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Photography · head to head

darktable vs RawTherapee

darktable logo

darktable

Photography

Free open-source RAW photo editor and digital darkroom

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: darktable open-source with no vendor pricing: Darktable is released under GPL 3.0; no cost or licensing applies; 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: darktable covers Non-destructive RAW editing, RawTherapee covers Selectable demosaicing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which darktable and RawTherapee actually diverge.

Attributes where darktable and RawTherapee differ
AttributedarktableRawTherapee
Pricing modelfreeOpen source, no licence fee
Platformswindows, mac, linuxLinux, Windows, macOS

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 darktable

  • Non-destructive RAW editing
  • Virtual lighttable
  • Wide camera RAW support
  • Tethered shooting
  • Color management and modules

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.

darktable

  • Processing RAW photos without paying for a subscription editornot RawTherapee
  • Organizing and cataloging large personal photo librariesnot RawTherapee
  • Tethered shooting directly into an editing workflownot RawTherapee
  • Applying non-destructive edits that preserve the original RAW filenot RawTherapee

RawTherapee

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

Where each one falls short

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

darktable

  • Open-source with no vendor pricing: Darktable is released under GPL 3.0; no cost or licensing applies
  • Self-hosted photography workflow: customers bear full responsibility for hosting, maintenance, and support outside community
  • No commercial support model published: community-driven project with mailing lists and forums only; no commercial SaaS alternative
  • Community contribution required for feature development: no vendor roadmap for prioritized feature work; community volunteers drive development

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

darktable

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full RAW editing and lighttable features
    • Open-source under GNU GPL v3
    • No account or subscription required

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 darktable if

  • You need non-destructive raw editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want virtual lighttable.
darktable 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 darktable or RawTherapee better?
Neither clearly leads. darktable starts at Free and RawTherapee at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, darktable or RawTherapee?
darktable starts at Free and RawTherapee at Free.
Does darktable or RawTherapee run on more platforms?
darktable runs on windows, mac, linux. RawTherapee runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use darktable for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is darktable best used for?
darktable is most often used for processing raw photos without paying for a subscription editor, organizing and cataloging large personal photo libraries, tethered shooting directly into an editing workflow, applying non-destructive edits that preserve the original raw file. Of those, processing raw photos without paying for a subscription editor and organizing and cataloging large personal photo libraries are not what RawTherapee is typically brought in for.
What can darktable do that RawTherapee cannot?
darktable covers Non-destructive RAW editing, Virtual lighttable, Wide camera RAW support, Tethered shooting. RawTherapee covers Selectable demosaicing, Floating point pipeline, Local adjustments, Wavelet levels.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

darktable: How much does Darktable cost?

Darktable is free and open-source under the GPL 3.0 license. There are no licensing fees, subscription costs, or commercial restrictions.

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.

darktable: Is Darktable created by a commercial vendor?

No. Darktable is a community-driven open-source project 'created for photographers, by photographers.' It has no commercial vendor or SaaS model.

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.

darktable: How can I get support for Darktable?

Darktable is supported through community channels including mailing lists and forums. There is no commercial support option published on the website.

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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