The Lunar Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Lunar 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.
Lunar
The Insider’s Guide
Mac app that sets external monitor brightness over DDC
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Lunar’s own pages.
Made by THE LOW-TECH GUYS SRL · checked Nov 12, 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 Lunar’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Lunar’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 5 of the 96 other desktop utilities we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Lunar, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Some monitors and ports need the fallback method, so expect trial and error.
- 1
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.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $23 one-time.
- 3
There is a 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.
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
DDC control
Sends brightness, volume and input commands straight to the monitor rather than dimming with an overlay.
- 6
Apple display support
Controls Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, LG UltraFine for Mac and Thunderbolt Display natively.
- 7
Keyboard control
Uses the Mac brightness and volume keys for external monitors, with hotkeys to switch inputs.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 5 of 96
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 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.
Lunar at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $23 one-time
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day trial of Pro included
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- THE LOW-TECH GUYS SRL
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
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.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $23 once for Pro, under a year of what this category's middle subscription costs. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free works for manual control but stops at 100 adjustments and 100 action calls a day. The Pro trial lasts 14 days. |
| Features | C | Brightness, 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 | C | No rating on record. Some monitors and ports need the fallback method, so expect trial and error. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, and the version 7 beta needs macOS 14 and Apple Silicon. Shortcuts is the one listed integration. |
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 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 it 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
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users with external monitors who want to use the keyboard brightness keys on them
- Desktop Mac setups that need brightness to follow a schedule 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$23 one-time
To start. There is a free plan too
Lunar has a free plan. Paid plans start at $23 one-time.
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.
The 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.
Trying it first
14-day trial of Pro included
Read from lunar.fyi on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Mac app that sets external monitor brightness over DDC. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, keyboard-first, menu bar app, display control.
Brightness, volume and input control over DDC, Apple display support and keyboard keys.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- macOS Shortcuts
Lunar is made by THE LOW-TECH GUYS SRL.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
5/96
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
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
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 96
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 96
- CEase of useAbove 4 of 96
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 96
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 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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
BetterDisplay, MonitorControl, f.lux and Twinkle Tray
The 4 tools Lunar is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
BetterDisplay
Free plan · from $21.99 one-time
- 2.8GPA
MonitorControl
Free
Free, open-source brightness and volume control for Mac displays.
- Lunar can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- MonitorControl is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
f.lux
Free plan · from $24 one-time
Warms your screen's color at night to match the time of day.
- Only f.lux lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Lunar can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
Twinkle Tray
Free
Free brightness sliders for external monitors on Windows.
- Only Lunar lists a macOS app.
- Only Twinkle Tray lists a Windows app.
- Lunar 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
12
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 Lunar free?
Lunar has a 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.
How much does Lunar cost?
Lunar lists 2 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Lunar work on?
Lunar is available on macOS.
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.
What does Lunar integrate with?
Lunar's listing names macOS Shortcuts. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Lunar have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day trial of Pro included.
Who makes Lunar?
Lunar is made by THE LOW-TECH GUYS SRL.
What are the alternatives to Lunar?
The closest alternatives to Lunar in our directory are BetterDisplay, MonitorControl, f.lux and Twinkle Tray.
How does Lunar compare with other desktop utilities?
Lunar's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 5 of the 96 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 11.
Could I make my own version of Lunar?
To replace Lunar 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 Lunar’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. 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.
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 THE LOW-TECH GUYS SRL. Prices change, so check lunar.fyi before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Lunar, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/lunar
- 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, "Lunar: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/lunar
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/lunar/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Lunar, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Desktop Utilities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 97 desktop utilities we grade, compared
- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Ninite Insider's GuideInstalls and updates many Windows apps at once3.2 GPA
- PeaZip Insider's GuideFree file archiver for Linux, macOS and Windows3.2 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 Lunar’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. Lunar is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by THE LOW-TECH GUYS SRL. Prices and plans change: check lunar.fyi before you buy.