Comparison
LUMEL vs Vivid
Vivid makes your Mac brighter. LUMEL does that too — and also dims below the minimum, has a free tier that never expires, collects no data, and unlocks full-screen boost for a one-time $2.99. Here's the honest picture.
Updated June 2026 · Free download · Pro unlock $2.99
The short version
It goes both ways
LUMEL brightens beyond the max AND dims below the minimum. Vivid only brightens — that's the one difference no competitor matches.
A free tier that lasts
Boost the left half with Compare, plus full, unlimited Eclipse dimming — free forever. No watermark, no expiring trial.
Private, and $2.99
No data collected, sandboxed, no subscription. Full-screen boost is a single $2.99 unlock you own for good.
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 | Brighten only | 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 | Up to ~1600 nits peak | 1000 nits sustained; App Store references XDR up to 1600 | Up to 1000 nits | Up to 1600 nits |
| Below-minimum dimming | Yes — Eclipse | No — brighten only | 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: June 20, 2026. Sources: Vivid · Vivid · App Store · BrightIntosh · BrightIntosh · App Store · LumiMax · Apple · MacBook Pro specs
Where Vivid is still a good pick
We'd rather be straight with you than oversell. Vivid hooks into your Mac's native brightness keys, so you can boost with the same keys you already use — LUMEL trades that away to stay sandboxed and collect no data. Vivid is also the older, best-known name in the category.
If native-key control is the one thing you can't live without, Vivid is a fine choice. If you want below-minimum dimming, a free tier that never expires, zero data collection, and a lower price — that's LUMEL.
LUMEL vs Vivid — quick answers
Is LUMEL a free alternative to Vivid?
Yes — LUMEL is free to download and its free tier never expires: Compare boost on the left half of your screen, plus unlimited Eclipse dimming. Full-screen boost is a one-time $2.99 unlock, with no subscription.
Does LUMEL get as bright as Vivid?
Both use Apple's public Extended Dynamic Range path to push supported XDR displays toward their ~1600-nit peak. The ceiling is set by your Mac's hardware, not the app — so on the same Mac, the headroom is the same.
Can Vivid dim the screen like LUMEL?
No. Vivid only brightens. LUMEL also has Eclipse mode, which dims below the macOS minimum for dark rooms — so it covers both directions in one app.
How much does LUMEL cost compared to Vivid?
LUMEL is free to download with a one-time $2.99 Pro unlock. Vivid is a paid one-time purchase (roughly $10–$20 depending on region and store). Neither charges a subscription.
Is LUMEL private?
Yes. LUMEL is sandboxed with no network entitlement and collects no data of any kind. Your preferences stay on your Mac.
Try the two-way one. It's free.
Download LUMEL free, then unlock full-screen boost for a one-time $2.99.
Looking for night use? How to dim your Mac below the minimum →