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Photography · head to head

Adobe Photoshop vs ON1 Photo RAW

Adobe Photoshop logo

Adobe Photoshop

Photography

The world's best imaging and graphic design software

From
$19.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ON1 Photo RAW logo

ON1 Photo RAW

Photography

All-in-one RAW photo editor and organizer, an alternative to Lightroom and Photoshop

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Adobe Photoshop subscription-only model with ever-increasing costs, no perpetual license option; ON1 Photo RAW it is a Mac and Windows desktop application only, with no mobile app or web-based editing option.
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Photoshop covers Advanced photo editing, ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe Photoshop and ON1 Photo RAW actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Photoshop and ON1 Photo RAW differ
AttributeAdobe PhotoshopON1 Photo RAW
Starting price$19.99/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownone-time
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Web, Androidmac, windows
Founded1982Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Photoshop

  • Advanced photo editing
  • Layer-based editing
  • Selection tools
  • Color correction
  • Digital painting
  • 3D design
  • Typography tools
  • Batch processing

Only in ON1 Photo RAW

  • RAW processing and organization
  • Layers and masking
  • NoNoise AI
  • Resize AI
  • Super Select AI
  • Generative editing tools
  • Presets, filters, and LUTs

What people use each for

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

Adobe Photoshop

  • Photo editingnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Digital art creationnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Graphic designnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Web designnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Print designnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Social media graphicsnot ON1 Photo RAW

ON1 Photo RAW

  • Editing and organizing RAW photos without a subscriptionnot Adobe Photoshop
  • Replacing a Lightroom plus Photoshop workflow with one applicationnot Adobe Photoshop
  • Applying AI noise reduction to high-ISO imagesnot Adobe Photoshop
  • Upscaling images for large prints using AInot Adobe Photoshop
  • Building composite edits with layers and masksnot Adobe Photoshop

Where each one falls short

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

Adobe Photoshop

  • Subscription-only model with ever-increasing costs, no perpetual license option
  • High hardware requirements for smooth performance with large graphics
  • Limited mobile optimization compared to desktop version
  • Limited 3D modeling and rendering tools for professionals
  • AI text generation inside images remains inconsistent and unpredictable
  • No progress monitoring bars for rendering operations

ON1 Photo RAW

  • It is a Mac and Windows desktop application only, with no mobile app or web-based editing option.
  • Pricing and available bundles are not clearly listed on the marketing pages, requiring users to reach checkout to see actual costs.
  • Some advanced features and content bundles are locked behind the higher-priced MAX or Studio subscription tiers rather than the base one-time purchase.
  • As a smaller ecosystem than Adobe's, it has fewer third-party plugin and tutorial resources built around it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Photoshop

$19.99/month
  • Photography Plan$19.99/month
    • Photoshop desktop for macOS and Windows
    • Lightroom desktop and cloud
    • 1TB cloud storage
  • Photoshop Single App$22.99/month
    • Photoshop desktop for macOS and Windows
    • Photoshop for iPad
    • Photoshop web (limited features)
  • Creative Cloud Pro$69.99/month
    • All Creative Cloud apps including Photoshop
    • Unlimited standard AI features with Firefly Pro
    • 4,000 AI credits monthly

ON1 Photo RAW

On request
  • Photo RAW$undefined/one-time
    • One-time payment, no subscription
    • Install on two computers
    • Full RAW editing and organization
  • Photo RAW MAX$undefined/one-time
    • One-time payment or subscription option
    • Install on three computers
    • Adds extra effects and content bundles
  • Photo Studio$undefined/month
    • Subscription plan
    • Includes all individual ON1 plugin and standalone titles
    • Cloud sync and ON1 Plus training content

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe Photoshop if

  • You need advanced photo editing.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Web, Android.
  • You also want layer-based editing.
Adobe Photoshop review

Choose ON1 Photo RAW if

  • You need raw processing and organization.
  • You work on mac, windows.
  • You also want layers and masking.
ON1 Photo RAW review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Photoshop or ON1 Photo RAW better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Photoshop starts at $19.99/month and ON1 Photo RAW at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Photoshop or ON1 Photo RAW?
Adobe Photoshop starts at $19.99/month and ON1 Photo RAW at On request.
Does Adobe Photoshop or ON1 Photo RAW run on more platforms?
Adobe Photoshop runs on Windows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Web, Android. ON1 Photo RAW runs on mac, windows.
What is Adobe Photoshop best used for?
Adobe Photoshop is most often used for photo editing, digital art creation, graphic design, web design. Of those, photo editing and digital art creation are not what ON1 Photo RAW is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Photoshop do that ON1 Photo RAW cannot?
Adobe Photoshop covers Advanced photo editing, Layer-based editing, Selection tools, Color correction. ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization, Layers and masking, NoNoise AI, Resize AI.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Adobe Photoshop: What does a Photoshop subscription include?

A single-app Photoshop subscription ($22.99/month) includes the desktop app for macOS and Windows, Photoshop for iPad, limited web features, 100GB cloud storage, and 25 AI credits monthly. The Photography Plan ($19.99/month) adds Lightroom and increases AI credits to 1,000 monthly.

Source
ON1 Photo RAW: Does ON1 Photo RAW require a subscription?

No. ON1 Photo RAW is sold with 'one price covers everything, no subscription' as the default purchase model, though a subscription-based Photo Studio bundle is also offered for users who want ongoing access to all ON1 apps.

Source
Adobe Photoshop: Is there a free trial for Photoshop?

Yes, Adobe offers a 7-day free trial for individuals and 14 days for Teams. The trial requires credit card verification, includes 100GB cloud storage, and full access to all features. The subscription auto-renews at $20.99/month unless cancelled 24 hours before trial ends.

Source
ON1 Photo RAW: What AI features does ON1 Photo RAW include?

It includes Resize AI for super-resolution enlargement, NoNoise AI for noise reduction, Super Select AI for one-click selections, and generative tools such as Sky Swap AI and Generative Erase.

Source
Adobe Photoshop: What AI features does Photoshop 2026 include?

Photoshop 2026 features Generative Fill with reference image support (for control over lighting and color), Generative Upscale (enlarges images to 8MP while preserving detail), a conversational AI assistant in beta, Harmonize for auto light and color matching, and integration with Gemini 2.5 Flash and FLUX.1 AI models.

Source
ON1 Photo RAW: How many computers can I install ON1 Photo RAW on?

The standard Photo RAW purchase allows installation on two computers, the MAX edition allows three, and the Photo Studio subscription allows installation on five computers.

Source
Adobe Photoshop: What platforms does Photoshop run on?

Photoshop is available on Windows 10/11, macOS 13+, iPad (iOS 17+), iPhone (iOS 17+), and web browsers. Android version entered beta in June 2025.

Source
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