BetterDisplay

What it is for

BetterDisplay is a macOS display-configuration desk: you open Settings on Built-in Display / Studio Display XDR, add a Virtual 16:9 screen, and you can start Free (14-day Pro trial). Use it when the job is HiDPI / virtual / PIP you start at a public $, not when you need Lunar’s Clock Mode DDC first.

Soft-note: Free + 14-day Pro trial + Pro US$21.99 / €19.99 perpetual (current major + ≥1 year of updates; Paddle; tax/FX may change checkout) — getting-a-pro-license. Repo: waydabber/BetterDisplay (no SPDX license on the GitHub API fetch — do not invent MIT). Distinct from Lunar, BetterTouchTool, and Stats.

What makes it unique: the cover is BetterDisplay’s official Settings + menu-bar still (Built-in Display / Studio Display XDR / Virtual 16:9, connection toggle, resolution 2560×1440, XDR 400 nits) from betterdisplay.pro — not a wordmark. The Virtual 16:9 row itself is ops of Settings.

Key features

• Display list — Built-in Display / Studio Display XDR / Virtual 16:9 (cover still; product). One desk. Cover Virtual 16:9 sits here.
• Connection toggle — connect / disconnect a display into sleep (cover). A toggle, not a Pro tile.
• Resolution + refresh — 2560×1440 / 100% sliders on the cover (cover). A slider, not a $21.99 meter.
• XDR readout — Studio Display XDR 400 nits on the cover (cover). A nits row, not Get started.
• Virtual screens — a virtual 16:9 as a Sidecar-style extra desktop (guide). A virtual, not Enterprise.
• Menu-bar display controls — the right-hand inspector on the cover (cover). A menu, not SSO.

Download / Buy Pro are CTAs (not desks). Pro US$21.99 stays in Pricing. Virtual screens / PIP / EDID override / advanced sync are Pro-gated on the vendor guide — see Limitations. There is no AI extra to drop.

Who it's for

Best fit: Mac users who will stay on Free / the 14-day trial while they add a first Virtual 16:9 — then Pro at US$21.99 when they need HiDPI / PIP / EDID after the trial, not Lunar Pro US$23 first unless they want Clock Mode DDC / Sync, and not if they are a business that must license even Free features after the trial.

Pricing

Verified 2026-10-23 (Asia/Shanghai) from betterdisplay.pro/guide/licensing/getting-a-pro-license plus betterdisplay.pro and github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay (GitHub license API: Not Found — no SPDX). Soft-note: Paddle; currency / tax / FX can change the checkout total.

• Free — $0 for non-business after trial (free features). 14-day Pro trial on first launch with licensing enabled.
• Pro — US$21.99 / €19.99 perpetual. Current major + ≥1 year of updates. No subscription.
• Business — a license is required for continued use including free features after the trial (printed on the license guide).
• Student — Student App Centre lists a 25% BetterDisplay discount (membership is a separate paid yearly after its own trial). Do not invent the student $.
• Source — waydabber/BetterDisplay. No SPDX on the fetch.

Limitations / costs

• macOS-only. No Windows / Linux display scaler.
• Many advanced features are Pro-gated (virtual screens, PIP, EDID override, advanced sync — see the Free vs Pro guide).
• Businesses need a license even for free features after the trial.
• A scaling / virtual / PIP desk, not Lunar’s hardware-DDC Clock Mode. For brightness/DDC see Lunar.
• No SPDX license on the GitHub API fetch. We link the repo; we do not claim MIT.

Alternatives

• Lunar — hardware DDC / Clock Mode when you want Free + Pro US$23, not Virtual 16:9 / HiDPI first.
• BetterTouchTool — input + window automation when you want Standard ~$15 / Lifetime ~$25, not display EDID.
• Stats — a menu-bar sensor when you want Free / MIT readouts, not virtual screens.

Official tutorial

We searched betterdisplay.pro and the GitHub README for a first-party YouTube how-to. No official BetterDisplay / waydabber channel we could treat as product how-to. Third-party tutorials exist — we do not embed those. Written path: betterdisplay.pro plus Getting a Pro license and github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay.

Website

https://betterdisplay.pro

Source

Catalog row curated for AI Tools Nav. Cover is BetterDisplay’s official Settings + menu-bar still (Built-in Display / Studio Display XDR / Virtual 16:9). Dollars checked on the license guide (Free + 14-day trial; Pro US$21.99 / €19.99). GitHub: waydabber/BetterDisplay (no SPDX). No official YouTube embed.

Last verified

2026-10-23 (Asia/Shanghai) editorial check.