Are you a photographer looking for an Adobe Lightroom alternative that’s got more features and is cheaper? Look no further! We’ve found plenty of tools that can be Adobe Lightroom alternatives and can fit your needs well.
Whether you are a beginner or a professional, an enthusiast, or a freelancer, there is an Adobe Lightroom alternative out there for you. In this post, we’ll look at the top 8 Adobe Lightroom alternatives and the features they offer, so you can make an informed decision on which alternative is best for you.
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Adobe Lightroom Alternatives
Let’s look at the 8 great alternatives to Adobe Lightroom we’ve found for you!
Postudio
Postudio is an on-demand creative studio available on-demand. It offers industry favorite post-production tools all on the cloud. Enabling your entire creative workflow to be available online. Postudio is also easy on your wallet. You pay only for what you use. If you’re looking to use Photoshop for two hours you only pay for those two hours.
From color-grading to editing and animation Postudio has you covered.
In terms of Image Editing and Color Grading Tools, Postudio has an array for you to choose from. Postudio offers:
- DaVinci Resolve
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Lightroom
Reasons to Use Postudio:
- Completely online and on-demand
- No heavy upfront investments
- You only pay for what you use
- Cheaper Alternative
- Hosts all the creator-favorite tools
- You can switch between tools whenever required
- Secure space
- Has a convenient Review & Approval system for smooth communication
- Live collaboration features so you can work with teammates simultaneously
- Shared central storage where one can upload, view and edit assets
Reasons to Skip Postudio:
- No Reason to Skip
ON1 Photo Raw
ON1 Photo Raw is a powerful alternative to Adobe Lightroom that offers advanced editing features, an intuitive interface, and a variety of file format support.
Developed by ON1, Inc. the program has been in existence for around for over a decade and continues to improve and expand its capabilities. ON1 Photo Raw is compatible with all major camera manufacturers’ RAW files, including Canon, Nikon, and Sony.
Reasons to Use ON1 Photo Raw:
- It includes a comprehensive library of editing tools, such as color and tone adjustments, basic retouching, cropping and resizing, lens corrections, and more.
- It offers built-in layers, masks, and blend modes that allow you to easily apply effects without having to edit each layer separately.
- ON1 Photo Raw has a non-destructive workflow allowing for easy adjusting and editing.
Reasons to Skip ON1 Photo Raw:
- It does not offer a cataloging system, so all images must be stored in a specific folder structure.
- The interface is somewhat complex and may take some time to get used to.
- The performance on lower-end computers can be slow and laggy.
Who is ON1 Photo Raw Recommended for?
ON1 Photo Raw is a great choice for photographers who are looking for an easy-to-use, powerful alternative to Adobe Lightroom.
It’s a great option for professionals and hobbyists alike, as it is packed with advanced editing features that rival those of its more expensive counterparts.
If you’re a photographer who needs an all-in-one solution with a non-destructive workflow, ON1 Photo Raw might just be the right choice for you.
Aurora HDR
Aurora HDR is a professional editing software for photography and graphic design, created by the award-winning development team at Skylum Software.
It is a powerful program that enables users to create high-quality images with advanced features such as tone mapping, HDR merge, luminosity masking, de-hazing, and more.
Aurora HDR has been gaining popularity in recent years and is becoming a favorite among photographers, graphic designers, and retouchers. It was named the “Best Mac App” at the 2017 Apple Design Awards.
Reasons to Use Aurora HDR:
- Easy to use, and its advanced features allow for more precise editing.
- It supports both RAW files and JPEGs and includes some of the most powerful editing tools available for photographers, such as exposure blending, color grading, and tone mapping.
- Plus, it can be used as a standalone app or as a plugin for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
Reasons to Skip Aurora HDR:
- Despite its advanced features, it does not offer all the same features as Adobe Lightroom.
- Additionally, its interface may be overwhelming to some users.
Who is Aurora HDR Recommended for?
It is an ideal choice for photographers and graphic designers looking for advanced editing software. Recommended for Experts. It’s great for those who want to take their photos to the next level with its powerful editing tools and easy-to-use interface.
Luminar
Luminar is a popular photo editing software created by Skylum, and it is designed to help photographers produce stunning images with ease.
It is particularly known for its advanced AI-powered features, such as “Accent AI 2.0” which can automatically adjust photos, and “AI Augmented Sky” which can help you replace a boring sky with an amazing one.
Luminar also offers filters, brushes, layers, and other traditional photo-editing tools, so you have everything you need to create beautiful photos. Luminar was the first image-editing software to utilize artificial intelligence for faster and more accurate editing.
Reasons to Use Luminar:
- It offers a great combination of advanced AI features and traditional photo editing tools
- It has an intuitive user interface that makes editing easier and faster
- It works with several types of file formats, including RAW files
- It has an extensive library of powerful presets and filters
Reasons to Skip Luminar:
- It is not suitable for complex photo editing projects
- The application may slow down when working with large images
- It is not available for mobile devices
Who Luminar Recommended for?
Luminar is a great option for photographers who want to quickly enhance their images with advanced AI tools and traditional photo editing tools. It is also an excellent choice for those who are new to photo editing and need a comprehensive yet straightforward solution. Good for beginners.
Capture One
Capture One is an advanced image editing and photo management software created by Phase One, a world-leading provider of medium format cameras and digital imaging solutions. It offers photographers powerful tools for editing RAW and JPEG files, color grading, asset management, and more.
It is the preferred choice of many professional photographers, with its highly advanced features and exceptional quality. Capture One was originally developed for the medium format camera line from Phase One.
Reasons to Use Capture One:
- Capture One offers some of the most advanced image editing capabilities available on the market today.
- Its powerful workflow tools allow for quick adjustments and make it easy to manage large collections of images.
- Its RAW processing capabilities are highly respected, and it is well known for its superior color grading tools.
- Capture One also offers great asset management features and is compatible with many different types of cameras and lenses.
Reasons To Skip Capture One:
- Despite its powerful capabilities, Capture One can be somewhat expensive, with its pro version costing $299 per license.
- It also takes a bit of time to get used to the interface, which is more complex than other editing programs like Adobe Lightroom.
Who Capture One Recommended For?
Capture One is recommended for professional photographers who need powerful workflow tools and high-end RAW processing capabilities. It is also suitable for serious hobbyists who want to take their photography to the next level.
DxO PhotoLab
DxO PhotoLab is a powerful image editing and retouching program designed for photographers who require high-quality results. The program offers a range of tools that can be used to adjust, enhance, and perfect your photos.
It also has a wide selection of color grading and toning tools, as well as RAW conversion capabilities. DxO PhotoLab includes the world’s highest-rated optics correction technology.
This means that photos taken with low-cost lenses or low-quality camera sensors can still be corrected to produce stunning results.
Reasons to Use DxO PhotoLab:
- DxO PhotoLab offers a wide range of features that make it a great choice for photographers who need to make quick and effective edits.
- These features include automatic lens correction, HDR processing, U Point technology (which allows you to make precise local corrections to your photos), tone curve adjustments, and much more.
- It also supports a wide range of file formats, so you can easily work with RAW images from any camera.
Reasons to Skip DxO PhotoLab:
- Although DxO PhotoLab has a lot of great features, it can be overwhelming for beginners.
- Its interface is complex and difficult to navigate, and it does not have the same degree of automation as other programs such as Lightroom.
- It is also more expensive than some of its competitors.
Who is DxO PhotoLab Recommended for?
DxO PhotoLab is ideal for experienced photographers who are looking for an advanced editing program with sophisticated image correction capabilities. It is also a good choice for anyone who wants to make detailed and intricate adjustments to their photos.
Affinity Photo 2
Affinity Photo 2 is a comprehensive editing software program that has recently made its way onto the market as a great alternative to Adobe Lightroom.
It is created by Serif Labs and has been designed with professional photographers and photo editors in mind. It provides an impressive range of tools, from basic adjustments to advanced retouching, masking, and blending.
Affinity Photo 2 also offers a real-time view of results, which is an invaluable feature for professionals who need to be able to work quickly and efficiently.
Reasons to Use Affinity Photo 2:
- A comprehensive selection of editing tools
- Intuitive and simple user interface
- Real-time view of results
- Professional-level adjustments
- Supports RAW file formats
- High-resolution file export
Reasons to Skip Affinity Photo 2:
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- The price tag may be too expensive for some
- Limited integration with third-party services
Who is Affinity Photo 2 Recommended for?
Affinity Photo 2 is best suited for professional photographers and photo editors who are looking for a powerful, feature-rich alternative to Adobe Lightroom.
It’s perfect for those who need advanced editing tools like retouching and masking, as well as for those who want to take advantage of the real-time view of results. It is also great for photographers who need to work quickly and efficiently, due to its intuitive user interface.
Darktable
Darktable is an open-source, free-to-use photography editing software released in 2009 and compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It has all the features of a premium photo editor, including RAW image support, advanced color corrections, a wide range of plugins, batch processing, and many more.
With Darktable, you can organize and edit your photos quickly, as well as perform advanced functions like cloning and spot removal. Darktable has built-in GPU acceleration to speed up the editing process, which can be quite helpful for those who have a graphics card.
Reasons to Use Darktable:
- One of the main reasons to use Darktable is its robust feature set.
- It includes most of the same features you would find in premium programs like Adobe Lightroom or Capture One, such as RAW support, layers and masking tools, curve adjustments, histogram adjustments, and more.
- It also has a very user-friendly UI which makes it easier to learn and use.
- It also has built-in GPU acceleration which can speed up the editing process.
Reasons to Skip Darktable:
- One of the biggest drawbacks of Darktable is its lack of automatic image processing options.
- It also does not have any guided tutorials for beginners and doesn’t have a lot of additional features that you would find in premium software.
- Additionally, it has limited support from the community so if you’re having issues with the program it may be hard to find help.
Who is Darktable Recommended for?
Darktable is recommended for experienced photographers who are comfortable with manual image editing and have a good understanding of photography basics.
It is also a great option for those looking for an open-source and free alternative to Adobe Lightroom or Capture One. Beginners may find it too difficult to use and should consider a different option.
Looking to continue using Adobe Lightroom?
If you want to keep using Adobe Lightroom but don’t like how much it costs. Postudio is the answer to your problem! At a fraction of the cost, Postudio provides its users with well-known picture editing and post-production software.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for an alternative to Lightroom or just trying to expand your editing skill set, any of these programs can help you take your photography to the next level.
Adobe Lightroom Alternatives are quickly becoming more popular amongst hobbyists and professional photographers alike due to their affordability and advanced features.
Some of the Adobe Lightroom Alternatives also offer cloud-based versions which make them easy to access anywhere. Most Adobe Lightroom competitors come with presets, brushes, curves, and color adjustments as well as other powerful image-editing tools.
Not only do they offer similar features as Adobe Lightroom, but they also often include features Adobe Lightroom doesn’t have, such as AI filters. With any of these Adobe Lightroom Alternative programs, you’ll be able to make stunning edits to your images with ease!
FAQs
1. Is there a good alternative to Lightroom?
Postudio is a great alternative to Adobe Lightroom.
2. Is there a free Lightroom alternative?
Darktable is a great free Lightroom Alternative.
3. Do photographers still use Lightroom?
Yes, Photographers do still use Lightroom
4. Is Gimp as good as Lightroom?
GIMP by popular opinion has been ranked higher than Lightroom
5. Which is better Lightroom or Photoshop?
Lightroom is good to work on multiple images. While Photoshop allows for more exact image editing functions.
