Free & open source alternatives to Lightroom

4 free photo color grading and library management apps to use instead of Lightroom by Adobe

The best free alternative to Lightroom is darktable. The closest match to Lightroom: photo library, non-destructive RAW editing, presets and batch export.

Other great options: RawTherapee, digiKam and Affinity.

Quick pick: For RAW editing and a photo library closest to Lightroom: darktable. Editing on your phone: the free tier of Lightroom mobile.

Reviewed November 2026 against each vendor's official website.

Official ways to use Lightroom for free

Lightroom on mobile (iPhone and Android) includes core editing for free, with no subscription needed.
7-day free trial of the desktop version from Adobe.

Free plans and trial lengths are set by the vendor and can change. Check the official website before signing up.

4 best alternatives to Lightroom

darktable

Design & photo HealthGood (90/100)13,408

Open sourceSome learning curve

The closest match to Lightroom: photo library, non-destructive RAW editing, presets and batch export.

An open-source RAW photo manager and editor in the spirit of Lightroom. It offers a photo library, non-destructive color editing and batch export.

Reads RAW files from most cameras
Non-destructive editing with presets
Batch processing

Platforms: Windows · Mac · Linux

darktable details Official website ↗

RawTherapee

Design & photo HealthFair (75/100)4,281

Open sourceSome learning curve

High-quality RAW processing with especially strong noise reduction and sharpening.

An open-source RAW processor known for strong noise reduction, sharpening and color.

High-quality RAW processing
Lighter than darktable

Platforms: Windows · Mac · Linux

RawTherapee details Official website ↗

digiKam

Design & photo

Open sourceSome learning curve

Manages large photo collections, with face recognition and duplicate finding.

An open-source manager for large photo collections, with tagging, face recognition and duplicate finding. It also does basic RAW editing.

Handles tens of thousands of photos
Face recognition and duplicate detection

Platforms: Windows · Mac · Linux

digiKam details Official website ↗

Affinity

Design & photo

FreeSome learning curve

Includes a RAW development workspace (Develop) in the free app.

A professional design suite combining photo editing, vector and page layout in one app. Since late October 2025 Canva offers it free with a Canva account.

Adobe-level quality for photo, vector and layout in a single app
Opens .psd, .ai (PDF-compatible) and InDesign .idml files
Full CMYK and print-ready export

Platforms: Windows · Mac

Affinity details Official website ↗

Quick comparison

App	Type	Platforms	Ease of use	GitHub stars
darktable	Open source	Windows, Mac, Linux	Some learning curve	13,408
RawTherapee	Open source	Windows, Mac, Linux	Some learning curve	4,281
digiKam	Open source	Windows, Mac, Linux	Some learning curve	—
Affinity	Free	Windows, Mac	Some learning curve	—

Open source: anyone can use, study and modify it, including businesses. Free: no cost, but the code is closed. Freemium: a lasting free plan with paid tiers for extra features. Source available: code is public but the license adds conditions.

FAQ

What is the best free alternative to Lightroom?

The most popular picks are darktable, RawTherapee, digiKam and Affinity. For RAW editing and a photo library closest to Lightroom: darktable. Editing on your phone: the free tier of Lightroom mobile.

Can I use Lightroom presets (.xmp) in darktable?

Not directly. darktable has its own "styles" shared by the community, and many popular presets have been recreated as styles.