f.lux vs Lunar (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, f.lux grades higher than Lunar: 3.0 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
f.lux grades higher on the free plan, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
f.lux
Warms your screen's color at night to match the time of day
Free plan · from $24 one-time
Lunar
Mac app that sets external monitor brightness over DDC
Free plan · from $23 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick f.lux if
- Fits if you're at a computer most evenings and want the screen warmer
- Works for a household on a mix of Mac, Windows and Linux machines
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want it on your phone, since iOS needs a jailbreak and Android needs root
- Not for you if you do color-critical work all evening, as the maker suggests turning it off for apps like Photoshop
- Pricey if your IT team rolls it out, because managed company use needs the $24 per device license, $12 after the first 10
- Watch out: the Corporate Edition is Windows only and English only, with no volume discounts below 500 seats
- Watch out: Philips Hue control is Windows only, and work use needs your employer's permission even on the free version
Pick Lunar if
- Fits if you use external monitors and want the Mac brightness keys to control them
- Works for desktop Macs that need brightness on a schedule or by sunrise
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay on free, since it stops at 100 adjustments and 100 action calls a day
- Skip it if your monitor or port blocks DDC, because you will rely on the fallback method
- Not for you if you use Windows, as it is Mac only
- Watch out: Sync, Sensor, Clock, Location, XDR and BlackOut are Pro, and the licence covers 5 personal computers
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAf.luxVery good | 2.2GPALunarFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree for personal use, and a plain download on all three systems. A company pays $24 per device once for the Windows Corporate Edition, dropping to $12 after the first 10, with a year of updates included. Either way it's under what paid utilities here ask. | A$23 once for Pro, under a year of what this category's middle subscription costs. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe personal version is free on macOS, Windows and Linux, and it's the standard app, not a cut-down one. One condition: on a work computer you need your employer's knowledge and permission. | CFree works for manual control but stops at 100 adjustments and 100 action calls a day. The Pro trial lasts 14 days. |
| Features | CWarming a screen is a small job, and f.lux covers it: 6500K by day, warmer after sunset, a Bedtime tied to your wake time, presets, custom colors, Darkroom, a 2.5 hour Movie mode and switching off for chosen apps. That's all it does, and Philips Hue control is Windows only. | CBrightness, volume and input control over DDC, Apple display support and keyboard keys. Sync, schedules and XDR need Pro, and some monitors block DDC. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating is on record, but there's nothing to set up: it works out the schedule from your location and wake time and runs from a menu by the clock. You can switch it off for an hour, or until sunrise, when colour matters. | CNo rating on record. Some monitors and ports need the fallback method, so expect trial and error. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac, Windows and Linux, which sounds broad but it's a computer program and nothing else. Phones barely count: iOS needs a jailbroken device and Android a rooted one. The one thing it connects to is Philips Hue, and only on Windows. | DMac only, and the version 7 beta needs macOS 14 and Apple Silicon. Shortcuts is the one listed integration. |
| Best for | a warmer screen in the evening, set and forgotten | external monitor brightness from a Mac's keyboard |
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: f.lux and Lunar. How we grade
Where they differ
- Lunar can be bought with a one-time purchase.
In commonFree planmacOSMenu bar appDisplay control
At a glance
| f.lux | Lunar | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $24 per device, one-time (Windows Corporate Edition) | $23 one-time |
| Free plan | The personal version is free on macOS and Linux, and free on Windows for personal use. Using it on a work computer needs your employer's knowledge and permission. | DDC brightness control, sub-zero dimming, brightness and volume keys, input switching and multi-monitor support, with 100 adjustments and 100 action calls per day. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day trial of Pro included |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | f.lux Software LLC | THE LOW-TECH GUYS SRL |
| Price read from | justgetflux.com | lunar.fyi |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
f.lux
- The Corporate Edition is for Windows only and in English only, at $24 per device for the first 10 devices and $12 for each one after.
- The vendor treats company-recommended or IT-managed use as commercial use that needs the paid corporate license.
- It is not designed for advanced color work; the vendor suggests disabling it while using apps such as Photoshop.
- Mobile support is limited: the iOS version needs a jailbroken device and the Android build needs a rooted phone.
Lunar
- Mac only; the version 7 beta needs macOS 14 and Apple Silicon, while the current release lists macOS 11 or newer.
- The free version stops at 100 adjustments and 100 action calls per day.
- Some monitors or ports block DDC commands, and the site lists a fallback method for those cases.
- The license covers 5 personal computers; more need a volume license, according to the EULA.
Key features
f.lux
- Automatic color temperature
- Shifts the display's color temperature with the time of day: 6500K in daytime by default and warmer after sunset, timed from your location.
- Bedtime tied to your wake time
- A Bedtime setting removes as much alerting light as possible before sleep and moves with the wake time you set. Options cover sleeping in on weekends and an earlier bedtime for teens.
- Presets and custom colors
- Presets include Recommended colors, Classic f.lux and Working late, and Custom colors lets you pick a color temperature for each part of the day.
- Darkroom and Movie mode
- Darkroom removes all blue and green light and inverts colors. Movie mode lasts 2.5 hours and keeps colors and shadow detail with a warmer tone.
- Disable when color matters
- Can be turned off for an hour, until sunrise, or whenever a chosen app is active, which the vendor suggests for color-critical work.
- Philips Hue control
- The Windows version can drive Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance lights so that room lighting follows the same schedule as the screen.
Lunar
- DDC control
- Sends brightness, volume and input commands straight to the monitor rather than dimming with an overlay.
- Apple display support
- Controls Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, LG UltraFine for Mac and Thunderbolt Display natively.
- Keyboard control
- Uses the Mac brightness and volume keys for external monitors, with hotkeys to switch inputs.
- Sync and sensor modes
- Pro copies the MacBook's adaptive brightness to monitors, or reads an external ambient light sensor for desktop Macs.
- Clock and location modes
- Pro changes brightness on a schedule or by the sun's position, with sunrise and sunset offsets.
- XDR brightness and BlackOut
- Pro can lift the macOS brightness cap on XDR panels and turn off selected displays with a hotkey.
Plans
f.lux
Personal$0
The standard app for macOS, Windows and Linux, free for personal use and supported by voluntary contributions.
Corporate Edition$24
per device, one-time; $12 per device after the first 10
Windows-only build for companies: automated installs, automatic updates and home automation disabled, and one year of updates included.
Lunar
Free$0
Manual control of external monitors, limited to 100 adjustments and 100 action calls per day.
Lunar Pro$23
one-time, lifetime license
Unlimited adjustments and actions, plus Sync, Sensor, Clock and Location modes, XDR brightness, FaceLight and BlackOut.
Ways to pay less
f.lux
- Other savings
Volume quotes from 500 seats
The corporate page says there are no discounts below 500 seats; for larger quantities the vendor quotes discounted rates and accepts purchase orders.
Lunar
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, f.lux or Lunar?
As of Nov 12, 2026, f.lux starts at $24 per device, one-time (Windows Corporate Edition), and Lunar starts at $23 one-time.
Which has a free plan, f.lux or Lunar?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both f.lux and Lunar have a free plan.
Which platforms do f.lux and Lunar run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only f.lux 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.