Iris vs Lunar (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Iris grades higher than Lunar: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Iris grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. Lunar grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Iris
Screen color and brightness software for eye comfort
Lunar
Mac app that sets external monitor brightness over DDC
Which one is for you
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
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
| 2.6GPAIrisGood | 2.2GPALunarFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | A$23 once for Pro, under a year of what this category's middle subscription costs. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 7-day trial, and the free Iris mini has no interface and two fixed settings. Downloading the trial asks for an email address. | CFree works for manual control but stops at 100 adjustments and 100 action calls a day. The Pro trial lasts 14 days. |
| Features | BColour temperature and brightness, nine presets, automatic mode and custom presets. Nothing in the listing is missing from a blue-light filter's job. | 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 on record. You install it, pick a preset or leave it on automatic, and there is nothing to set up. | CNo rating on record. Some monitors and ports need the fallback method, so expect trial and error. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, Mac and Linux, but all desktops. No phone or web version and no integrations. | DMac only, and the version 7 beta needs macOS 14 and Apple Silicon. Shortcuts is the one listed integration. |
| Best for | a basic blue-light filter on Windows, Mac or Linux | 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: Iris and Lunar. How we grade
Where they differ
- Lunar also covers menu bar app.
At a glance
| Iris | Lunar | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $1.99 per month | $23 one-time |
| Free plan | None | 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 | 7 days free; invited friends who install Iris earn extra free months of Iris Pro | 14-day trial of Pro included |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Iris Technologies EOOD | THE LOW-TECH GUYS SRL |
| Price read from | iristech.co | lunar.fyi |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Iris or Lunar?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Iris starts at $1.99 per month, and Lunar starts at $23 one-time.
Which has a free plan, Iris or Lunar?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Lunar has a free plan. Iris does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Iris and Lunar 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.