Crisp vs Lunar
Side-by-side comparison for macOS
Crisp
8.0Menu bar display manager: DDC brightness, HiDPI, presets, virtual displays
Lunar
8.0Adaptive brightness for external displays
| Metric | Crisp | Lunar |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Utilities | Utilities |
| AI Score | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| 30-day Installs | 323 | 737 |
| 90-day Installs | 323 | 2.3K |
| 365-day Installs | 323 | 10.8K |
| Version | 1.5.0 | 6.11.0 |
| Auto-updates | Yes | Yes |
| Deprecated | No | No |
| GitHub Stars | 1.2K | 5.5K |
| GitHub Forks | 53 | 134 |
| Open Issues | 9 | 5 |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Swift | Swift |
| Last GitHub Commit | 4d ago | 5mo ago |
| First Seen | Aug 27, 2026 | Aug 9, 2023 |
Reviews
Crisp
Crisp is a free, open-source menu bar app for managing displays on macOS, offering features like DDC brightness control, HiDPI scaling, and virtual displays. It serves as a cost-effective alternative to paid apps like BetterDisplay and Lunar, benefiting users with multiple monitors or those seeking precise display control.
Crisp manages display settings through the menu bar, providing tools for brightness adjustment, HiDPI scaling, and virtual display creation.
Pros
- + Free and open-source alternative to paid display management apps
- + Comprehensive features including DDC brightness and HiDPI scaling
- + Actively maintained with regular updates and bug fixes
Cons
- - Low installation count indicating limited adoption
- - Some features may require troubleshooting
Lunar
Lunar is a macOS utility that provides adaptive brightness and volume control for external displays, making it ideal for users with multiple monitors. Its automatic adjustments based on ambient light and preferences enhance productivity and comfort.
Lunar automatically adjusts brightness and volume for external displays based on ambient light and user settings.
Pros
- + Actively developed with strong community support
- + Effective adaptive brightness and volume control
- + Seamless integration with macOS
Cons
- - Niche appeal may limit its user base
- - Potential learning curve for new users