3 indie Adobe Lightroom alternatives.
Adobe Lightroom costs $144 a year. The cheapest pick here costs $0 in its first year, $144 less. Here is what each one costs and what you give up.
| Adobe Lightroom | RawTherapee | darktable | Darkroom | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $143.88/yr | Free | Free | Free plan · $99.99 once · $9.99/mo · $39.99/yr |
| First year | $144 | $0 | $0 | $40 |
| Plan | Lightroom (1TB), annual billed monthly | Free (GPLv3) | Free (GPL 3.0) | Darkroom+ |
| Made by | Adobe | Open source | Open source | Independent company |
| Platforms | web, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows | Windows, Mac, Linux | Windows, Mac, Linux | iOS, Mac |
| You give up | — | Desktop only, no cloud sync, basic photo library. | No mobile app or cloud sync, and it takes longer to learn. | Apple devices only: no Windows, Android or web. |
| Price source | checked 2026-10-24 | checked 2026-10-24 | checked 2026-10-24 | checked 2026-10-25 |
US prices for one person, read on each vendor's own pricing page. Tax not included. Spot a wrong price? Tell us.
The picks
RawTherapee
Free, open-source raw photo processor with detailed controls.
−$144vs Adobe Lightroom
darktable
Open-source raw photo developer and library, Lightroom Classic-style.
−$144vs Adobe Lightroom
Darkroom
Photo and video editor for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
−$104vs Adobe Lightroom