The Iris Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Iris in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Iris
The Insider’s Guide
Screen color and brightness software for eye comfort
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Iris’s own pages.
Made by Iris Technologies EOOD · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Iris’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Iris’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 69 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade
Iris is a desktop program that adjusts a screen's color temperature and brightness to reduce blue light and eye strain. It ships with nine presets and an automatic mode, plus advanced settings for building your own preset. The full program starts with a 7-day free trial and is then sold as a subscription or as one-time licenses.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Iris, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You install it, pick a preset or leave it on automatic, and there is nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for a basic blue-light filter on Windows, Mac or Linux
Iris dims screen colour and brightness at night with nine presets and an automatic mode.
- 2
Paid plans start at $1.99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $1.99 per month.
- 3
You can try it first
7 days free; invited friends who install Iris earn extra free months of Iris Pro
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 5
Color temperature and brightness
Lowers blue light and adjusts brightness; the vendor says brightness is changed without PWM, the flicker approach many monitors use.
- 6
Presets and modes
Nine presets, including Health, Sleep, Reading, Programming, Sunglasses, Dark and Movie, with Automatic, Manual and Paused modes.
- 7
Custom presets
Advanced settings let you build your own preset; the site mentions 20+ advanced features.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 69 of 186
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Iris you would be making control of displays through the operating system. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Iris at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $1.99 per month
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7 days free; invited friends who install Iris earn extra free months of Iris Pro
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Iris Technologies EOOD
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a basic blue-light filter on Windows, Mac or Linux
Iris dims screen colour and brightness at night with nine presets and an automatic mode. The full version is a 7-day trial and then $1.99 a month or a one-time licence, and the cheap $14.99 licence stops at one version, so you'd pay $49.99 to keep getting major updates.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A 7-day trial, and the free Iris mini has no interface and two fixed settings. Downloading the trial asks for an email address. |
| Features | B | Colour 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 | B | No 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 | C | Windows, Mac and Linux, but all desktops. No phone or web version and no integrations. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Iris is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- People who work at a screen late and want less blue light at night
- Users who prefer one-time pricing over a subscription
- Anyone who only needs a basic night filter and can use the free Iris mini
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$1.99
A month to start
Iris is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $1.99 per month.
Downloading the trial asks for an email address.
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.
Trying it first
7 days free; invited friends who install Iris earn extra free months of Iris Pro
Read from iristech.co on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Screen color and brightness software for eye comfort. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, display control.
Colour temperature and brightness, nine presets, automatic mode and custom presets.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Iris is made by Iris Technologies EOOD.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
69/186
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Iris's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 69 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 46.
It stands best on features (B, above 113 of 186) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 8).
Its paid plans start at $1.99 a month, against a middle price of $2.99 for the category: 9 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Iris’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 28 of 186
- CFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 186
- BFeaturesAbove 113 of 186
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 111 of 186
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 desktop utilities. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Iris is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Iris you would be making control of displays through the operating system. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $23.88 a year.
What you could not
- Control of displays through the operating system.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Iris’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
f.lux, Lunar, BetterDisplay, MonitorControl and Twinkle Tray
The 5 tools Iris is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
f.lux
Free plan · from $24 one-time
Warms your screen's color at night to match the time of day.
- f.lux has a free plan. Iris does not, though it has a free trial.
- Iris can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- f.lux also covers menu bar app.
- 2.2GPA
Lunar
Free plan · from $23 one-time
Mac app that sets external monitor brightness over DDC.
- Lunar has a free plan. Iris does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Iris lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Lunar also covers menu bar app.
- 2.6GPA
BetterDisplay
Free plan · from $21.99 one-time
Display scaling, brightness and DDC control for Mac.
- BetterDisplay has a free plan. Iris does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Iris lists Windows and Linux apps.
- BetterDisplay also covers menu bar app.
- 2.8GPA
MonitorControl
Free
Free, open-source brightness and volume control for Mac displays.
- MonitorControl has a free plan. Iris does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Iris lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Iris can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
Twinkle Tray
Free
Free brightness sliders for external monitors on Windows.
- Twinkle Tray has a free plan. Iris does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Iris lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Iris can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Iris free?
No, Iris is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7 days free; invited friends who install Iris earn extra free months of Iris Pro.
How much does Iris cost?
Iris lists 3 plans. Subscription: $1.99 per month for 1 PC, billed monthly.
What platforms does Iris work on?
Iris is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Iris have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Iris is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Iris have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Iris is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Iris open source?
Iris is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Who makes Iris?
Iris is made by Iris Technologies EOOD.
What are the alternatives to Iris?
The closest alternatives to Iris in our directory are f.lux, Lunar, BetterDisplay, MonitorControl and Twinkle Tray.
How does Iris compare with other desktop utilities?
Iris's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 69 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 46.
Is Iris good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Iris B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $1.99 a month, against a middle price of $2.99 for the category: 9 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Iris?
To replace Iris you would be making control of displays through the operating system.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Iris’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Iris Technologies EOOD's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Iris Technologies EOOD. Prices change, so check iristech.co before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Iris, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/iris
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Iris: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/iris
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/iris/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Iris, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Desktop Utilities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 187 desktop utilities we grade, compared
- Just Color Picker Insider's GuideFree portable color picker and editor for Windows and macOS3.2 GPA
- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Mos Insider's GuideFree Mac menu bar utility for smooth mouse wheel scrolling3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Iris’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Iris is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Iris Technologies EOOD. Prices and plans change: check iristech.co before you buy.