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Photography · head to head

Lensa vs ON1 Photo RAW

Lensa logo

Lensa

Photography

AI photo editing and avatar generation app from Prisma Labs, known for its viral Magic Avatars feature

From
Free
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

  • Only Lensa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lensa the underlying Stable Diffusion model was trained on images scraped from the internet, including copyrighted artwork, without direct consent from the original artists, and Lensa avatar outputs have been criticised for replicating identifiable artist styles without attribution or compensation.; 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: Lensa covers Magic Avatars, ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Lensa and ON1 Photo RAW differ
AttributeLensaON1 Photo RAW
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree download with a short free trial, Magic Avatars and most tools require paymentone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Androidmac, windows

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 Lensa

  • Magic Avatars
  • Photo retouching
  • Sky and background replacement
  • Portrait enhancement
  • Multiple avatar style packs
  • Selfie upload and 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.

Lensa

  • Someone wanting to generate stylised AI avatars from their own selfies, understanding those selfies are uploaded for AI processingnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • A user comfortable with the documented training-data provenance concerns around the underlying Stable Diffusion model choosing to proceed anywaynot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Someone wanting general photo retouching tools separate from the avatar featurenot ON1 Photo RAW
  • A user comfortable cancelling a free trial through phone app store settings before it converts to a paid chargenot ON1 Photo RAW

ON1 Photo RAW

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

Where each one falls short

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

Lensa

  • The underlying Stable Diffusion model was trained on images scraped from the internet, including copyrighted artwork, without direct consent from the original artists, and Lensa avatar outputs have been criticised for replicating identifiable artist styles without attribution or compensation.
  • Users and journalists reported the Magic Avatars feature generating sexualised images from ordinary selfies, including reported cases involving photos of minors, without the user requesting that style, raising documented concerns about model behaviour and safeguards.
  • Magic Avatars typically requires a separate one-time purchase on top of any Pro subscription, so the total cost of trying the feature is not covered by a single subscription fee alone.
  • The free trial converts automatically into a paid recurring subscription unless cancelled beforehand, following the same pattern of complaints about unexpected charges seen across comparable apps in this category.
  • Generating avatars requires uploading a set of personal selfies for AI processing; Prisma Labs states these are deleted after processing and not used for further model training, but this relies on the company's own stated policy rather than independently verifiable proof.

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

Lensa

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Very limited basic editing tools
    • Trial access to Pro features for a short period
    • Magic Avatars sold separately per pack in most cases
  • Lensa Pro$35.99/year
    • Access to enhancement and retouching tools
    • Auto-renews annually unless cancelled before the trial or renewal date
    • Magic Avatars typically purchased as a separate one-time pack fee on top

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 Lensa if

  • You need magic avatars.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want photo retouching.
Lensa 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 Lensa or ON1 Photo RAW better?
Neither clearly leads. Lensa starts at Free 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, Lensa or ON1 Photo RAW?
Lensa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lensa and On request for ON1 Photo RAW.
Does Lensa or ON1 Photo RAW run on more platforms?
Lensa runs on iOS, Android. ON1 Photo RAW runs on mac, windows.
Can I use Lensa for free?
Yes. Lensa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ON1 Photo RAW starts at On request.
What is Lensa best used for?
Lensa is most often used for someone wanting to generate stylised ai avatars from their own selfies, understanding those selfies are uploaded for ai processing, a user comfortable with the documented training-data provenance concerns around the underlying stable diffusion model choosing to proceed anyway, someone wanting general photo retouching tools separate from the avatar feature, a user comfortable cancelling a free trial through phone app store settings before it converts to a paid charge. Of those, someone wanting to generate stylised ai avatars from their own selfies, understanding those selfies are uploaded for ai processing and a user comfortable with the documented training-data provenance concerns around the underlying stable diffusion model choosing to proceed anyway are not what ON1 Photo RAW is typically brought in for.
What can Lensa do that ON1 Photo RAW cannot?
Lensa covers Magic Avatars, Photo retouching, Sky and background replacement, Portrait enhancement. ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization, Layers and masking, NoNoise AI, Resize AI.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lensa: Is Lensa Magic Avatars feature the same as photo editing?

No, Magic Avatars is a separate AI portrait generation feature using the Stable Diffusion model, distinct from the app's standard photo retouching tools.

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
Lensa: Did Lensa face criticism over its AI avatars?

Yes, documented criticism covered the underlying model training data being scraped without artist consent, and reports of the feature generating sexualised images from ordinary selfies without the user requesting that style.

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
Lensa: What happens to my selfies after generating an avatar?

Prisma Labs states uploaded selfies are deleted after processing and not used to further train the underlying model, though this relies on the company's own disclosed policy.

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
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