CrispThe short answer
The three big paid display apps for macOS each gate their best features:
- BetterDisplay is free for basics, but flexible HiDPI scaling, EDID overrides, XDR/HDR boost and picture-in-picture need Pro ($21.99).
- Lunar is a brightness tool; its free tier is capped at 100 adjustments a day, and adaptive brightness lives in Pro ($23).
- MonitorControl is genuinely free and open source, but only does brightness and volume, no HiDPI, presets, or arrangement.
Crisp gives you the flexible HiDPI scaling, DDC brightness, presets, and arrangement with no Pro tier, no license key, and no daily limit, and the whole app is open source under the MIT license.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Crisp | BetterDisplay | Lunar | MonitorControl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free + Pro $21.99 | Free + Pro $23 | Free |
| Open source (all features) | ✓ MIT | ✗ | ~ source-available | ✓ MIT |
| Everything free, no limits | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ 100/day | ✓ |
| Flexible HiDPI scaling | ✓ | Pro | ✗ | ✗ |
| DDC hardware brightness | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brightness keys for external displays | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monitor speaker volume (DDC) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adaptive / ambient brightness | ✓ | ~ | Pro | ✗ |
| Presets (save & apply setups) | ✓ | ✗ | Pro | ✗ |
| Display arrangement UI | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Virtual displays | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Disconnect / blank a display | ✓ | ✓ | Pro | ✗ |
| XDR / HDR brightness boost | ✓ | Pro | Pro | ✗ |
| EDID override | ✗ | Pro | ✗ | ✗ |
| Picture-in-picture / streaming | ✗ | Pro | ✗ | ✗ |
| Shortcuts / CLI automation | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ CLI | ~ |
✓ free Pro paid tier only ✗ not available ~ partial / limited
Prices and free/Pro splits from each app's own documentation (BetterDisplay and Lunar, mid-2026). Features move between tiers over time, so check their sites for the current state.
Where Crisp wins
If what you wanted from BetterDisplay was sharp HiDPI on a 1440p or 4K monitor, plus brightness (your Mac's own brightness keys drive the external monitors too, just like the built-in), presets and arrangement, Crisp gives you all of it for free. That now includes XDR/HDR extra brightness, pushing an XDR MacBook or HDR monitor past 100%, which BetterDisplay and Lunar both keep behind Pro, and DDC volume for the monitor's built-in speakers. There is no trial to reset and no license to buy, because there is no paid tier at all. It is open source, so you can read exactly what it does or build it yourself.
Where BetterDisplay Pro is still ahead
Being honest keeps this useful. Crisp does not do EDID overrides, picture-in-picture, or Apple Shortcuts and CLI automation. If you specifically need any of those, BetterDisplay Pro is the better buy, it is a mature, well-supported app and $21.99 is fair for what it does. Crisp is the right pick when you want the everyday display controls, sharp and free, without a subscription mindset.
Crisp vs BetterDisplay, Lunar, and MonitorControl
Crisp vs BetterDisplay: the everyday features overlap, but BetterDisplay keeps flexible HiDPI and XDR/HDR brightness behind Pro ($21.99), and adds EDID overrides and picture-in-picture that Crisp doesn't have. Choose Crisp for sharp HiDPI, brightness, XDR/HDR boost and presets at no cost; choose BetterDisplay Pro if you need those advanced extras.
Crisp vs Lunar: Lunar is a brightness specialist with strong adaptive and ambient-light modes (in Pro), but it doesn't add HiDPI resolutions, and its free tier stops after 100 adjustments a day. Crisp gives you HiDPI plus brightness with no daily cap.
Crisp vs MonitorControl: MonitorControl is also free and open source, but it only handles brightness and volume. If that is all you want, it is excellent; if you also need HiDPI scaling, presets and arrangement, that is where Crisp goes further.
FAQ
Is Crisp really free?
Yes. It is MIT-licensed, with no Pro tier, no license key, no trial, and no daily limits. Every feature is free.
How is Crisp funded, and can I support it?
Crisp is free and stays free, there is nothing to buy. The best way to support it costs nothing: star it on GitHub or tell a friend, which is how most people find it. It does have one running cost, the $99/year Apple Developer membership that keeps it signed and notarized, so it stays a clean, one-click install for everyone. If you would like to chip in toward that, there's GitHub Sponsors, Ko-fi, and 爱发电. Completely optional, and every feature stays free either way.
Is Crisp open source?
Yes. The whole app is on GitHub under the MIT license, so you can read the code or build it yourself.
Is it safe for my monitor?
Brightness goes through DDC/CI, the same standard protocol your monitor's own buttons use, so nothing unusual is happening at the hardware level.
I only need to control brightness, what should I use?
MonitorControl or Lunar are both fine for brightness on its own. Crisp makes sense when you also want HiDPI scaling, presets, and display arrangement in one app.
Install Crisp
Homebrew is the cleanest path:
Prefer a direct download? Grab the DMG from GitHub Releases and drag Crisp to Applications. Requires macOS 14 or later.