Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

DisplayBuddy VS RetroMac

Compare DisplayBuddy VS RetroMac and see what are their differences

DisplayBuddy logo DisplayBuddy

Control the real brightness of your monitors directly from your Mac - no need to touch the buttons on your Monitor.

RetroMac logo RetroMac

Turn your Mac into a time machine
  • DisplayBuddy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-06

DisplayBuddy lets you control external displays connected to your Mac right from your menu bar - No need to touch those clunky monitor buttons!

It has been tested on a wide range of monitors from manufacturers such as Dell, Acer, LG, Samsung, BenQ & PRISM, and works with most displays manufactured in the last 5 years. DisplayBuddy can also control the volume for monitors with built-in speakers, turn off your monitors, sync brightness across displays and even switch display inputs to HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C and more.

  • RetroMac Landing page
    Landing page //
    2026-06-30

DisplayBuddy

$ Details
paid Free Trial $18.99 / One-off
Platforms
Mac OSX Windows
Release Date
2021 February

RetroMac

Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
-

DisplayBuddy features and specs

  • Seamless Monitor Control
    DisplayBuddy allows users to easily control the brightness, contrast, and volume of their monitors directly from their macOS device without having to fiddle with physical monitor buttons.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The app offers a clean and intuitive interface, making it accessible for users of all tech-savvy levels to manage their displays effectively.
  • Multiple Monitor Support
    DisplayBuddy supports multiple monitors, providing unified control to adjust settings across various displays simultaneously, which is ideal for users with multiple screen setups.
  • Compatibility
    It is compatible with a wide range of monitor brands and models, increasing its usability for a diverse user base.
  • Convenience
    Users can make display adjustments without interrupting their workflow, saving time and reducing the hassle of manual adjustments.

RetroMac features and specs

  • Nostalgic Design
    RetroMac offers a charming, nostalgic experience that recreates the look and feel of classic Macintosh interfaces, appealing to fans of vintage Apple computing and retro aesthetics.
  • Web-Based Accessibility
    As a web application, RetroMac is accessible directly from a browser without requiring any software installation, making it easy for anyone to try out quickly.
  • Educational Value
    RetroMac serves as an educational tool that allows younger generations and computing enthusiasts to experience what early Macintosh computing was like, preserving digital history in an interactive way.
  • Fun and Unique Experience
    The app provides a fun, interactive experience that stands out from typical modern applications, offering a playful way to explore retro computing concepts and classic Mac OS elements.
  • Lightweight Application
    The app is relatively lightweight and simple in scope, meaning it loads quickly and doesn't require significant system resources to run effectively.

Possible disadvantages of RetroMac

  • Limited Practical Utility
    RetroMac is primarily a novelty or educational tool and doesn't offer significant practical functionality for everyday computing tasks or productivity workflows.
  • Niche Audience
    The app appeals mainly to a niche audience of retro computing enthusiasts and Apple history fans, limiting its broader appeal to the general public.
  • Limited Feature Set
    Compared to full emulators or virtual machines that can run actual classic Mac OS software, RetroMac may offer a more limited and curated experience with fewer features and applications.
  • Browser Compatibility Concerns
    As a web-based application, the experience may vary across different browsers and devices, potentially leading to inconsistencies in performance or visual rendering.
  • Limited Documentation and Community
    Being a smaller, niche project, RetroMac may have limited documentation, community support, and update frequency compared to larger, more established retro computing projects.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to DisplayBuddy and RetroMac)
Mac
81 81%
19% 19
Android
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
79 79%
21% 21
Utilities
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare DisplayBuddy and RetroMac

DisplayBuddy Reviews

  1. Simple UI, and does what is says very well!

    If you use a monitor with your Mac, this app is life changing. I started using DisplayBuddy and I can never go back to monitor buttons now!

    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Works perfectly|Supports mac shortcuts

RetroMac Reviews

We have no reviews of RetroMac yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, DisplayBuddy seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 8 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

DisplayBuddy mentions (8)

  • Little macOS Apps That Make a Big Difference in 2024
    Adding my must haves: - DisplayBuddy: a more modern alternative to BetterDisplay to control monitors (https://displaybuddy.app) - Magnet: the simplest and best window manager (https://magnet.crowdcafe.com) - DaisyDisk: fantastic way to visualise your disk usage and free up space (https://daisydiskapp.com). - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • 18-year-old built a better computer monitor that doesn't strain your eyes
    Why not just use https://displaybuddy.app on a modern monitor and not strain your eyes. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Scrollbars Are Becoming a Problem
    If youโ€™re looking for something that allows media keys and custom keyboard shortcuts: https://displaybuddy.app/ Works on both Windows and Mac. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • TIL there are apps that can control your monitor without touching the buttons on it
    All DDC related features in BetterDisplay and MonitorControl is completely free without limitation or no nag screens of any kind. Lunar has manual control available for free (with a daily adjustment limit). DisplayBuddy was also mentioned here - it is a rather limited app and asks a bunch of money for stuff that is available for free and in a better implemented form in basically every other app (which is weird as... Source: about 3 years ago
  • App LIST!!!
    DisplayBuddy (Paid) Very limited options, tbh I don't recommend it compared to Lunar or BetterDisplay. Source: over 3 years ago
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RetroMac mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of RetroMac yet. Tracking of RetroMac recommendations started around Jun 2026.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing DisplayBuddy and RetroMac, you can also consider the following products

Lunar.fyi - Control monitor brightness, adapt using the ambient light sensor, adjust volume, switch inputs and turn off displays without fiddling with clunky buttons.

Camo - Use your iPhone or iPad as a pro webcam

MonitorControl - Control your external monitor brightness&volume on your Mac

BetterDisplay - Unlock your displays on your Mac!

Twinkle Tray - Easily manage the brightness of your monitors in Windows from the system tray.

HazeOver - Focus on one app by dimming all the background windows