BetterDisplay vs Iris (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, BetterDisplay and Iris share a 2.6 GPA, and only BetterDisplay has a free plan.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
BetterDisplay grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Iris grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
BetterDisplay
Display scaling, brightness and DDC control for Mac
Iris
Screen color and brightness software for eye comfort
Which one is for you
Pick BetterDisplay if
- Fits if you want to change an external monitor's brightness, volume and input from your Mac
- Works for a headless Mac that needs a virtual screen for remote access
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Windows, as it's macOS only, and v5 needs macOS 26.3 or later
- Not for you if you're a business hoping to stay free, since businesses must buy Pro after the 14-day trial
- Tight if you're staying free and want HiDPI scaling, HDR upscaling or Picture in Picture, as all need the $21.99 Pro license
- Watch out: a license covers the current major version plus at least a year of updates; a later major version may cost again
- Watch out: 25 or more computers means contacting the developer, as volume prices aren't published
Pick Iris if
- Fits if you work at a screen late and just want it warmer after dark
- Makes sense if you'd rather pay once than monthly
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free filter with controls, because Iris mini has none and sits at two fixed settings
- Tight if you want updates on the cheap licence, since Iris Pro at $14.99 leaves out major feature updates
- Watch out: each licence covers one device at a time, though it can be moved
- Watch out: the trial download asks for an email address that the vendor uses for tips and news
How we grade them
| 2.6GPABetterDisplayGood | 2.6GPAIrisGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APro is $21.99 once, tax may apply, and covers up to two personal Macs. That single payment is under a year of what subscriptions in this category average, and there's nothing to renew. A later major version may need a new or upgrade license, mind. | B$1.99 a month sits inside the cheaper quarter of utilities, which starts at $2.42. The $14.99 one-time Pro licence is cheap too, but it leaves out major updates; the Lifelong one that includes them is $49.99. |
| Free plan and trial | BNon-business users keep a real set for good: DDC brightness, volume and input control, software dimming, the resolution slider and basic virtual screens, with no pop-ups or ads. Plenty could live on that. But HiDPI scaling, HDR boosting and Picture in Picture are Pro, and businesses must buy after 14 days. | CA 7-day trial, and the free Iris mini has no interface and two fixed settings. Downloading the trial asks for an email address. |
| Features | CDisplay control is one job and BetterDisplay covers it: brightness, volume, contrast and input over DDC, HiDPI scaling, XDR brightness to 1600 nits, virtual screens, Picture in Picture, plus a CLI and an HTTP interface. A narrow job covered in full, with half of it behind Pro. | BColour temperature and brightness, nine presets, automatic mode and custom presets. Nothing in the listing is missing from a blue-light filter's job. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating is on record, but there's nothing to configure: it's a menu bar app with sliders, and your keyboard's own brightness keys start working on an external monitor. Worth reading which features sit on the free side before you count on one. | BNo store rating on record. You install it, pick a preset or leave it on automatic, and there is nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, one operating system, and the current v5 release needs macOS 26.3 or later, with older releases kept for earlier systems. It does talk to other things: Apple Shortcuts, a URL scheme, an HTTP interface, and LG, Samsung and Philips TVs. | CWindows, Mac and Linux, but all desktops. No phone or web version and no integrations. |
| Best for | controlling external monitors from a Mac | a basic blue-light filter on Windows, Mac or Linux |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: BetterDisplay and Iris. How we grade
Where they differ
- BetterDisplay also covers menu bar app.
At a glance
| BetterDisplay | Iris | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $21.99 one-time purchase (Pro license, tax may apply) | $1.99 per month |
| Free plan | Non-business users keep the free features after the trial: DDC brightness, volume and input control, software dimming, the resolution slider and basic virtual screens. The terms say there are no purchase pop-ups or ads. | None |
| Free trial | 14-day trial with all Pro features unlocked | 7 days free; invited friends who install Iris earn extra free months of Iris Pro |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Kodeon Software | Iris Technologies EOOD |
| Price read from | betterdisplay.pro | iristech.co |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
BetterDisplay
- macOS only. The current v5 release requires macOS 26.3 or later; older releases for earlier macOS versions are still listed for download.
- Flexible HiDPI scaling, XDR and HDR upscaling, Picture in Picture and display disconnection all need the $21.99 Pro license.
- Businesses must buy a Pro license to use any feature, free or Pro, beyond the 14-day trial.
- A license covers the current major version plus at least one year of updates; a later major version may need a new or upgrade license.
Iris
- Iris Pro is a license for one version; major feature updates need the subscription or the Lifelong license.
- Each license covers one device at a time, though it can be moved to a new machine.
- Iris mini, the free version, has no interface and fixed settings.
- Downloading the trial asks for an e-mail address, which the vendor says it uses for tips and product news.
Key features
BetterDisplay
- DDC monitor control
- Changes brightness, volume, contrast, input and power on external monitors over DDC, using sliders, the native keys or custom shortcuts. These controls are in the free feature set.
- Flexible HiDPI scaling
- Converts built-in and natively connected external displays to flexibly scaled HiDPI screens. The resolution slider is free; flexible scaling needs Pro.
- XDR and HDR brightness upscaling
- Raises brightness beyond the standard range, up to 1600 nits on XDR displays, with display-dependent boosts on external HDR screens. A Pro feature.
- Virtual screens and Picture in Picture
- Creates virtual screens with chosen aspect ratios and resolutions, and shows any display in a Picture in Picture window. Basic virtual screens are free; Picture in Picture and streaming need Pro.
- Disconnect and configuration protection
- Disconnects and reconnects displays without unplugging them, and protects a display's resolution, refresh rate, rotation and color profile from changing. Both need Pro.
- CLI, Shortcuts and HTTP integration
- Offers a command-line interface, macOS Shortcuts actions, a custom URL scheme and an HTTP interface. Access is free, but operations that change Pro features still need Pro.
Iris
- Color temperature and brightness
- Lowers blue light and adjusts brightness; the vendor says brightness is changed without PWM, the flicker approach many monitors use.
- Presets and modes
- Nine presets, including Health, Sleep, Reading, Programming, Sunglasses, Dark and Movie, with Automatic, Manual and Paused modes.
- Custom presets
- Advanced settings let you build your own preset; the site mentions 20+ advanced features.
- Iris mini
- A free, stripped-down version with no interface; it switches between 5000K and 3400K and between 100% and 80% brightness in automatic mode.
- Invite-a-friend time
- Invited friends get 1 month of Iris Pro, and the person who invites gets 1 more month for each person who downloads it.
Plans
BetterDisplay
Free$0
For non-business users: DDC brightness, volume and input control, software dimming, resolution slider, refresh rate selector and basic virtual screens.
Pro License$21.99
one-time purchase per license (€19.99), tax may apply
All Pro features for the current major version on up to two personal Macs, with at least one year of updates including major upgrades.
Iris
Subscription$1.99
per month for 1 PC, billed monthly
Activates both Iris and Iris mini on one device at a time, with free program updates.
Iris Pro$14.99
one-time
Lifelong license for one version on one device at a time; free minor builds and bug fixes, but major feature updates are not included.
Lifelong$49.99
one-time
One-time purchase valid for all future versions, with free program updates, on one device at a time.
Ways to pay less
BetterDisplay
- Education
25% student discount via Student App Centre
The purchase guide says Student App Centre offers 25% off BetterDisplay through its membership, which has a seven-day free trial and then renews as a paid yearly subscription.
- Nonprofit
Free features open to nonprofits
The license terms do not treat nonprofits, charities, churches and similar entities as businesses, so they may use the free version without buying Pro.
- Other savings
Volume licensing for 25 or more computers
For deployments of 25 or more computers, the vendor asks businesses to contact the developer about volume licensing.
Iris
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, BetterDisplay or Iris?
As of Nov 13, 2026, BetterDisplay starts at $21.99 one-time purchase (Pro license, tax may apply), and Iris starts at $1.99 per month.
Which has a free plan, BetterDisplay or Iris?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only BetterDisplay has a free plan. Iris does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do BetterDisplay and Iris run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Iris lists Windows and Linux apps. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.