Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

DisplayBuddy VS SelfControl

Compare DisplayBuddy VS SelfControl 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.

SelfControl logo SelfControl

V2 updates! - Custom time interval for distraction free mode - Ability to turn off ' always on' mode - Improved UI -- Self Control -- A simple app to keep you focused online by blocking sites that you spend way too much time on.
  • 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.

  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

DisplayBuddy

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

SelfControl

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.

SelfControl features and specs

  • Effective Website Blocking
    SelfControl blocks access to distracting websites based on a customizable blocklist, helping users stay focused.
  • Timer Functionality
    Users can set a timer for how long they want websites to remain blocked, ensuring focused work periods without distraction.
  • Free to Use
    SelfControl is open-source and free to download and use, making it accessible to anyone without financial barriers.
  • Easy to Use
    The interface is straightforward and user-friendly, allowing users to quickly set their preferences and get started.

Possible disadvantages of SelfControl

  • Mac-Only
    SelfControl is only available for macOS, excluding Windows and Linux users from using the application.
  • No Undo Option
    Once the block period is set and started, it cannot be undone even by restarting the computer, which could be an issue if access to blocked sites is needed unexpectedly.
  • Limited Feature Set
    The app primarily focuses on website blocking, lacking additional productivity tools or features like app blocking or usage analytics.
  • No Scheduled Blocking
    SelfControl does not offer the ability to schedule block sessions in advance, meaning users must manually start each session.

Analysis of SelfControl

Overall verdict

  • Overall, SelfControl is a highly recommended tool for individuals looking to enhance their productivity by minimizing digital distractions. Its open-source nature and no-nonsense approach make it a popular choice among students, freelancers, and professionals alike.

Why this product is good

  • SelfControl is considered a good application because it effectively blocks distracting websites, helping users focus on their tasks without getting sidetracked by online distractions. It's simple to use, efficient, and highly customizable, allowing users to specify which sites to block and for how long, ensuring a tailored productivity experience.

Recommended for

    SelfControl is ideal for students who need to concentrate on studying, remote workers who want to avoid procrastination, freelancers who require discipline in managing their time, and anyone who needs a simple solution to reduce digital distractions during focused work periods.

DisplayBuddy videos

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

Add video

SelfControl videos

How to block websites that distract you ? Selfcontrol [Mac App review and tutorial]

More videos:

  • Review - SelfControl Review - Block distracting websites

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to DisplayBuddy and SelfControl)
Mac
100 100%
0% 0
Time Tracking
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
21 21%
79% 79
Time Management
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using DisplayBuddy and SelfControl. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

DisplayBuddy Reviews

  1. Khan Winter
    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

SelfControl Reviews

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SelfControl should be more popular than DisplayBuddy. It has been mentiond 79 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 / almost 3 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 / almost 3 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: over 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
View more

SelfControl mentions (79)

  • Oregon School Cell Phone Ban: 'Engaged Students, Joyful Teachers'
    A combination of https://selfcontrolapp.com/ and Hammerspoon automation and you can lock yourself out of pretty much everything. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Kiki โ€“ The accountability monster for people who are easily distracted
    Happy to see it still exists, and free https://selfcontrolapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • How do you fight YouTube addiction and procrastination? I'm struggling with it
    I have found that a useful method for getting distractions off my work laptop has been https://selfcontrolapp.com/ (if you're on mac). - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Using an $8 smart outlet to avoid brainrot
    Pro tip for macos/ios folks: - Macos: Install https://selfcontrolapp.com/, add every website and their alternatives you know, set it to 24 hours. Really hard to bypass this even if you know networking stuff - iOS: Enable downtime 24/7 ask someone else to set the password. I'm down to about 35 minutes a day of mobile usage, and laptop usage is only work related things. You really need two or three days to clear... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • My 30-Year Quitting Addiction
    There is a free and open source app called SelfControl for macOS. It allows one to block access to any site one adds to the list in the app for the amount of time the user chooses. Attempt to use multiple browsers, restarting one's machine, deleting the app, etc. won't get around the block either. It's been super helpful for me, so I thought I'd just throw it out there. https://selfcontrolapp.com. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing DisplayBuddy and SelfControl, 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.

Cold Turkey - Cold Turkey is a free productivity program that you can use to temporarily block distractions so that you can get your work done!

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

Freedom.to - Freedom is a productivity hack that lets you block apps, websites or the entire Internet on iPhones, iPads, Windows and Mac computers.

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

FocusMe - The website blocker you can't cheat