f.lux vs Twinkle Tray

f.lux

• People who use a computer in the evening and want a warmer screen
• Users who want the change scheduled automatically from location and wake time
• Companies that need a centrally installed build for Windows PCs

Twinkle Tray

• Windows desktop users who want to dim external monitors from the taskbar
• Multi-monitor setups whose screens differ in brightness
• People who script brightness changes or bind them to hotkeys

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.

Twinkle Tray

• Windows 10 and Windows 11 only.
• Monitors must support DDC/CI, which can be switched off by default in a monitor's own menu; VGA and DVI connections may not be compatible.
• USB, Thunderbolt and Surface docks with HDMI or DisplayPort may not work, and the AMD Radeon Control Panel can interfere.
• The README warns that DDC/CI commands such as brightness and power state can make certain monitor models behave poorly.

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.

Twinkle Tray

Brightness sliders in the tray

A system tray icon opens a flyout with a slider for each compatible monitor, similar to the Windows volume flyout. Sliders can move one display or all of them together.

Time-of-day and idle adjustments

Brightness can change automatically at set times of day, or when the computer has been idle.

Backlight normalization

Levels can be evened out across monitors of different models. Version 1.17.2 added calibration points for a custom brightness curve on each display.

Hotkeys

Keyboard shortcuts can be bound to raise or lower the brightness of a specific display or of all displays at once.

Other DDC/CI controls

Beyond brightness, the app can control DDC/CI features such as contrast, volume and power state, and the default slider can be swapped for a custom VCP code.

Command-line arguments

From version 1.13.0, a running copy accepts commands that list displays, set or offset brightness for one monitor or all, and send a specific VCP code.

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.

Twinkle Tray

• Twinkle Tray$0

  All features, from the GitHub installer (which the site recommends), the Microsoft Store or winget. MIT licensed.

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.

Twinkle Tray

No public discounts listed.