterDisplay vs m1ddc

BetterDisplay is a macOS app for managing display brightness, resolution, color, and connections. It can provide flexible HiDPI scaling for internal and natively connected external displays, and create virtual screens with different aspect ratios and resolutions. XDR and HDR brightness upscaling is available, though support depends on the Mac and display. Picture in Picture windows can show physical displays or virtual screens, and the app can capture selected windows or groups. Compatible connections support DDC hardware control and HDMI-CEC; network control is listed for LG webOS, Samsung Tizen, Philips Android TV, and Yamaha AVR. Automation options include macOS Shortcuts, command-line access, custom URLs, HTTP, notifications, and scripts. The app is free for non-business users after the 14-day trial, but Pro features require a license. BetterDisplay Pro costs $21.99, paid once for a perpetual license for covered versions and includes at least one year of updates. Businesses need a Pro license after the trial even for free functionality. Compatibility varies with the Mac, macOS version, display, and connection.

m1ddc is a free command-line tool for controlling external displays from Apple Silicon Macs. Through DDC/CI, it can set or read luminance, contrast, RGB gain, volume, mute, and input source when a display supports those controls. Supported connections include USB-C, DisplayPort Alt Mode, and compatible built-in HDMI ports. Certain Dell displays also expose PIP, PBP, and KVM configuration. The command-line interface is intended for scripts, and the project links to a Hammerspoon example. A Raycast Display Input Switcher extension is also linked, although it does not cover every m1ddc feature. The tool is available for macOS on Apple Silicon and does not support Intel Macs. Building requires clang from Apple’s Command Line Tools; the README says those tools install automatically if absent. The repository includes an MIT License. Display behavior depends on the connected monitor’s supported controls.