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Photography · head to head

Adobe Lightroom vs RawTherapee

Adobe Lightroom logo

Adobe Lightroom

Photography

Photo editing and organization software for photographers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RawTherapee logo

RawTherapee

Photography

Open source raw developer with selectable demosaicing algorithms and floating point processing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Adobe Lightroom no layer support for complex edits, requiring Photoshop for advanced manipulation; RawTherapee there is no catalogue, only a folder browser, so any library management, keywording or search has to happen in a separate application.
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Lightroom covers RAW photo editing, RawTherapee covers Selectable demosaicing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe Lightroom and RawTherapee actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Lightroom and RawTherapee differ
AttributeAdobe LightroomRawTherapee
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Apple TVLinux, Windows, macOS
Founded1982Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Photography).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adobe Lightroom

  • RAW photo editing
  • Non-destructive editing
  • Batch processing
  • Color correction
  • Lens corrections
  • Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Adobe Stock
  • Adobe Portfolio

Only in RawTherapee

  • Selectable demosaicing
  • Floating point pipeline
  • Local adjustments
  • Wavelet levels
  • Processing profiles
  • Colour management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adobe Lightroom

  • Photo editingnot RawTherapee
  • RAW processingnot RawTherapee
  • Photo organizationnot RawTherapee
  • Client galleriesnot RawTherapee

RawTherapee

  • Difficult raw files where the demosaicing algorithm visibly changes the result, such as fine fabric, foliage or architectural detailnot Adobe Lightroom
  • Archive and restoration work where a free tool with strict colour management is preferable to a subscriptionnot Adobe Lightroom
  • Photographers who want to understand and control each processing stage rather than accept a vendor renderingnot Adobe Lightroom
  • Producing a high quality sixteen bit TIFF to hand to GIMP or another editor for compositingnot Adobe Lightroom

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adobe Lightroom

  • No layer support for complex edits, requiring Photoshop for advanced manipulation
  • Generative credits limited and require monthly replenishment, restricting AI features usage
  • Cloud storage required for full functionality and syncing
  • No dual monitor support within the application

RawTherapee

  • There is no catalogue, only a folder browser, so any library management, keywording or search has to happen in a separate application.
  • The default rendering is deliberately neutral and looks flat next to the camera JPEG, which means every user has to build their own processing profiles before the tool is pleasant to use.
  • Support for new camera models and for Fujifilm X-Trans sensors arrives later than in commercial converters because it depends on volunteer work and upstream library updates.
  • The interface presents several hundred controls across many tabs with little guidance about which ones interact, and the learning curve is measured in weeks rather than hours.
  • Batch export is slow compared with commercial converters and there is no GPU acceleration, so processing a large wedding shoot ties up the machine for a long time.

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Lightroom

Free
  • Lightroom Plan (1TB)$11.99/month
    • Lightroom cloud storage with 1TB
    • 100 generative credits per month
  • Photography Plan$19.99/month
    • Lightroom and Lightroom Classic
    • Photoshop
    • 1TB cloud storage

RawTherapee

Free
  • RawTherapeeFree
    • GPL licensed with no seat limit
    • All processing features included
    • Documentation and support through RawPedia and the community forum

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe Lightroom if

  • You need raw photo editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Apple TV.
  • You also want non-destructive editing.
Adobe Lightroom review

Choose RawTherapee if

  • You need selectable demosaicing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want floating point pipeline.
RawTherapee review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Lightroom or RawTherapee better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Lightroom starts at Free and RawTherapee at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Lightroom or RawTherapee?
Adobe Lightroom starts at Free and RawTherapee at Free.
Does Adobe Lightroom or RawTherapee run on more platforms?
Adobe Lightroom runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Apple TV. RawTherapee runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use Adobe Lightroom for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Adobe Lightroom best used for?
Adobe Lightroom is most often used for photo editing, raw processing, photo organization, client galleries. Of those, photo editing and raw processing are not what RawTherapee is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Lightroom do that RawTherapee cannot?
Adobe Lightroom covers RAW photo editing, Non-destructive editing, Batch processing, Color correction. RawTherapee covers Selectable demosaicing, Floating point pipeline, Local adjustments, Wavelet levels.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Adobe Lightroom: Can I edit photos offline in Lightroom?

Yes, you can edit locally stored photos without syncing to the cloud. Lightroom lets you access photos from your device through the Local tab and edit them independently of cloud connectivity.

Source
RawTherapee: Does RawTherapee support Fujifilm X-Trans files?

Yes, but support arrived later than in commercial converters and results on fine detail still trail Capture One and Adobe on some bodies.

Adobe Lightroom: What are generative credits and how many do I get?

Generative credits limit AI-powered edits like Generative Fill and Expand. Plans joined before June 17, 2025 receive 100 credits monthly; newer plans get 25 credits. The Photography Plan with 1TB includes 500 credits.

Source
RawTherapee: Can it replace Lightroom entirely?

It replaces the develop side. It does not replace the catalogue, so you will need digiKam, darktable or something similar alongside it.

Adobe Lightroom: Can I use Lightroom and Photoshop together?

Yes, you can open photos from Lightroom in Photoshop by right-clicking and selecting Edit in Photoshop. When saved from Photoshop, the edited image reappears in Lightroom automatically.

Source
RawTherapee: Are my edits stored in the raw file?

No. Edits are written to sidecar profile files next to the raw, so originals are untouched and profiles can be copied between images.

Adobe Lightroom: What platforms does Lightroom support?

Lightroom is available on desktop (macOS and Windows), mobile (iOS and Android), web browser, and Apple TV, allowing access across devices.

Source
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