Twinkle Tray vs DisplayBuddy

Twinkle Tray9.2Visit DisplayBuddy8.5Visit

Higher score Twinkle Tray #2 in Monitor Control Software 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Twinkle Tray

vs

DisplayBuddy #6 in Monitor Control Software 8.5/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit DisplayBuddy

• Twinkle Tray fits best

  Free Windows multi-monitor control

• DisplayBuddy fits best

  Cross-platform users wanting polished control

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Side by side

Feature	Twinkle Tray 9.2/10 Visit ↗	DisplayBuddy 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.5
Ranking	#2 in Monitor Control Software	#6 in Monitor Control Software
Best for	Free Windows multi-monitor control	Cross-platform users wanting polished control
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free plan	$24.99 one-time
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	7 days
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows	Windows, macOS
Support	Docs	Email, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Twinkle Tray 6/6 · DisplayBuddy 6/6
DDC/CI control	✓	✓
Input switching	✓	✓
Monitor profiles	✓	✓
Settings scheduling	✓	✓
CLI or API access	✓	✓
Auto brightness	✓	✓
Specs
Supported platforms	Windows	macOS, Windows
Our review
Pros	Controls brightness, contrast, volume, power state, and inputs via DDC/CI Adds profiles, scheduling, ambient-light adjustment, hotkeys, and normalization Supports command-line controls and automatic launch with Windows	Controls brightness, contrast, volume, inputs, resolution, and rotation Syncs multiple monitors and saves unlimited presets Supports scheduling, scripting, Shortcuts, Siri, and smart-monitor Wi-Fi control
Cons	Windows-only coverage limits use on macOS and other platforms Some controls depend on compatible monitors and DDC/CI support Advanced display control may require configuration across different monitors	No free plan is available DDC/CI control depends on compatible displays Smart-monitor Wi-Fi support is limited to supported Samsung and LG models
Our verdict	Twinkle Tray is a free Windows 10 and 11 desktop utility for managing brightness and display settings across compatible laptop and external monitors. It is aimed at people who use multiple displays and want more control than the standard… Read the review →	DisplayBuddy is desktop software for controlling compatible external monitors from macOS and Windows. It replaces frequent trips to physical monitor buttons with software controls for brightness, contrast, volume, input sources,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Twinkle Tray — where it wins

  • Controls brightness, contrast, volume, power state, and inputs via DDC/CI
  • Adds profiles, scheduling, ambient-light adjustment, hotkeys, and normalization
  • Supports command-line controls and automatic launch with Windows

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows-only coverage limits use on macOS and other platforms
  • Some controls depend on compatible monitors and DDC/CI support
  • Advanced display control may require configuration across different monitors

• DisplayBuddy — where it wins

  • Controls brightness, contrast, volume, inputs, resolution, and rotation
  • Syncs multiple monitors and saves unlimited presets
  • Supports scheduling, scripting, Shortcuts, Siri, and smart-monitor Wi-Fi control

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is available
  • DDC/CI control depends on compatible displays
  • Smart-monitor Wi-Fi support is limited to supported Samsung and LG models

• Twinkle Tray9.2/10 · Free plan

  A capable free Windows utility for multi-monitor control, profiles, scheduling, and scripting.

  Visit Twinkle TrayFull verdict →
• DisplayBuddy8.5/10 · 7-day trial

  A capable cross-platform monitor controller with profiles, scheduling, and scripting.

  Visit DisplayBuddyFull verdict →