DDCcontrol vs Monitor Brightness Control
DDCcontrol
ddccontrol.github.ioMonitor Brightness Control
github.comSide by side
| Figure | DDCcontrol | Monitor Brightness Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Monitor Control Software | 7.5 (#11) | 7.5 (#14) |
| Installation | The maker lists distribution packages for Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and openSUSE, as well as source releases and source builds. | The README documents installation through a shell script, pip, or source checkout. |
| Interfaces | It provides a GTK interface and a command-line tool for terminals, scripts and automation. | It provides a command-line interface, a graphical interface, and a background service. |
| License | The project is licensed under GNU General Public License version 2.0. | The project is licensed under the MIT License. |
| Purpose | DDCcontrol controls monitor brightness, contrast, color levels and other settings. | Controls brightness and contrast of external monitors through DDC/CI on Linux. |
| Support | The project links users to its GitHub Issues page. | The README invites bug reports, feature requests, and contributions through GitHub. |
Plans
In their own words
DDCcontrol
DDCcontrol is free Linux software for changing monitor brightness, contrast, color levels and other settings through DDC/CI. It offers a GTK interface for graphical control and a command-line tool for terminals, scripts and automation. Communication uses Linux’s i2c-dev interface and /dev/i2c-* devices, which must be readable and writable before monitors can be configured. USB-connected DDC/CI displays are not supported yet. A monitor database is required for monitor-specific controls and proper operation. The ddccontrol-scanmonitor utility reads a connected display’s EDID, capabilities and supported controls, and can generate a monitor database XML file; scanning does not alter control values. The maker’s database index lists 474 monitor profiles in release 20260928. Packages are listed for Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and openSUSE, alongside source releases and source builds. The project uses the GNU General Public License version 2.0 and directs support questions to GitHub Issues.
Monitor Brightness Control
Monitor Brightness Control is a free Linux tool for adjusting brightness and contrast on external monitors through DDC/CI. It provides a command-line interface, a graphical interface with real-time sliders and a background service. Day, Night and Gaming profiles are included; custom profiles and applying a profile at startup are also supported. Customizable global shortcuts can switch profiles or adjust brightness. The tool detects compatible monitors and supports individual control or batch operations across connected displays. It requires a DDC/CI-compatible monitor and I2C communication, with ddcutil listed as a system dependency. DisplayPort and modern HDMI are fully supported, DVI-D is limited, and VGA is unsupported. The README documents installation via shell script, pip or source checkout, as well as granting I2C group access and loading the i2c-dev module. It can run as a user systemd service and is licensed under MIT. The README lists tested distributions including Ubuntu 20.04+, Linux Mint 20+, Debian 11+, Fedora 35+, Arch Linux/Manjaro and openSUSE. GitHub is the channel for bug reports, feature requests and contributions.