• Best Photo Management Software Mac
• Best Raw Photo Software Mac 2017
• Best Free Raw Photo Editing Software For Mac
• Best Raw Photo Editing Software For Mac
• Free Photo Software Mac

The year is almost over and the time for New Year’s Resolutions is upon us again. This is the time when people around the world decide to make some radical changes in their lives. Perhaps not as radical as some, but the decision to change your RAW photo editor is a very big one to make for professional photographers.

Apr 08, 2020  The Best Photo Editing Software for 2020. Whether you're a casual smartphone shooter or a professional using an SLR, software can get the most out of your images. If you're hunting for the best photo editor software of 2020 - you've come to the right place. Photo editors have become increasingly common, especially on mobile devices for the basic editing of.

If you’re ready to change your workflow and try something new, or if you’re just jumping into this world of photo editing, then you need to have your options laid out in front of you as to the best RAW photo editor that you can get your hands on in the coming year. We are talking about editors that can edit RAW files and not jpegs. Why? Because there are good reasons to shoot in RAW if you want to be serious with your photography.

So, without any further ado, let’s see which RAW image editor will find its way onto your computers.

1. Luminar

Let’s start with one of the best RAW photo editors to come out in the past few years, Luminar. This image editor has found its way to the top of every relevant list thanks to the number of features it packs for a low price of $89. Luminar got its fame early on because of its intuitive interface, especially its ability to let users create customized ‘workspaces’ for different kinds of photo editing. For example, users could make a ‘portrait workspace’ and populate it with only those tools they needed for adjusting portraits. This made Luminar a great way to work quickly and efficiently.

Over the years, however, Luminar has come a long way. The presets it provides to users are some of the best out there. Since its version 3, Luminar has also introduced a ‘Libraries’ feature which makes it easy for photographers to manage their photos. This feature alone has made it a very strong rival to Lightroom which has been touted as the best RAW photo editor by many for years.

2. Adobe Lightroom

For the longest time, Adobe Lightroom was known as the only RAW photo editor that could be used by photographers if they wanted professional results from their photos. Things have changed a lot now, but Lightroom is still one of the best RAW photo editors available. The software has developed over the years into a very powerful, class-leading editor with a large number of features that let photographers do a whole lot with their images. The interface is very good, the photo-management features are excellent, the GPU-acceleration is very helpful, and the results produced are very good. Adobe Lightroom can also work with plugins which makes it easy to improve its functionality even more. One of the best things about using Lightroom is that you can use it seamlessly with Photoshop if you prefer to tweak your images even further.

But in 2020, spending money on Lightroom only makes sense if you heavily use Photoshop as well. The reason for this is that Lightroom and Photoshop can be bought for a monthly subscription of $9.99. Over the years, this number will add to a very large amount of money which is something to keep in mind when considering Lightroom.

3. Aurora HDR

If you want a RAW photo editor that can help you create stunning HDRs, then spending $99 on Aurora HDR is the best thing you can do. This RAW image editor comes from the same people that are behind Luminar, meaning that it’s also highly intuitive and excellent at what it does. Features like the Quantum HDR Engine, HDR Denoise, and HDR Smart Structure make Aurora HDR better than most HDR editors out there in terms of the image quality that is produced.

Aurora HDR also comes with presets that can help you get started with your edits. These presets can help you achieve any kind of HDR look that you like. From a very natural-looking result to one that looks more like a painting, anything is possible with Aurora HDR. You can also use the software as a plugin to other photo editors, which is great if you prefer editing your RAW files in a program that doesn’t have a strong HDR processing engine built-in.

4. ON1 Photo RAW

If you wish to get the most possible detail out of your photos, then using the HDR and Focus Stacking features in ON1 Photo RAW might be a good idea. This $79.99 RAW photo editor comes with a ton of features that are all designed to bring out all the detail from your images. From basic exposure settings to advanced selective adjustments, you can do a lot with this editor without destroying the visual quality of your photo. The interface of the software is good and it works very well.

The software does have some minor issues with some tools but they will probably be fixed in an update or two. If you want something different than Luminar and Lightroom, then ON1 Photo RAW is definitely a good choice.

5. Capture One Pro

Starting at €349.00, Capture One 20 isn’t cheap by any means. However, the new version comes packed to the brim with new features and improvements. Even before these improvements, Capture One was hailed as the best RAW photo editor by many professionals around the world. Other than the massive number of tools it offers, Capture One has often trumped Lightroom in terms of sheer image quality. The new version brings more precise control over colors, dynamic range, noise reduction, and much more. This, combined with the photo management capabilities make Capture One 20 the best choice for professional photographers who don’t mind spending more to get premium features.

The good news for amateur photographers who have Fujifilm or Sony cameras is that Capture One offers a completely free version for them with some advanced tools missing. Despite these advanced tools, however, you can do a lot with the free version as far as getting excellent image quality from your RAW files is concerned. For Fuji and Sony users, Capture One 20 is by far the best free RAW photo editor.

6. DxO PhotoLab 3

If you want a RAW photo editor with a very strong Denoise tool, then DxO PhotoLab 3 might be of interest to you. Other than many features that make it possible to non-destructively edit RAW files, this is one that stands out in this particular software. With it, you can be sure of eeking out as much detail from your photos as possible even in low-light situations where photos generally get very noisy.

However, with a price tag of $99.99, the software can’t compete with some other options like Luminar and ON1 Photo RAW. And bear in mind that at this price, you’re getting the Essential Edition of the software which omits some advanced editing features which make the editor less appealing to professional photographers.

7. Corel PaintShop Pro

For people looking for some more creative editing, Corel’s PaintShop Pro should be on the list of photo editors to choose from. It’s developed by one of the giants of the digital design world and offers tools that should allow for pretty creative photo editing. You can use tools like SmartClone and Refine Brush to achieve a lot of different things with your images. Other than these, there are a number of strong editing tools that make PaintShop Pro a very well-reputed image editor.

However, the RAW editing capabilities of the software may not be as amazing as you’d expect. It is possible to process RAW files in this program but you have to remember that it is mainly designed as a more creative editor. You can get your hands on this editor for $79.99 which is a good price for something that can replace Photoshop.

8. Darktable

One of the best free RAW photo editors, Darktable brings a very large number of features to users who don’t want to spend any money on the premium RAW photo editors available. It is an editor that combines all the important features of any RAW image editor with a good enough interface. The results produced by Darktable are pretty incredible, oftentimes going head to head with something like Lightroom. Pretty much anything you can do in Lightroom can be achieved in Darktable too.

The one thing to keep in mind with this free RAW photo editor is that the interface is slightly cluttered with all the available tools. This means that users have to find their way around the software for a little bit. But once you’re used to it, Darktable is just too hard to beat at the price of $0.

9. CyberLink PhotoDirector 11

CyberLink’s PhotoDirector 11 is a very strong RAW photo editor that does much more than processing RAW files. It is a software that combines many of the features found in Lightroom as well as in Photoshop, making it a powerful photo editor. With this RAW image editor, you’ll be able to use AI features, very capable layer editing, creative blending modes, and fun effects like embossing and beveling text. You can also create very unique images from videos by using one of the many creative tools available.

CyberLink PhotoDirector 11 also offers photo-management capabilities making it one of the best RAW photo editors available that can also handle very creative editing. You can buy this software for €99.99.

10. ACDSee Photo Studio

ACDSee is one of the best RAW photo editors as far as speed and performance are concerned. The software’s GPU acceleration helps it perform well on different types of hardware. All the tools you would want to edit your RAW photos perfectly are available here, allowing for non-destructive editing in a quick and efficient manner. ACDSee also provides photo management tools that can help you organize your photos on your computer and locate them with much more ease.

All of these features do come at a price though. For using ACDSee Ultimate, you will have to shell out $224.98 which is not something everyone can afford. However, if you value performance and have the money to spend, this could be a good investment.

11. RAW Power by Gentleman Coders

Developed solely for macOS users, RAW Power is an affordable RAW photo editor coming in at $29.99. For this price, you get a very slick interface, multiple editing tools, batch processing capabilities, advanced curves adjustments, GPU-accelerated performance, and much more. The interface is intuitive and responsive, with many tools laid out within tabs like Basics, Enhance, Curves, and more.

You can use RAW Power either as a standalone app or as a plugin to Apple Photos. The latter option means that you can greatly enhance the power of Apple’s built-in photo editor and edit RAW files directly in it. This gives you the best of both worlds, really; the ability to have your photos sorted by Apple Photos and the ability to edit all those RAW files in this RAW photo editor. The only con about RAW Power that can bother some people at this price is that it doesn’t work with Windows.

12. Corel AfterShot Pro

For $80, you can also get Corel’s AfterShot Pro. This RAW image editor comes with various tools and options to help you edit your photos to your heart’s content. It works very well and is pretty easy to use too. One of the most interesting and useful features of this RAW photo editor is its Enhanced Highlight Recovery tool. This tool gives users the power to pull back the highlight details in their photos to a great extent. This means that the resulting images are better exposed and balanced in terms of the overall aesthetic.

One thing to note with AfterShot Pro is that you won’t have access to some of the most advanced features found in the likes of Capture One or Luminar. Despite that, AfterShot Pro is a very capable photo editor that can do a lot very well.

13. Raw Therapee

Another one of the best free RAW photo editors out there, Raw Therapee gives you access to a plethora of editing tools to make the most of your RAW files. The interface of the software is nicely designed to help users get to work right away. Despite that, you will need some time to get used to the program. The good news is that Raw Therapee has a very active online community so you can always find tutorials or ask questions about it to seasoned users. All in all, this is a great free RAW photo editor that should be the perfect stepping stone for new photographers who are getting their feet wet with RAW editing.

14. Affinity Photo

One of the very best RAW photo editors on the market right now is Affinity Photo. It’s not so famous for its RAW processing as it is for the number of features and tools it brings to the table for people looking for creative photo editing. It’s a direct rival to Adobe Photoshop and offers users plenty of creative tools like brushes, masks, and more to take their photos to a whole new level. Combine that with the ability to process RAW photos, and you have a very compelling package that costs only $49.99. Perhaps the only thing missing from Affinity Photo is the ability to organize your photos, which might push some professional photographers away from this otherwise excellent piece of software.

With one of these RAW photo editors at your disposal, you will be able to edit your photos to a whole new extent without ruining their image quality. Whichever program you fancy more, it’s always a good idea to try it out first for free before paying any money or committing to any subscriptions. And with that, we wish you the best of luck with your RAW photo editing endeavors and hope that you find the perfect RAW photo editor for your needs.

• January 02, 2020
• 18 min to read

Most free photo editors available on the App Store are quite basic, offering just a limited number of filters and allowing you to easily and quickly liven up your photos before posting them on social media.

But if you’re an aspiring or professional photographer, you probably need a more powerful app with a broader set of tools to use your creativity to the fullest. Besides, you probably use your Mac for photo editing because working on a large screen makes it possible to adjust the slightest details.

1. Apple’s Photos (Built-in app)

Best Photo Management Software Mac

Apple’s Photos app is included for free on all recently released Macs. It does a good job at organizing your photos, but its collection of photo enhancement tools leaves much to be desired. Hopefully, our selection of the best free programs for photo editing on Mac will help you choose the right app to suit all your creative needs.

2. Luminar (7 days trial)

Luminar is another full-featured photo editor that’s popular with both Mac and Windows users. It can work as a standalone app as well as a plugin for such popular programs as Apple Photos.

Luminar uses Artificial Intelligence to enable sophisticated yet quick photo enhancements. Among these AI features are Sky Enhancer, which adds more depth and detail to the sky in your photos while leaving other areas untouched; Accent AI, which analyzes a photo and automatically applies the best combination of different effects to enhance your image; and Sun Rays, which allows you to place an artificial sun and adjust the lighting to your liking or make the sun rays already in your photo look even more incredible.

Luminar has over 60 filters you can apply to your photos to enhance them in a moment. Luminar also provides a set of powerful tools for cropping, transforming, cloning, erasing, and stamping, along with layers, brushes, and many more incredible features. Luminar supports the Touch Bar on the latest MacBook Pro, making photo editing even more effortless and pleasing.

3. Photolemur 3 (Free Version with watermark)

Photolemur is a relative newcomer on the photo editing market but it has all the chances to win the favor of beginner photographers and hobbyists. Running on Artificial Intelligence, Photolemur is a completely automatic photo enhancer, meaning that it does all the editing for you in no time. It has the simplest interface, with only a few buttons and sliders to adjust the enhancement to your liking and view the before and after results.

All you need to do is choose a photo (or a few) that you want to improve, drag and drop or import them using the Import button, and let the program make enhancements. After it’s done, you can compare the edited version with the original image by using the before–after slider and, if you want, adjust the skin tone or even enlarge the eyes using additional sliders. Pretty easy, huh?

Best Raw Photo Software Mac 2017

Photolemur also offers a number of impressive styles to touch up your photos and give them a sophisticated and professional look. With this app, you don’t need to stuff your head with photo editing nuances and terms. Just run Photolemur and watch the magic happen!

4. Aurora HDR (14 days trial)

As you probably can tell from the name, Aurora HDR is designed to help photographers enhance their HDR photos, making them even more detailed and beautiful. It’s an ideal tool for editing your photos, with an extensive collection of more than 20 tools including details, tone, mapping, color, glow, and vignette. Each tool has its unique selection of controls to adjust its effects.

Aurora HDR enables you to work with brushes, layers, and masks, and provides a number of automatic AI tools for recognizing and removing noise, enhancing colors, lighting, and details, improving clarity, and adding contrast to dull areas while leaving other areas untouched.

Aurora HDR does a great job dealing with difficult lighting situations and creating full-of-life images while being easy to use.

5. Pixelmator (Trial 30 Days)

Pixelmator is a photo enhancer beloved by many Mac users, as it offers a good combination of a modern and simple interface, the ability to work on multiple layers, and powerful features that take photo editing to a whole new level. With so many editing tools, brushes, and effects, you can enhance your photos to your liking. You can choose between two versions of Pixelmator – standard and pro – depending on your needs. The standard version is great for basic photo editing with its selection of essential tools and filters, while the pro version is packed with extra brushes, tools, and effects that let you push your creativity to new boundaries. You can decide which version is suitable for you according to what features you’re looking for in a photo editing app.

6. Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 (Trial link)

Photoshop Elements isn’t as affordable as other photo enhancers for beginner photographers. But luckily there’s a trial version available, so you can check it out before deciding whether this app is worthy of your money. Photoshop Elements acquired many powerful features from Photoshop, only Elements is simplified for amateur photographers and enthusiasts. It includes a good number of effects and filters, plus automated editing options for improving lighting, color balance, and exposure, and even opening closed eyes and reducing the effects of camera shake.

In addition to all of these awesome features, Photoshop also offers editing modes for beginners, intermediate users, and experts. Beginners will probably prefer Quick mode, as it focuses on essential tools to quickly enhance your photos by improving color, lighting, and other basic settings. Guided mode provides intermediate users with step-by-step guidance with more professional features like artistic effects, skin tone correction, and background replacement. Expert mode gives you full access to the app’s really powerful editing features and is ideal for creating stunning images.

7. Affinity Photo (Free Trial)

Affinity Photo’s interface may seem overwhelming at first, especially for novices, but when you come to grips with it you’ll find that the app is just what you’ve been looking for. Its numerous professional tools, effects, and filters encourage you to get creative with your photos. Among the coolest features Affinity Photo has to offer is a before and after view to compare the original photo with its edited version.

Affinity Photo works with 15 file types, including common ones like PDF, PSD, JPG, and GIF as well as some less popular ones. The app amazes with its abundance of basic and top-notch editing tools, allowing you to tweak your photos using all possible kinds of instruments. Affinity Photo allows you to edit HDR photos, apply artistic filters and effects, play with masks and layers, and create breathtaking compositions by combining several images in one. If you find its interface a bit much and are afraid of getting lost in all those advanced tools, you should probably look for something more suitable for your level. But Affinity Photo is worth mastering.

8. Google Photos

Google Photos is a popular cloud storage service for photos and videos. It can’t boast countless masterly tools like other photo enhancers that we review in this article, but it includes some fundamental features like filters, color adjustment sliders, and transformation tools.

Although Google Photos may not be that helpful when it comes to editing photos, it does a pretty good job at storing high-resolution images and videos with 15GB of free online storage, compared to iCloud’s mere 5GB (which you can upgrade to 50GB for a monthly fee). If you’re planning to go on a trip and take plenty of photos, then it might be smart to sign up for Google Photos to use that extra storage space when you come back.

9. PhotoScape X (Free)

A relatively new photo editing app, PhotoScape X has been gaining popularity with many Mac and PC users since its release in 2008. Its interface is simple but unconventional, with a number of tabs running along the top of the window. Each is responsible for a specific stage of editing. The Viewer tab allows you to browse and organize your photos. After you pick a photo, you can switch to the Editor tab, which includes a broad set of instruments, filters, and effects and a useful feature that enables you to compare the adjusted photo with the original.

The next tabs, including the Batch tab, mainly concentrate on editing and renaming multiple photos at once. The GIF tab allows you to easily create an animated GIF from a group of selected photos.

The downside of PhotoScape X is a lack of selection tools, so all changes are applied to the whole image rather than to a selected part.

Best Free Raw Photo Editing Software For Mac

10. Gimp (Free)

Best Raw Photo Editing Software For Mac

Gimp is a free open-source photo editing app that has been on the market for over 22 years and is available for Windows, Mac, and even Linux. Unlike many free apps, Gimp doesn’t have any ads or in-app purchases. Its grey interface might seem a little old-fashioned and it may be a bit sluggish when it comes to complex effects, though.

Free Photo Software Mac

Gimp offers a vast collection of advanced tools that hardly any free photo editor can boast. It has numerous enhancement options such as clone and heal brushes, layers and channels, accurate selection tools, a number of transformation instruments, and, of course, color adjustment controls. Gimp is one of the most powerful tools for enhancing photos and is beloved by so many users for its price (free) and versatility. But if you can’t come to grips with Gimp’s interface, it may be worth paying some cash for a more user-friendly program.