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Publishing · head to head

GIMP vs Adobe Lightroom Mobile

GIMP logo

GIMP

Publishing

Free and open-source image editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Adobe Lightroom Mobile logo

Adobe Lightroom Mobile

Photography

Free mobile photo editing app with core Adobe Lightroom tools, full features tied to a Creative Cloud photography subscription

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GIMP gPLv3 licence requires derivative works to be open-source and freely distributed; Adobe Lightroom Mobile cross-device cloud sync, the feature that makes editing consistent across phone, tablet and desktop, is entirely gated behind a Creative Cloud Photography plan subscription, so the free mobile app functions as an isolated single-device editor.
  • They diverge on capability: GIMP covers Photo editing, Adobe Lightroom Mobile covers RAW and JPEG editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GIMP and Adobe Lightroom Mobile actually diverge.

Attributes where GIMP and Adobe Lightroom Mobile differ
AttributeGIMPAdobe Lightroom Mobile
Pricing modelopen-sourceFree for local, single-device editing; cloud sync and some tools require a Creative Cloud Photography plan
PlatformsGNU/Linux, macOS, WindowsiOS, Android
CategoryPublishingPhotography
Founded1995Unknown

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

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 GIMP

  • Photo editing
  • Digital painting
  • Image processing
  • Batch editing
  • Filters
  • Color correction
  • Layer support
  • Script-fu automation

Only in Adobe Lightroom Mobile

  • RAW and JPEG editing
  • In-app RAW camera
  • Presets
  • Local editing without subscription
  • Cloud sync (subscription required)
  • AI-based masking and select tools (subscription required)

What people use each for

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

GIMP

  • Photo editing and retouching with professional colour managementnot Adobe Lightroom Mobile
  • Digital art creation with power and flexibility for image transformationnot Adobe Lightroom Mobile
  • Icon and UI element design for application developmentnot Adobe Lightroom Mobile
  • Batch image processing through Python, C, C++, and Scheme scriptingnot Adobe Lightroom Mobile

Adobe Lightroom Mobile

  • A mobile photographer wanting RAW editing on a phone without paying for a subscription, and not needing cross-device syncnot GIMP
  • An existing Creative Cloud Photography subscriber wanting their desktop Lightroom edits available on mobilenot GIMP
  • Someone shooting RAW directly in the app for maximum editing latitude versus a standard JPEG capturenot GIMP
  • A photographer testing Lightroom mobile tools before deciding whether to commit to the paid subscription for the full desktop and cloud workflownot GIMP

Where each one falls short

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

GIMP

  • GPLv3 licence requires derivative works to be open-source and freely distributed
  • Community-driven development with no commercial support tier
  • No native CMYK support for professional print workflows
  • Ecosystem depends on community plugins and scripts for advanced features

Adobe Lightroom Mobile

  • Cross-device cloud sync, the feature that makes editing consistent across phone, tablet and desktop, is entirely gated behind a Creative Cloud Photography plan subscription, so the free mobile app functions as an isolated single-device editor.
  • Free-tier cloud storage is limited to a small allotment, and photographers shooting in RAW will exhaust it quickly, pushing toward a paid plan sooner than the free label suggests.
  • Some newer AI-based tools, including certain masking and generative editing features, are subscription-gated, so the free app does not carry the full current tool set shown in Adobe marketing for Lightroom generally.
  • The subscription is billed through the same Creative Cloud Photography plan that covers desktop Lightroom, so this is not a separate cheaper mobile-only purchase, it is the same recurring cost whether used on one device or several.
  • Cancelling the Creative Cloud subscription can restrict access to cloud-synced photos and certain previously applied edits, so photos edited under a subscription are not fully portable if the subscription lapses.

Pricing, plan by plan

GIMP

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the GIMP review.

Adobe Lightroom Mobile

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Local RAW and JPEG editing on a single device
    • In-app RAW camera capture
    • No cross-device cloud sync
  • Creative Cloud Photography plan$9.99/month
    • Cross-device cloud sync of photos and edits
    • 20GB or 1TB of cloud storage depending on plan tier
    • Includes desktop Lightroom and Photoshop access

Which should you pick?

Choose GIMP if

  • You need photo editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want digital painting.
GIMP review

Choose Adobe Lightroom Mobile if

  • You need raw and jpeg editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want in-app raw camera.
Adobe Lightroom Mobile review

Questions people ask

Is GIMP or Adobe Lightroom Mobile better?
Neither clearly leads. GIMP starts at Free and Adobe Lightroom Mobile at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GIMP or Adobe Lightroom Mobile?
GIMP starts at Free and Adobe Lightroom Mobile at Free.
Does GIMP or Adobe Lightroom Mobile run on more platforms?
GIMP runs on GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows. Adobe Lightroom Mobile runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use GIMP for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is GIMP best used for?
GIMP is most often used for photo editing and retouching with professional colour management, digital art creation with power and flexibility for image transformation, icon and ui element design for application development, batch image processing through python, c, c++, and scheme scripting. Of those, photo editing and retouching with professional colour management and digital art creation with power and flexibility for image transformation are not what Adobe Lightroom Mobile is typically brought in for.
What can GIMP do that Adobe Lightroom Mobile cannot?
GIMP covers Photo editing, Digital painting, Image processing, Batch editing. Adobe Lightroom Mobile covers RAW and JPEG editing, In-app RAW camera, Presets, Local editing without subscription.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GIMP: How much does GIMP cost?

GIMP is completely free to use and distribute. The software is released under the GNU General Public License v3 (GPLv3), an open-source license that guarantees freedom to use, modify, and distribute.

Source
Adobe Lightroom Mobile: Is Lightroom Mobile free?

Core local RAW and JPEG editing on a single device is free; cross-device cloud sync and some advanced tools require a Creative Cloud Photography plan subscription.

GIMP: Can I modify and distribute GIMP?

Yes, GIMP's source code is available for modification and redistribution according to the terms of the GPLv3 license.

Source
Adobe Lightroom Mobile: Is this the same as the desktop Lightroom application?

It shares the Lightroom name and many editing tools, but it is the separate mobile application; desktop Lightroom is catalogued as its own entry in this directory.

Adobe Lightroom Mobile: Do I need a subscription to shoot RAW photos in the app?

No, in-app RAW capture works without a subscription; the subscription is required for cloud sync and certain advanced editing tools.

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