Compare software

ddcutil vs ddcctl: catalog facts
ddcutil	ddcctl
Best for: Linux users who want to control external monitor brightness and inputs from scripts	Best for: Mac users who want to control an external DDC monitor from scripts or the terminal
Free Free and open source, with optional donations to the maintainer.	Free Free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license.
Linux, Command line	macOS, Command line
Change brightness and input source without touching the monitor buttons Scriptable from the command line All 4 strengths for ddcutil Change brightness and input source without touching the monitor buttons Scriptable from the command line Shared library used by KDE PowerDevil Actively maintained with recent releases	Controls brightness and contrast from the shell Can be called from scripts and keyboard launchers All 3 strengths for ddcctl Controls brightness and contrast from the shell Can be called from scripts and keyboard launchers Offers binary downloads and Homebrew installation
Linux only Depends on monitor DDC/CI support and i2c device permissions All 3 limitations for ddcutil Linux only Depends on monitor DDC/CI support and i2c device permissions Command-line first; the GUI is a separate program	Additional controls depend on monitor firmware
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License: GPL-3.0
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Offline features available	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for ddcutil ddcutil.com Catalog checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for ddcctl github.com/kfix/ddcctl Catalog checked October 8, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.