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Photography · head to head

ON1 Photo RAW vs Photopea

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
Photopea logo

Photopea

Design

Free online photo editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Photopea has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ON1 Photo RAW it is a Mac and Windows desktop application only, with no mobile app or web-based editing option.; Photopea performance becomes sluggish and prone to crashes with high-resolution images or multi-layered files
  • They diverge on capability: ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization, Photopea covers Photo editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ON1 Photo RAW and Photopea differ
AttributeON1 Photo RAWPhotopea
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelone-timeUnknown
Free tierNoYes
Platformsmac, windowsWeb
CategoryPhotographyDesign
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: 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 ON1 Photo RAW

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

Only in Photopea

  • Photo editing
  • PSD compatibility
  • Layer support
  • Selection tools
  • Filters and effects
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • Adobe fonts

What people use each for

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

ON1 Photo RAW

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

Photopea

  • Quick photo editsnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • PSD file editingnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Web designnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Social media graphicsnot ON1 Photo RAW

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Photopea

  • Performance becomes sluggish and prone to crashes with high-resolution images or multi-layered files
  • Risk of losing work due to browser crashes or save failures
  • Aggressive advertising that can slow down the entire computer
  • No local installation option, always requires browser access
  • Basic file organization and version tracking compared to professional tools

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Photopea

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Photopea review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Photopea if

  • You need photo editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want psd compatibility.
Photopea review

Questions people ask

Is ON1 Photo RAW or Photopea better?
Neither clearly leads. ON1 Photo RAW starts at On request and Photopea at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ON1 Photo RAW or Photopea?
Photopea has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ON1 Photo RAW and Free for Photopea.
Does ON1 Photo RAW or Photopea run on more platforms?
ON1 Photo RAW runs on mac, windows. Photopea runs on Web.
Can I use Photopea for free?
Yes. Photopea has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ON1 Photo RAW starts at On request.
What is ON1 Photo RAW best used for?
ON1 Photo RAW is most often used for editing and organizing raw photos without a subscription, replacing a lightroom plus photoshop workflow with one application, applying ai noise reduction to high-iso images, upscaling images for large prints using ai. Of those, editing and organizing raw photos without a subscription and replacing a lightroom plus photoshop workflow with one application are not what Photopea is typically brought in for.
What can ON1 Photo RAW do that Photopea cannot?
ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization, Layers and masking, NoNoise AI, Resize AI. Photopea covers Photo editing, PSD compatibility, Layer support, Selection tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Photopea: Is Photopea free to use?

Yes, Photopea is completely free and supported by ads displayed within the browser. No subscription or payment is required to use the full feature set.

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
Photopea: Does Photopea support Photoshop PSD files?

Yes, Photopea fully supports Photoshop PSD files including layers, masks, text, and effects. It can read and export files back to PSD, PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG, or GIF format.

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
Photopea: What platforms does Photopea run on?

Photopea is a web-based editor accessible through any modern browser including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. It can be added to desktop as a shortcut or Chrome extension.

Source
Photopea: Does Photopea upload my files to servers?

No. Photopea processes images entirely within your browser and does not upload files to external servers, keeping your work private and secure.

Source
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