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Photography · head to head

ON1 Photo RAW vs RawTherapee

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
RawTherapee logo

RawTherapee

Photography

Open source raw developer with selectable demosaicing algorithms and floating point processing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only RawTherapee 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.; RawTherapee there is no catalogue, only a folder browser, so any library management, keywording or search has to happen in a separate application.
  • They diverge on capability: ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization, RawTherapee covers Selectable demosaicing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ON1 Photo RAW and RawTherapee differ
AttributeON1 Photo RAWRawTherapee
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelone-timeOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
Platformsmac, windowsLinux, Windows, macOS

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 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 RawTherapee

  • Selectable demosaicing
  • Floating point pipeline
  • Local adjustments
  • Wavelet levels
  • Processing profiles
  • Colour management

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 RawTherapee
  • Replacing a Lightroom plus Photoshop workflow with one applicationnot RawTherapee
  • Applying AI noise reduction to high-ISO imagesnot RawTherapee
  • Upscaling images for large prints using AInot RawTherapee
  • Building composite edits with layers and masksnot RawTherapee

RawTherapee

  • Difficult raw files where the demosaicing algorithm visibly changes the result, such as fine fabric, foliage or architectural detailnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Archive and restoration work where a free tool with strict colour management is preferable to a subscriptionnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Photographers who want to understand and control each processing stage rather than accept a vendor renderingnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Producing a high quality sixteen bit TIFF to hand to GIMP or another editor for compositingnot 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.

RawTherapee

  • There is no catalogue, only a folder browser, so any library management, keywording or search has to happen in a separate application.
  • The default rendering is deliberately neutral and looks flat next to the camera JPEG, which means every user has to build their own processing profiles before the tool is pleasant to use.
  • Support for new camera models and for Fujifilm X-Trans sensors arrives later than in commercial converters because it depends on volunteer work and upstream library updates.
  • The interface presents several hundred controls across many tabs with little guidance about which ones interact, and the learning curve is measured in weeks rather than hours.
  • Batch export is slow compared with commercial converters and there is no GPU acceleration, so processing a large wedding shoot ties up the machine for a long time.

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

RawTherapee

Free
  • RawTherapeeFree
    • GPL licensed with no seat limit
    • All processing features included
    • Documentation and support through RawPedia and the community forum

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 RawTherapee if

  • You need selectable demosaicing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want floating point pipeline.
RawTherapee review

Questions people ask

Is ON1 Photo RAW or RawTherapee better?
Neither clearly leads. ON1 Photo RAW starts at On request and RawTherapee at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ON1 Photo RAW or RawTherapee?
RawTherapee has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ON1 Photo RAW and Free for RawTherapee.
Does ON1 Photo RAW or RawTherapee run on more platforms?
ON1 Photo RAW runs on mac, windows. RawTherapee runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use RawTherapee for free?
Yes. RawTherapee 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 RawTherapee is typically brought in for.
What can ON1 Photo RAW do that RawTherapee cannot?
ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization, Layers and masking, NoNoise AI, Resize AI. RawTherapee covers Selectable demosaicing, Floating point pipeline, Local adjustments, Wavelet levels.

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
RawTherapee: Does RawTherapee support Fujifilm X-Trans files?

Yes, but support arrived later than in commercial converters and results on fine detail still trail Capture One and Adobe on some bodies.

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
RawTherapee: Can it replace Lightroom entirely?

It replaces the develop side. It does not replace the catalogue, so you will need digiKam, darktable or something similar alongside it.

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
RawTherapee: Are my edits stored in the raw file?

No. Edits are written to sidecar profile files next to the raw, so originals are untouched and profiles can be copied between images.

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