Comparison
LUMEL vs LumiMax
LumiMax boosts your Mac for around $16. LUMEL uses available EDR headroom — and also dims below the minimum, with a free tier, for a one-time $2.99. Here's the honest picture.
Updated June 2026 · Free download · Pro unlock $2.99
The short version
Both ways, not just brighter
LUMEL also dims below the minimum with Eclipse. LumiMax only brightens.
About a fifth of the price
Free download + $2.99 once, plus a free tier that never expires — vs roughly $16.
The display sets the ceiling
Uses available EDR headroom, with Eclipse dimming and no data collected.
How LUMEL compares.
A focused, private brightness utility at a small price. Here is the honest picture against the apps people ask about - including where we trade a feature away.
| Capability | LUMEL | Vivid | BrightIntosh | LumiMax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direction | Both — boost + dim | Both — boost + Eclipse dim | Brighten only | Brighten only |
| Price | Free; Pro unlock $2.99 | €10 direct; $24.99 on the App Store | $1.99 in-app | $16.35 + 10% fee direct |
| Brightness claim | Uses available EDR headroom; hardware-dependent | 1000 nits sustained; App Store references XDR up to 1600 | Up to 1000 nits | Up to 1600 nits |
| Below-minimum dimming | Yes — Eclipse | Yes — Eclipse mode (since 2.0) | No — brighten only | No — brighten only |
| Battery automation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Configurable auto-off timer | Yes | No public evidence | Yes | No public evidence |
| Free tier / trial | Free tier: Compare boost + full Eclipse | Unlimited split-screen trial | 3-day trial | 3-day trial |
| Native brightness keys | No (sandbox tradeoff) | Yes | Yes, after activation | Yes, Pro |
| Privacy | Sandboxed, no network entitlement | App Store: data not collected | App Store: data not collected | States: no data collected |
"No public evidence" means we could not confirm the capability from public sources at the time of writing, not that it is necessarily absent.
Last verified: July 3, 2026.
Where LumiMax is still worth a look
Credit where it's due: LumiMax hooks into your Mac's native brightness keysand is an established, capable brighten-only app that targets the same peak headroom. If native-key control is your must-have and price isn't a factor, it's a reasonable pick.
But if you want two-way control, a free tier that never expires, no data collection, and roughly a fifth of the price, that's LUMEL.
LUMEL vs LumiMax — quick answers
How much cheaper is LUMEL than LumiMax?
LumiMax is around $16.35 (plus a fee on the direct version). LUMEL is free to download with a one-time $2.99 Pro unlock — roughly a fifth of the price. Neither charges a subscription.
Does LumiMax dim the screen below the minimum?
No. LumiMax only brightens. LUMEL also has Eclipse mode, which dims below the macOS minimum for dark rooms and night.
Do they reach the same brightness?
Both use Apple's public Extended Dynamic Range path. LumiMax advertises up to 1600 nits; LUMEL does not promise a fixed nit value. On the same Mac, available headroom still depends on the hardware and current conditions.
Is there a free version?
LUMEL has a free tier that never expires — Compare boost on the left half of the screen plus unlimited Eclipse dimming. LumiMax offers a 3-day trial, then a paid license.
Which should I choose?
If you want native-key control from an established brighten-only app and price isn't a factor, LumiMax works well. If you want two-way control, a free tier that never expires, and a much lower price, choose LUMEL.
Two directions, one-fifth the price.
Download LUMEL free, then unlock full-screen boost for a one-time $2.99.
See the full field? Compare every Mac brightness app →