Lunar review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Mac app that sets external monitor brightness over DDC
Black Friday: is there a Lunar sale?
Lunar report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for external monitor brightness from a Mac's keyboard
Lunar sets external monitor brightness on a Mac by talking to the monitor itself, and lets the brightness keys work on it. Free is capped at 100 adjustments a day, some monitors and ports block the commands it uses, and it is Mac only.
Who Lunar is for
- 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
Who Lunar is not for
- 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
Why Lunar gets a 2.2
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for money$23 once for Pro, under a year of what this category's middle subscription costs.
- CFree plan and trialFree works for manual control but stops at 100 adjustments and 100 action calls a day. The Pro trial lasts 14 days.
- CFeaturesBrightness, volume and input control over DDC, Apple display support and keyboard keys. Sync, schedules and XDR need Pro, and some monitors block DDC.
- CEase of useNo rating on record. Some monitors and ports need the fallback method, so expect trial and error.
- DPlatforms and integrationsMac only, and the version 7 beta needs macOS 14 and Apple Silicon. Shortcuts is the one listed integration.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from The Low-Tech Guys's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/lunar#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/lunar.svg" alt="Lunar: 2.2 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Lunar stands among desktop utilities
Lunar's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 5 of the 96 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 24 of 96) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 97 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Lunar’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 24 of 96, level with 72
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 96, level with 37
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 96, level with 67
- CEase of useAbove 4 of 96, level with 29
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 96, level with 61
Keep Lunar, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace Lunar 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.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 80 of the 96 other desktop utilities grade higher. It costs $23, paid once.
What you could not
- Control of displays through the operating system.
- A native app living in the menu bar.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Lunar’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.
What is Lunar?
Lunar controls external monitors from a Mac by sending DDC commands, so brightness, contrast, volume and input can change on the display itself instead of through a dark overlay. The free version covers manual control with the keyboard keys; Lunar Pro adds automatic modes that follow the MacBook's light sensor, the clock or the sun.
Worth knowing
- 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
- 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.
Lunar pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Lunar has a free plan, and paid plans start at $23 one-time.
- Starts at
- $23 one-time
- Free plan
- 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
- 14-day trial of Pro included
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Manual control of external monitors, limited to 100 adjustments and 100 action calls per day. |
| Lunar Pro | $23one-time, lifetime license | Unlimited adjustments and actions, plus Sync, Sensor, Clock and Location modes, XDR brightness, FaceLight and BlackOut. |
Read from lunar.fyi on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Lunar before you buy.
Works with
- macOS Shortcuts
Lunar alternatives
- Lunar vs BetterDisplay
Free plan · from $21.99 one-time
- Lunar vs f.lux
Free plan · from $24 one-time
Common questions
Does Lunar have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Lunar is listed for macOS.
Does Lunar have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Lunar is listed for macOS.
Is Lunar open source?
Lunar is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.