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Display Dimmer VS Rectangle

Compare Display Dimmer VS Rectangle and see what are their differences

Display Dimmer

A Windows brightness slider and screen dimmer for external monitors, with DDC/CI control, gamma fallback, schedules, app rules, hotkeys and more.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Freemium $5.99 / One-off (Pro upgrade)
Alternatives Is it good?
Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Alternatives Is it good?
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Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Rectangle seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 480 times since March 2021.

social mentions
0 vs 480
Productivity popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
10 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Display Dimmer
Rectangle
Website displaydimmer.com rectangleapp.com
Pricing
Freemium $5.99 / One-off (Pro upgrade) Official pricing
Open source
Platforms
Windows
—
Company 2025 —
Listed in
Utilities Desktop Apps Windows Tools Productivity System Utility +2
Mac Tools Window Manager Mac Developer Tools +1

About Display Dimmer and Rectangle

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Display Dimmer
Rectangle

Display Dimmer is a Windows utility for controlling external monitor brightness and contrast from one simple app. It is built for real multi-monitor setups, including desktops, docks, reconnects, sleep/resume, HDR changes, and monitors that do not always respond consistently to hardware...

Read more about Display Dimmer

No description of Rectangle yet.

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Display Dimmer 12 features
Rectangle 5 features
  • Brightness control
    Adjust external monitor brightness from Windows.
  • Global Hotkeys
    Use keyboard shortcuts for brightness, contrast, automation, and resets.
  • Multi-monitor support
    Control individual displays or all displays together.
  • Works on laptops
    Gamma dimming fallback allows Display Dimmer to be compatible with every display.
  • DDC/CI control
    Uses hardware monitor control when supported.
  • Gamma fallback
    Falls back to software dimming when DDC/CI is unavailable or unreliable.
  • Schedules
    Automatically change brightness by time of day.
  • App Rules
    Apply brightness settings when specific apps or fullscreen apps are active.
  • Contrast control
    Adjust monitor contrast per display
  • Physical Brightness Keys
    Supports brightness keys on compatible keyboards and devices.
  • Linked Display Groups
    Group multiple monitors and control them together.
  • System Tray
    System Tray Run quietly in the Windows notification area.
  • Ease of Use
    Rectangle offers an intuitive user interface that makes window management straightforward and user-friendly.
  • Customizable Shortcuts
    Users can easily configure keyboard shortcuts to better suit their workflow, making window management faster and more efficient.
  • Free
    Rectangle is available for free, making it accessible to anyone without the need for a financial investment.
  • Frequent Updates
    The app receives regular updates, introducing new features and ensuring compatibility with the latest macOS versions.
  • Lightweight
    Rectangle is a lightweight application that doesn't consume many system resources, ensuring smooth performance even on older Macs.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Rectangle lacks some of the more advanced features found in paid window management applications, such as multiple monitor support and more complex window arrangements.
  • MacOS Only
    Rectangle is only available for macOS, so users of other operating systems are unable to take advantage of its features.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Some users report occasional bugs or unpredictable behavior, which might require troubleshooting or waiting for a future update.
  • Learning Curve for Shortcuts
    While customizable shortcuts are a benefit, there is an initial learning curve for users to memorize and effectively use these shortcuts.
  • Basic Aesthetic
    The app's design and aesthetic are quite basic, lacking the polish and visual appeal found in some other similar tools.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Display Dimmer
Rectangle

Overall verdict

  • Display Dimmer is a useful and lightweight utility for reducing screen brightness beyond the hardware minimum, making it a solid choice for users who need finer control over their display, though as with any third-party tool you should verify current features and compatibility before relying on it.

Why this product is good

  • Allows dimming your screen below the standard hardware minimum brightness, which is helpful in low-light or nighttime environments
  • Typically lightweight and simple to use without a steep learning curve
  • Can help reduce eye strain during extended use in dark settings
  • Useful for multi-monitor setups where hardware brightness controls may be inconsistent

Recommended for

  • Users who work or browse in dark rooms and find the minimum hardware brightness too bright
  • People experiencing eye strain from screen glare at night
  • Multi-monitor users needing consistent brightness control across displays
  • Anyone wanting simple software-based brightness adjustment without extra hardware

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Rectangle is highly regarded for its ease of use, extensive customization options, and the fact that it is free and open-source. It provides essential functionality without unnecessary complexity, making it suitable for both casual users and power users who need efficient window management.

Why this product is good

  • Rectangle is a popular window management tool for macOS, known for its simplicity and ease of use. It allows users to efficiently organize and resize application windows using customizable keyboard shortcuts or by dragging windows into pre-defined areas of the screen. This can enhance productivity by minimizing the time spent arranging windows and improving multitasking capabilities.

Recommended for

    Rectangle is recommended for macOS users looking for a straightforward, lightweight solution to manage application windows. It is particularly beneficial for those who frequently work with multiple applications at once, including developers, designers, and anyone who values a tidy and organized desktop environment.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Display Dimmer 0 videos + Add
Rectangle 3 videos + Add

No Display Dimmer videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

More videos

  • - Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline Review #1
  • - Marvin Malton 160 Rectangle Flying Hour Watch Review

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Display Dimmer
Rectangle
100% 100%
Productivity
0% 0%
0% 0%
Mac Tools
100% 100%
100% 100%
Utilities
0% 0%
0% 0%
Window Manager
100% 100%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Display Dimmer and Rectangle.

What makes your product unique?

Display Dimmer's answer

Display Dimmer is built for real Windows multi-monitor setups, not just simple single-screen brightness changes. It supports per-monitor brightness and contrast, All Displays control, schedules, app rules, global hotkeys, linked display groups, and DDC/CI hardware control where supported.

When hardware brightness control is unavailable or unreliable, Display Dimmer can fall back to software dimming, making it useful across more monitor, dock, HDR, and reconnect scenarios.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Display Dimmer's answer

Display Dimmer is designed for users who want reliable monitor brightness control without constantly opening monitor menus or changing settings manually.

It combines quick brightness sliders, DDC/CI support, gamma fallback, automation, hotkeys, app rules, schedules, and multi-monitor controls in one Windows app. It is especially useful for people with external monitors, docks, multiple displays, or setups where hardware brightness control is inconsistent.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Display Dimmer's answer

Display Dimmer is for Windows users with external monitors who want faster, easier brightness and contrast control.

The primary audience includes people with multi-monitor desks, developers, designers, remote workers, students, gamers, and anyone who changes screen brightness throughout the day or wants monitor brightness to adjust automatically based on time, app, or workflow.

What's the story behind your product?

Display Dimmer's answer

Display Dimmer was created to make external monitor brightness control on Windows easier and more reliable.

Many Windows setups do not provide a simple built-in brightness slider for external monitors, and hardware monitor controls can be slow, inconsistent, or hidden behind physical buttons. Display Dimmer was built to solve that problem with a cleaner app experience, practical automation, and fallback behavior for real-world monitor setups.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

Display Dimmer's answer

Display Dimmer is built as a native Windows desktop app using C#, WPF, and .NET Framework.

It uses Windows display APIs, DDC/CI monitor control where supported, gamma ramp/software dimming fallback, global hotkey handling, and local app settings to manage brightness, contrast, schedules, app rules, and multi-monitor behavior.

Who are some of the biggest customers of your product?

Display Dimmer's answer

  • Everyday Windows users
  • Multi-monitor desktop users
  • Developers and software engineers
  • Designers, creators, and productivity-focused users
  • Remote workers and home office users
  • Students and gamers using external monitors

User comments

Share your experience with using Display Dimmer and Rectangle. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Display Dimmer no reviews yet
Rectangle no reviews yet

We have no reviews of Display Dimmer yet. Be the first one to post

  • Best 6 Mac Window Managers
    mackeeper.com · Sep 2023

    Rectangle shows that you don’t need to dip into your bank account to get window resizer tools. This free Mac window manager lets you manage multiple windows using keyboard shortcuts, menu options, or by dragging and...

  • Top 6 Window Manager Apps for Mac
    www.maketecheasier.com · May 2023

    Most window manager apps for Mac support multiple monitors. They can help you move windows between screens and create custom layouts for each monitor. Many window manager apps – such as BetterSnapTool, Magnet, and...

  • The 6 Best Mac Window Management Tools
    www.makeuseof.com · Apr 2023

    However, it might take some time for you to get used to the shortcuts in the Rectangle app since there are many. Furthermore, you can also add some of your apps to exceptions if you want to keep them away from...

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Display Dimmer 0 mentions
Rectangle 480 mentions

Tracking Display Dimmer since May 2026.

  • Apple introduces M6 and M5 Ultra for a big leap in performance and AI compute
    Rectangle solved my macos window management annoyances. https://rectangleapp.com/ Not involved in dev of this, just a happy user. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Released
    As a both old Linux and now decade user of MacOS, after I got used to no middle-click paste and no focus-follows-mouse: 1. Keyboard shortcuts are Emacs, Ctrl-A: start of line, E: end of line, K: kill selected or to end of line, Y to... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • Native Instant Space Switching on macOS
    Every macOS user uses Rectangle.app — https://rectangleapp.com The ones who don't use it is because they don’t know it exists. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago

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Alternatives to Display Dimmer and Rectangle

When comparing Display Dimmer and Rectangle, you can also consider the following products.

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