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Adobe Lightroom vs darktable

Commercial RAW workflow with cloud sync; subscription model.
Adobe LightroomPhoto editing and RAW workflowdarktableOpen-source photography workflow and RAW developer

Which to pick

Pick Adobe Lightroom if you want…

  • Cloud-based photo editing and organization
  • Adobe Lightroom photo management

Pick darktable if you want…

  • Open-source RAW workflow
  • A free, open-source tool

Side by side

What it is
Adobe Lightroom:Adobe Lightroom is a cloud-based photo editing, organizing and storage tool for photographers.
darktable:darktable is an open-source photography workflow app and RAW developer with non-destructive editing.
Best for
Adobe Lightroom:Cloud-based photo editing and organization
darktable:Open-source RAW workflow
Who it’s for
Adobe Lightroom:Professional photographers and photo enthusiasts who need editing and workflow across devices.
darktable:Photographers who need a free, full-featured RAW processing tool.
Pricing
Adobe Lightroom:Paid
darktable:Open source
Open source
Adobe Lightroom:—
darktable:Yes, 13,217 GitHub stars

Adobe Lightroom features

  • Generative Upscale. Upscales images up to 4× using AI-powered Topaz Gigapixel.
  • Assisted Culling. Scores photos for sharpness, focus and open eyes to speed selection.
  • Quick Actions. One-click portrait retouching like skin smoothing, blemish removal and teeth whitening.
  • Dust Removal. AI detects and removes sensor dust from photos with high precision.
  • AI Lens Blur. Creates custom portrait blur with one-tap presets powered by AI.

darktable features

  • Virtual Lighttable. Browse and organize digital negatives in a zoomable database view.
  • Non-destructive Editing. All adjustments are stored in a pipeline, leaving the original file untouched.
  • GPU-accelerated Processing. Leverages the video card to speed up image development.
  • Professional Color Management. Ensures color fidelity from screen to print.
  • Cross-platform Installation. Available for Linux, macOS and Windows with simple install guides.
  • Community Support. Mailing list, forum and source code contributions for users and developers.

Adobe Lightroom vs darktable FAQ

Is Adobe Lightroom or darktable free?+

Adobe Lightroom is paid, with a free trial. darktable is free and open source.

Is Adobe Lightroom or darktable open source?+

darktable is open source (darktable-org/darktable on GitHub, GPL-3.0 license). DevHunt has no public source repository on record for Adobe Lightroom.

On DevHunt

Adobe Lightroom

Listed by DevHunt

Adobe Lightroom on DevHunt →Adobe Lightroom alternatives

darktable

Listed by DevHunt

darktable on DevHunt →darktable alternatives

Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.