Getting a Pro license

A BetterDisplay Pro license unlocks Pro features for the current major app version, covers earlier versions when needed for compatibility, and includes at least one year of updates, including major upgrades released during that period. It is a perpetual license for the versions it covers, with no subscription.

See Free and Pro features for a comparison of feature access before deciding which features you need.

Try the app before purchasing

The 14-day trial starts when you first open the app with licensing enabled. Use it to check the features you need with your own Mac and displays. After the trial, non-business users can continue using the free features; businesses need a Pro license for continued use, including free features.

Read the license terms, refund policy and privacy policy before purchasing. Purchases are generally final; the policy explains the exceptions for unresolved licensing problems and the limits of compatibility and support.

Purchase Pro

Purchase from betterdisplay.pro, or open Settings > Pro, choose Buy BetterDisplay Pro, and follow the checkout steps. Paddle provides checkout, payment processing, invoices and license delivery.

The advertised price is US$21.99 / €19.99. Currency, exchange rates and applicable taxes can change the final amount; check the total shown at checkout before paying.

Payment methods

In-app checkout offers credit/debit cards and PayPal. Website checkout can offer additional methods, including Apple Pay in Safari, Google Pay in Chrome, and Alipay when the checkout country is China. Availability depends on your browser, location and the options Paddle currently offers; use the website if your preferred method is absent in the app.

Student and academic discount

Student App Centre currently offers a 25% BetterDisplay discount through its membership. New members can claim the discount during a seven-day free membership trial. Follow the site's current eligibility and redemption instructions.

The Student App Centre membership is separate from the BetterDisplay license and renews as a paid yearly subscription after its trial unless canceled. Keeping that membership is optional; review its terms before joining.

Currency, taxes and business details

Paddle suggests your location from your IP address. Check that the country or region reflects your purchase location; changing it can update the currency, tax and total. You are responsible for the location and tax details supplied at checkout.

For a business invoice, enter your business details and, where applicable, VAT number. The VAT field is available after you provide your email address and country. These details can be supplied in either web or in-app checkout, and business details can also be added afterward through Paddle. Tax treatment depends on your location and eligibility.

Multiple licenses and volume purchases

Use website checkout to select the number of licenses required. Paddle emails the purchased license codes to the address supplied during checkout. For deployments of 25 or more computers, contact the developer using the details in Business licensing.

Coupon codes

Enter a coupon before selecting the payment method. Website checkout offers Add discount; in-app checkout offers Add Coupon. Follow the coupon's conditions and confirm that the discount appears in the final total.

Activate your purchase

1. Find the email from Paddle containing your license code.
2. Open Settings > Pro and choose Already Have a License?. If the app already holds a license, the button is Manage License.
3. Enter the purchase Email Address and License Code, then choose Activate.
4. Wait for activation to finish, then confirm that the Pro pane shows Pro License Activated.

The Pro pane reference explains the activation and checkout windows. Closing checkout alone does not confirm successful activation. If your license email is missing, check the purchase email address and contact Paddle buyer support for delivery or recovery help.

Which versions does my license cover?

A new purchase covers the current major version and previous versions. The published free-upgrade arrangements are:

An Outdated License notice means the license does not cover that newer major version; it does not mean the license has expired for versions it already covers. Read the v5 upgrade FAQ or v4 upgrade FAQ before changing an existing activation.

Transfer to another Mac

For a license that covers the destination app version, save your purchase email and license code, then remove the old Mac's activation before migration when possible. Under Settings > Pro, use Deactivate License, or choose Manage Activations > Remove This Activation when that interface is offered. After transferring your data, activate BetterDisplay on the new Mac with the same purchase details.

After using Migration Assistant

Migration Assistant can copy the old Mac's activation files, but the new Mac has different hardware identifiers. If BetterDisplay reports License Issue Detected, activate it on the new Mac using your license details. Dismissing the notice alone does not repair the activation.

Older app versions may appear activated or prefill a license even though Pro is unavailable. In that case, open their activation dialog, deactivate the copied activation, then enter your details again—using a license valid for that app version.

If the old Mac is unavailable or the activation limit is reached

Current versions can remove the oldest activation when an activation-limit error occurs in the activation dialog, then retry the new activation. This needs a successful response from Paddle. You can also inspect and remove an unused activation using scripted license management, even when the old Mac was wiped or is no longer accessible.

Troubleshoot activation

First check the email address and license code, the app version your license covers, and whether Licensing & Pro Features is enabled in the Pro pane. If you moved computers, follow the migration guidance above.

For connection failures, allow BetterDisplay to reach Paddle over HTTPS. The production licensing host is v3.paddleapi.com; a managed firewall may need to permit *.paddleapi.com and *.paddle.com. See firewall configuration.

A successful update check does not prove that Paddle is reachable: updates and licensing use different services. Check firewall or security-app rules for the licensing connection itself. For unresolved license delivery, activation or billing problems, contact Paddle buyer support.

Automated deployment

Scripted license management covers activation, deactivation, listing remote activations and hiding license-management UI. It also explains how to run commands for the intended macOS user from an MDM deployment.