BetterDisplay Pro: Long Term Review
I have been using BetterDisplay Pro on my Mac for quite a while now, and I thought I would share a more grounded long term experience rather than the usual first impressions. I originally picked it up because I was frustrated with how macOS handles external monitors, especially anything that is not a typical Apple display. My setup includes a couple of non Retina monitors, and the scaling always felt off. Text either looked too small or slightly blurry, and there was no comfortable middle ground. BetterDisplay Pro basically fixes that. The biggest difference for me has been the ability to create custom resolutions and use HiDPI scaling on displays that do not officially support it. Once I set it up properly, text became noticeably sharper and easier on the eyes. It is one of those changes that is hard to go back from once you get used to it. Another thing I did not expect to use as much is the control over brightness and color. Being able to adjust brightness from the keyboard on external monitors feels like something macOS should already support, but does not in many cases. With this app, it just works. Same goes for things like dimming, contrast tweaks, and even syncing brightness across displays. Performance wise, I have not noticed any issues. It runs quietly in the background and does not get in the way. I was a bit concerned initially about stability since it hooks into display behavior quite deeply, but over time it has been reliable. I have had maybe one or two minor glitches after macOS updates, but nothing that required more than a quick restart or app update. There is a bit of a learning curve. The interface is not the simplest, and some of the terminology can be confusing if you are not familiar with how display scaling works. I spent some time experimenting before I found the settings that felt right. Once that is done though, you rarely need to touch it again. In terms of value, I think it depends on your setup. If you are only using a MacBook screen or an Apple display, you probably will not need it. If you are using third party monitors and care about sharp text and better scaling, it makes a noticeable difference. Overall, it feels like a tool that fills a gap Apple has left open for years. Not essential for everyone, but for the right setup it becomes something you rely on every day without thinking about it. Link: https://betterdisplay.pro/ (the website looks vibecoded, but trust me, the app is worth it)
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Betterdisplay is really the Mac application to put first, really good work, the fact of being able to manage the brightness and by half speed like the sound is also really great 👍
Betterdisplay is lovely!
there is no alternative for betterdisplay, im using it 5 years
Must be good then 😄
The fact that macOS still doesn't natively support keyboard brightness control for third-party monitors is wild to me. BetterDisplay is an absolute lifesaver for that alone, and the HiDPI unlocking is basically magic. Did you ever try MonitorControl (https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl) before making the switch, or did you jump straight into BD?
What is the difference between the standard and the Pro version ?
There are lots of more advanced options that are labeled Pro when you're going through the settings. Which by default, it gives you a trial to test them all. But let me tell you, there are lots of options included in the base app.
I’ve asked a few times for examples of for why Pro would be necessary for an average user. Never received a relevant answer. It seems the developer has been extremely generous with the amount of features in the free version.
You missed an important point, the developer. The developer is very friendly and always available for feedback and help
Great app, i love it
betterdisplay and lunar, there are the best apps for external monitor managing
Is this only useful for external monitors?
Nope, It can be used for builtin displays too
Nice deep dive. I also use it on my M4 Pro Mac Mini, because I have 2 x 34 inch ultrawide monitors (2 different models and brands). I don't use any of the advanced 'pro' features, and like you said, once it's set up you hardly touch it again. It just works. So for my use case the free version is fine.
When I toggle the HiDPI on my asus display, things do look a bit better, but the text seems to get a bit thinner, are there other settings I’m missing to get text appearing ‘fuller’?
I use BetterDisplayPro to create small virtual displays that make it so much more comfortable to access my Mac remotely, since otherwise I have to navigate around a gigantic ultrawide from my tiny 13" Air screen!
Another good thing: the free tier is great. I've already used it on various MacBooks and never felt the need to buy the pro version.
yeah BetterDisplay genuinely sits in that small group of mac apps you forget you're using until you're on someone else's machine. for me the killer feature was honestly just the dimming below the system minimum at night. macOS's lowest brightness on external displays is still way too bright in a dark room, and BetterDisplay just fixes it. also the dummy display feature is underrated if you ever use a mini in headless mode or want a virtual monitor for screen recording.
I like Lunar a lot, but I’m using dual Thunderbolt displays.
Better Display lets me get around an annoying issue with my monitor by using DDC to switch Input Sources. I have two devices connected to the same external monitor (Mac and PC). My old 20" Asus monitor had a dedicated input select button but my newer 27" requires going through a menu to switch sources which needs menu navigation and several button presses to do what I used to be able to do with a single click. DDC lets you configure input sources and switch using a shortcut key or the mouse from the Better Display menu.
This is how I set it up for myself. Here’s how it works: BetterDisplay: First, I configured the monitor's power management using hotkeys within the BetterDisplay settings. Shortcuts: To avoid memorizing complex key combinations, I created two shortcuts in the Shortcuts app. These shortcuts simply "press" the specific hotkeys I previously configured in BetterDisplay. Raycast Integration: For the final touch of convenience, I integrated these shortcuts into Raycast. In the Raycast extension settings, I assigned them short Aliases: d1 — Runs the shortcut to turn off the second monitor (d1 indicates that only one monitor—the main one—is active). d2 — Runs the shortcut to turn on the second monitor (d2 indicates that both monitors are active).
Does he have any discounts active?
"The interface is not the simplest, and some of the terminology can be confusing if you are not familiar with how display scaling works." I discovered the app specifically for the reason you mentioned; my external display isn't Apple, so everything looked blurry and misaligned. The app is feature-rich, but that also makes it overwhelming for casual users. My biggest issue was using Alcove as a Dynamic Island replacement, which handles brightness and volume hubs. When I installed BetterDisplay, those hubs kept appearing outside the Alcove overlay really annoying. That's also where the confusing terminology made things worse; I couldn't figure out which setting would hand hub control back to Alcove. I ended up uninstalling BetterDisplay, but oddly enough, it left the HiDPI setting behind, which was actually my main goal in the first place.
Its a great app and I use it extensively but it definitely needs a good UX designer to go in and make it easier to use
How does HiDPI work out on a 4K display?