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DisplayCAL

Free#8 of 24 in Display Calibration SoftwareColor Management Software

DisplayCAL: A free, full-featured choice for measured display profiling across three desktop platforms. Ranked #8 of 24 in Display Calibration Software by our editors (7.8/10); pricing: Free plan; best for free, full-featured display profiling.

7.8/10Editor score
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DisplayCAL7.8 Visit DisplayCAL

At a glance

  • Editor score
    7.8 / 10
  • Pricing
    Free plan
  • Best for
    Free, full-featured display profiling
  • Free plan
    Yes
  • Paid from
    Free
  • ICC profile export
    Yes
  • Facts checked
    20 Sep 2026
DisplayCAL screenshot

  • Where it wins

    • Free open-source access with ICC profile creation
    • Supports multi-display calibration, LUT generation, and HDR workflows
    • Includes verification reports and display uniformity measurement

  • Where it doesn't

    • Requires a supported colorimeter or spectrometer
    • Release information lists DisplayCAL 3.8 from 2019
    • ArgyllCMS underpins measurement, calibration, and profile creation

Our verdict on DisplayCAL

DisplayCAL is desktop software for calibrating and profiling computer displays with supported colorimeters and spectrometers. It is intended for photographers, video professionals, colorists, and other users who need measured display color management. The software supports Linux, macOS, and Windows, and can handle multi-display setups. Its core output is an ICC display profile, supported by calibration and characterization workflows based on measurements from compatible instruments.

As open-source software with a free plan, DisplayCAL provides a broad set of calibration features without a paid tier structure. It can create ICC profiles, load video-card gamma-table calibrations, and generate video 3D LUTs in multiple output formats. Profile verification and measurement reports add a way to review calibration results, while display uniformity measurement extends coverage beyond basic profiling. Synthetic ICC profile creation and HDR-related 3D LUT processing workflows make the feature set relevant to users working across different color-management tasks.

The main practical boundary is the requirement for a supported measurement instrument, so DisplayCAL is not a standalone visual adjustment tool. Its workflow also depends on ArgyllCMS for measurements, calibration, and profile creation. The release information shown lists DisplayCAL 3.8 from 2019, which matters for buyers weighing a mature feature set against more recent software development. Choose DisplayCAL if free, open-source access and detailed profiling features are priorities across Linux, macOS, or Windows. Choose another option if you need calibration without compatible hardware or prefer a product with a more recent release history.

Your product? Our editors can test DisplayCAL in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

DisplayCAL pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.
See plans on displaycal.net

DisplayCAL fact sheet

Free planYes
Paid fromFree
ICC profile exportYes
LUT calibrationYes
Multi-monitor calibrationYes
HDR calibrationYes
Monitor limitNot verified
Supported platformsLinux, macOS, Windows
DeploymentDesktop
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux
SupportCommunity, Docs
Built forSolo, Small business (editorial estimate)
PricingFree plan
Websitedisplaycal.net
Facts checked20 Sep 2026

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Also Ranked In

DisplayCAL is ranked in 2 of our directories.

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Featured on iTechGuides

Featured on iTechGuides — DisplayCAL 7.8/10

DisplayCAL is listed in our Display Calibration Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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