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Photography · head to head

DxO PhotoLab vs Facetune

DxO PhotoLab logo

DxO PhotoLab

Photography

RAW processor built around lab-measured lens corrections and DeepPRIME denoising

From
$139/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Facetune logo

Facetune

Photography

Selfie and portrait retouching app from Lightricks, sold on a subscription with a short free trial

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Facetune has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DxO PhotoLab optical modules exist only for camera and lens pairs DxO has measured, so owners of new, niche or adapted lenses either wait for a module or lose the main reason to buy the product.; Facetune the free trial is short, commonly around 3 days, and automatically converts into a paid annual subscription unless the user proactively cancels beforehand, a pattern that has generated a consistent volume of complaints about unexpected charges.
  • They diverge on capability: DxO PhotoLab covers Optical modules, Facetune covers Skin and blemish retouching.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DxO PhotoLab and Facetune actually diverge.

Attributes where DxO PhotoLab and Facetune differ
AttributeDxO PhotoLabFacetune
Starting price$139/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseFree download with a short free trial, most tools require a Facetune Pro subscription that auto-renews annually
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOSiOS, Android

Identical on both: 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 DxO PhotoLab

  • Optical modules
  • DeepPRIME denoising
  • ClearView Plus
  • Local adjustments
  • DxO Wide Gamut
  • Soft proofing
  • Linear DNG export
  • Folder-based library

Only in Facetune

  • Skin and blemish retouching
  • Facial reshaping
  • Body contouring
  • Teeth whitening and eye enhancement
  • Background blur and replacement
  • One-tap auto-enhance

What people use each for

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

DxO PhotoLab

  • Rescuing wildlife or indoor sport frames shot at ISO 12800 where noise is the limiting factor rather than exposurenot Facetune
  • Correcting a known-soft zoom at its weakest focal length using a profile measured for that exact body and lensnot Facetune
  • Running a denoise and optical correction pass, then exporting linear DNG into an existing Lightroom or Capture One workflownot Facetune
  • Owning an editor outright rather than adding another monthly subscription to a small studionot Facetune

Facetune

  • Someone wanting quick, targeted retouching of a single selfie or portrait before posting to social medianot DxO PhotoLab
  • A user comfortable cancelling a free trial through their phone app store settings before it converts to a paid annual chargenot DxO PhotoLab
  • Someone who has decided to pay for the annual subscription and wants a broad set of face and body retouching tools in one appnot DxO PhotoLab
  • A user who has used Photoleap or Videoleap from the same publisher and wants a consistent editing tool stylenot DxO PhotoLab

Where each one falls short

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

DxO PhotoLab

  • Optical modules exist only for camera and lens pairs DxO has measured, so owners of new, niche or adapted lenses either wait for a module or lose the main reason to buy the product.
  • DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD are heavy on the GPU, and exporting a few hundred frames on an older machine takes long enough that batch work has to be scheduled rather than run between shoots.
  • The library indexes folders and holds no central catalogue, with no cloud sync and no mobile application, so it does not replace Lightroom for photographers who manage a large archive across machines.
  • There are no layers and no compositing, so any retouching beyond local adjustments means a round trip to Photoshop or Affinity Photo and a second set of files.
  • Most major versions are paid upgrades released roughly annually, so the perpetual licence costs more over five years than the headline figure suggests, and skipping versions eventually loses support for new cameras.
  • Getting DeepPRIME output into another editor requires exporting linear DNG, which produces large intermediate files and roughly doubles storage for any frame processed that way.

Facetune

  • The free trial is short, commonly around 3 days, and automatically converts into a paid annual subscription unless the user proactively cancels beforehand, a pattern that has generated a consistent volume of complaints about unexpected charges.
  • Cancellation must be done through the phone Apple App Store or Google Play subscription management screens rather than a clear button inside the app itself, adding friction specifically at the point users most want to stop paying.
  • Nearly all meaningful retouching functionality is locked behind the paid tier, so the free download is not a genuinely usable product on its own, only a gateway to the trial.
  • Heavy reliance on face and body reshaping tools has drawn broader criticism, common to this whole app category, over promoting unrealistic beauty standards, particularly among younger users.
  • Published subscription pricing has varied by region and promotional period, so the price a new user is quoted is not necessarily stable or consistent across markets.

Pricing, plan by plan

DxO PhotoLab

$139/one-time
  • PhotoLab Essential$139/one-time
    • RAW processing with optical modules
    • DeepPRIME denoising
    • Local adjustments and library
  • PhotoLab Elite$229/one-time
    • Everything in Essential
    • DeepPRIME XD, the higher grade denoising model
    • DxO Wide Gamut working colour space

Facetune

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Very limited basic editing tools
    • Most retouching features locked
    • Trial access to Pro tools for a short period, commonly around 3 days
  • Facetune Pro$47.99/year
    • Full access to retouching, reshaping and enhancement tools
    • Auto-renews annually unless cancelled before trial or renewal date
    • Cancellation handled through Apple App Store or Google Play subscription settings, not inside the app

Which should you pick?

Choose DxO PhotoLab if

  • You need optical modules.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want deepprime denoising.
DxO PhotoLab review

Choose Facetune if

  • You need skin and blemish retouching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want facial reshaping.
Facetune review

Questions people ask

Is DxO PhotoLab or Facetune better?
Neither clearly leads. DxO PhotoLab starts at $139/one-time and Facetune at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DxO PhotoLab or Facetune?
Facetune has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $139/one-time for DxO PhotoLab and Free for Facetune.
Does DxO PhotoLab or Facetune run on more platforms?
DxO PhotoLab runs on Windows, macOS. Facetune runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Facetune for free?
Yes. Facetune has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DxO PhotoLab starts at $139/one-time.
What is DxO PhotoLab best used for?
DxO PhotoLab is most often used for rescuing wildlife or indoor sport frames shot at iso 12800 where noise is the limiting factor rather than exposure, correcting a known-soft zoom at its weakest focal length using a profile measured for that exact body and lens, running a denoise and optical correction pass, then exporting linear dng into an existing lightroom or capture one workflow, owning an editor outright rather than adding another monthly subscription to a small studio. Of those, rescuing wildlife or indoor sport frames shot at iso 12800 where noise is the limiting factor rather than exposure and correcting a known-soft zoom at its weakest focal length using a profile measured for that exact body and lens are not what Facetune is typically brought in for.
What can DxO PhotoLab do that Facetune cannot?
DxO PhotoLab covers Optical modules, DeepPRIME denoising, ClearView Plus, Local adjustments. Facetune covers Skin and blemish retouching, Facial reshaping, Body contouring, Teeth whitening and eye enhancement.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DxO PhotoLab: Is there a subscription?

No. Essential and Elite are one-time purchases. New major versions are separate paid upgrades.

Facetune: Does Facetune have a free trial?

Yes, typically around 3 days, after which it automatically converts to a paid annual subscription unless cancelled beforehand.

DxO PhotoLab: What happens if my lens is not supported?

You still get the editor and DeepPRIME, but not the measured optical correction for that combination. Check the supported list for your exact body and lens before you buy.

Facetune: How do I cancel a Facetune subscription?

Cancellation is done through the Apple App Store or Google Play subscription settings on your phone, not through a button inside the Facetune app itself.

DxO PhotoLab: Can it replace Lightroom entirely?

For processing, often yes. For cataloguing across drives, cloud sync and mobile, no, because PhotoLab has none of those.

Facetune: Can I use Facetune without paying?

The free download offers very limited functionality; nearly all retouching tools require the paid Facetune Pro subscription after the trial ends.

DxO PhotoLab: Does it handle Fujifilm X-Trans files?

Support for X-Trans sensors arrived in recent versions, but coverage of individual bodies still depends on DxO releasing modules for them.

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