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Luminance vs DisplayBuddy: catalog facts
Luminance	DisplayBuddy
Best for: Linux users with external monitors who want software brightness control	Best for: Mac or Windows users with external monitors they want to adjust without the hardware buttons
Free Free and open source under the GPL-3.0 licence.	Paid Paid app with a 7-day refund on full-price purchases; also available through Setapp.
Linux	Windows, macOS
Controls external monitor brightness over DDC/CI Simple GTK interface All 3 strengths for Luminance Controls external monitor brightness over DDC/CI Simple GTK interface Includes a GNOME Shell extension	Controls brightness, contrast, volume and input over DDC Handles several displays from one menu All 4 strengths for DisplayBuddy Controls brightness, contrast, volume and input over DDC Handles several displays from one menu Presets switch a whole monitor setup at once Works with monitors from most major brands
External monitors must support DDC/CI Linux only	Paid, with no free tier mentioned Depends on the monitor supporting DDC control
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Not open source
License: GPL-3.0-only	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Luminance github.com/sidevesh/Luminance Catalog checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for DisplayBuddy displaybuddy.app Catalog checked October 1, 2026

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