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Photography · head to head

Adobe Lightroom Mobile vs ON1 Photo RAW

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
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 Adobe Lightroom Mobile has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; 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 Lightroom Mobile covers RAW and JPEG editing, 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 Adobe Lightroom Mobile and ON1 Photo RAW actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Lightroom Mobile and ON1 Photo RAW differ
AttributeAdobe Lightroom MobileON1 Photo RAW
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree for local, single-device editing; cloud sync and some tools require a Creative Cloud Photography planone-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 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)

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 Lightroom Mobile

  • A mobile photographer wanting RAW editing on a phone without paying for a subscription, and not needing cross-device syncnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • An existing Creative Cloud Photography subscriber wanting their desktop Lightroom edits available on mobilenot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Someone shooting RAW directly in the app for maximum editing latitude versus a standard JPEG capturenot ON1 Photo RAW
  • A photographer testing Lightroom mobile tools before deciding whether to commit to the paid subscription for the full desktop and cloud workflownot ON1 Photo RAW

ON1 Photo RAW

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

Where each one falls short

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

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.

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 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

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 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

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 Lightroom Mobile or ON1 Photo RAW better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Lightroom Mobile 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, Adobe Lightroom Mobile or ON1 Photo RAW?
Adobe Lightroom Mobile has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Adobe Lightroom Mobile and On request for ON1 Photo RAW.
Does Adobe Lightroom Mobile or ON1 Photo RAW run on more platforms?
Adobe Lightroom Mobile runs on iOS, Android. ON1 Photo RAW runs on mac, windows.
Can I use Adobe Lightroom Mobile for free?
Yes. Adobe Lightroom Mobile has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ON1 Photo RAW starts at On request.
What is Adobe Lightroom Mobile best used for?
Adobe Lightroom Mobile is most often used for a mobile photographer wanting raw editing on a phone without paying for a subscription, and not needing cross-device sync, an existing creative cloud photography subscriber wanting their desktop lightroom edits available on mobile, someone shooting raw directly in the app for maximum editing latitude versus a standard jpeg capture, a photographer testing lightroom mobile tools before deciding whether to commit to the paid subscription for the full desktop and cloud workflow. Of those, a mobile photographer wanting raw editing on a phone without paying for a subscription, and not needing cross-device sync and an existing creative cloud photography subscriber wanting their desktop lightroom edits available on mobile are not what ON1 Photo RAW is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Lightroom Mobile do that ON1 Photo RAW cannot?
Adobe Lightroom Mobile covers RAW and JPEG editing, In-app RAW camera, Presets, Local editing without subscription. ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization, Layers and masking, NoNoise AI, Resize AI.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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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