MonitorControl vs Twinkle Tray
We give MonitorControl a 3.0 GPA and Twinkle Tray a 3.2, out of 4.0. Twinkle Tray grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MonitorControl
Free, open-source brightness and volume control for Mac displays
Free
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAMonitorControlVery good | 3.2GPATwinkle TrayVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source under the MIT license. You get it from the GitHub releases page or Homebrew, and there's nothing to buy. | AIt costs nothing. The site says every option and feature is 100% free, the code is on GitHub under the MIT license, and the US Microsoft Store listing shows Free with no in-app purchases. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free: brightness, volume and contrast, shortcuts, brightness sync and software dimming. For extras, the README points you to BetterDisplay, a separate app from the maintainer. | AAll features are free, from the GitHub installer, the Microsoft Store or winget. There's no paid version, so nothing is held back. |
| Features | BSliders and keys for brightness, volume and contrast, dimming all the way down to black, and one slider that can drive every screen. But most TVs and DisplayLink docks get software dimming only, and XDR and HDR brightness upscaling lives in BetterDisplay. | AIt does one thing, monitor brightness on Windows, and does it fully. A slider per monitor or one for all, changes by time of day or when the PC is idle, levels evened out between different monitors, hotkeys, and command-line arguments for scripts. It can reach contrast, volume and power state too. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It sits in the menu bar and the keys you already press just start working. Using the Apple keys needs Accessibility permission first. | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Click the tray icon and drag a slider, much like the Windows volume flyout. If nothing happens, check the monitor's own menu, because DDC/CI can be switched off by default. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only. Version 4 has full functionality from macOS 11 and runs on 10.15 with limits. No integrations are listed, and there's nothing for Windows or Linux. | DWindows 10 and Windows 11 only, with no integrations listed. VGA and DVI connections may not be compatible, and USB, Thunderbolt and Surface docks may not work. |
| Best for | brightness keys that work on an external Mac monitor | dimming external monitors from the Windows tray |
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: MonitorControl and Twinkle Tray. How we grade
Where they differ
- MonitorControl is free. Twinkle Tray is free.
- Only MonitorControl lists a macOS app.
- Only Twinkle Tray lists a Windows app.
In commonFree planOpen sourceMenu bar appDisplay control
At a glance
| MonitorControl | Twinkle Tray | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The whole app is free and open source under the MIT license, from the GitHub releases page or Homebrew. The README points to BetterDisplay for extra features. | The site says every option and feature is 100% free. It is offered as an installer from GitHub or through the Microsoft Store, where the US listing shows Free with no in-app purchases. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | MonitorControl | Xander Frangos |
| Price read from | github.com | twinkletray.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
MonitorControl
- Mac users whose external monitor ignores the keyboard brightness keys
- Setups with several displays that should dim together
- People who want a free, open-source display utility
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
Worth knowing
MonitorControl
- macOS only. Version 4 runs on macOS 10.15 with limits, has full functionality from macOS 11, and needs v4.4.0 or newer for macOS 27.
- DDC control does not work over the built-in HDMI port of M1 Macs, the 2018 Intel Mac mini or the entry-level M2 Mac mini; USB-C or software dimming is the fallback.
- Most TVs, DisplayLink docks and some displays such as EIZO models get software dimming only, not hardware backlight control.
- XDR and HDR brightness upscaling and support for more Macs and displays are in BetterDisplay, a separate app from the maintainer.
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.
Key features
MonitorControl
- Brightness, volume and contrast
- Sliders in the menu bar adjust an external display's backlight, speaker volume and contrast over DDC/CI, which most modern LCD monitors support.
- Apple keys and custom shortcuts
- The brightness and media keys on Apple keyboards control external displays, or custom shortcuts can be set. Using the Apple keys needs Accessibility permission.
- Native on-screen display
- Brightness and volume changes show the same on-screen indicator macOS uses for Apple displays.
- Hardware and software dimming
- Software dimming continues below a display's minimum backlight level, down to full black, with smooth brightness transitions.
- Brightness sync
- Changes on the built-in or an Apple display, including those from the ambient light sensor, can be copied to other displays, and one slider can drive every screen.
- Several control methods
- DDC for external displays, Apple's native protocol for Apple and built-in screens, gamma tables for software dimming, and a shade overlay for AirPlay, Sidecar and DisplayLink.
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.
Plans
MonitorControl
MonitorControl$0
Brightness, volume and contrast control, native on-screen display, keyboard shortcuts, brightness sync and software dimming. MIT licensed.
Twinkle Tray
Twinkle Tray$0
All features, from the GitHub installer (which the site recommends), the Microsoft Store or winget. MIT licensed.
