# Adobe Lightroom Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra > With the help of Capterra, learn about Adobe Lightroom Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Photo Editing products and more. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/233631/Adobe-Photoshop-Lightroom --- # Adobe Lightroom Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on March 13, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. Independent research methodology Capterra’s researchers use a mix of verified reviews, independent research and objective methodologies to bring you selection and ranking information you can trust. While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology. 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[Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-ensure-transparency/) [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[Users](#users)[Pros and Cons](#pros-cons)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Adobe Lightroom ## What is Adobe Lightroom? Photo editing solution designed to help with photo editing, storage and management, and sharing. Features of the platform include customizable presets, mobile access, level adjustment, cropping and rotating, focus shifting, import/export, intelligent image search, image labels, custom categorization, and collaboration tools. ## What is Adobe Lightroom used for? [Photo Editing](https://www.capterra.com/photo-editing-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 327 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 98% Neutral 1% Negative 1% Pros & cons Time-saving customizable presets Boosts social media engagement High ongoing subscription cost Starting price $9.99 Flat Rate, Per Month Free trial available Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Adobe Lightroom?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=https://www.adobe.com/&name=Adobe Lightroom) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Adobe Lightroom 4.8 (327) VS. [4.6 (1,229)](https://www.capterra.com/p/174232/adobe-express/reviews/) Starting Price $9.99 Flat Rate, Per Month Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.4 (327) Ease Of Use 4.5 (2,437) Value For Money 4.3 (268) Value For Money 4.4 (2,022) Customer Service 4.1 (213) Customer Service 4.4 (1,806) ## Adobe Lightroom alternatives Highest Rated [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) [4.8 (2,437)](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/reviews/) Starting price $22.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) [Canva](https://www.capterra.com/p/168956/Canva/) [4.7 (13,281)](https://www.capterra.com/p/168956/Canva/reviews/) Starting price $15.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 97% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/168956/Canva/) [Fotor](https://www.capterra.com/p/181589/Fotor/) [4.5 (1,092)](https://www.capterra.com/p/181589/Fotor/reviews/) Starting price $8.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 92% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/181589/Fotor/) [Instagram](https://www.capterra.com/p/210721/Instagram/) [4.7 (5,157)](https://www.capterra.com/p/210721/Instagram/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/210721/Instagram/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/233631/Adobe-Photoshop-Lightroom/alternatives/) ## Who uses Adobe Lightroom? Based on Capterra reviews from the past 4 years ## Pros and Cons Time-saving customizable presets 96% positive reviews out of 25 Most reviewers describe presets as easy to create, import, and apply, significantly speeding up photo editing workflows. Johanna B Dental Hygienist, 11 - 50 employees. "I like that you can upload presets and then easily apply them." High ongoing subscription cost 69% negative reviews out of 35 Some users report pricing is high, bundled with unwanted apps, and less accessible for non-professionals or small businesses. Hakob A Solutions Engineer, 5,001 - 10,000 employees. "Unfortunately, the Adobe pricing was a bit high for me, and I couldn't afford a two licenses for Photoshop and Lightroom, so I replaced my Lightroom with Camera Raw application from Adobe, which has the necessary functionality and is free with Photoshop license." Boosts social media engagement 100% positive reviews out of 25 Most users report social media photos benefit from unique filters, fast editing, and improved audience interaction. Seamless adobe suite integration 96% positive reviews out of 23 Most reviewers indicate integrations with Adobe products streamline editing, organization, and exporting for efficient workflows. ## Features Features with the highest number of reviews are displayed first. Those that have no reviews appear next, sorted alphabetically. Content Import/Export 4.7 (242) 69.83% of 242 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important With Lightroom, you can easily import images from various sources, including cameras, phones, and Adobe Creative Cloud, and export in multiple formats and resolutions. Reviewers appreciate the drag-and-drop, batch processing, and metadata handling, though some mention slow performance with large volumes. Real Time Editing 4.7 (235) 68.09% of 235 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important It gives you the ability to see edits instantly and non-destructively, helping you fine-tune images efficiently. Users think real-time adjustments, before/after previews, and preset filters make editing fast and intuitive, though performance depends on device speed and large catalogs may slow things down. Content Sharing 4.4 (178) 51.12% of 178 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Lightroom offers seamless sharing to platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Flickr, and Adobe Cloud. Reviewers appreciate the multiple sharing options, easy link generation, and plugin support, though some users mention occasional issues with mobile sharing quality or prefer manual sharing for more control. Image Editing 4.7 (17) 100.00% of 17 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Edit, touch up, and convert images for publishing File Management 4.6 (7) 85.71% of 7 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Create, save, and store files Collaboration Tools 4.0 (2) 100.00% of 2 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Provides a channel for team members to share media files, communicate, and work together Adobe Lightroom 6 features Provides a channel for team members to share media files, communicate, and work together With Lightroom, you can easily import images from various sources, including cameras, phones, and Adobe Creative Cloud, and export in multiple formats and resolutions. Reviewers appreciate the drag-and-drop, batch processing, and metadata handling, though some mention slow performance with large volumes. Lightroom offers seamless sharing to platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Flickr, and Adobe Cloud. Reviewers appreciate the multiple sharing options, easy link generation, and plugin support, though some users mention occasional issues with mobile sharing quality or prefer manual sharing for more control. Create, save, and store files Edit, touch up, and convert images for publishing It gives you the ability to see edits instantly and non-destructively, helping you fine-tune images efficiently. Users think real-time adjustments, before/after previews, and preset filters make editing fast and intuitive, though performance depends on device speed and large catalogs may slow things down. Features 4.6 (327) 4.6 Based on 327 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.3 (268) Free Trial Basic $9.99 Flat Rate,Per Month Value for money 4.3 (268) 4.3 Based on 268 reviews ## Integrations [ Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.1 (213) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.1 (213) 4.1 Based on 213 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.8 Based on 327 reviews Filter by rating 5(256) 4(65) 3(4) 2(1) 1(1) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent DR Devan R. Sales and Marketing Representative Automotive ### "Lightroom is a must" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 April 8, 2026 Overall I have had a very positive experience with adobe Lightroom. It takes my photography to the next level. Pros The ability to transform photos with light and colour settings. Ease of use across mobile devices and web browsers. Cons Sometimes I find that in Apple photos, the edits performed make the image look better than Lightroom. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AU Anonymous User Photographer Photography ### "Lightroom Classic user for years" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 March 14, 2026 It works and works well. Delivers what it promises and what I need to get photos culled, edited, and exported to spec. Pros Simple yet powerful, intuitive interface. Handles photo library well. Excellent and powerful suite of tools. Cons There is not a great deal to complain about for me and my photography workflow as it pertains to using Lightroom Classic. I will say that some of the tools that are available in both Photoshop and Lightroom are vastly superior in Photoshop. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Farnaz K. ML Engineer Computer Software ### "Great Editing Tools, but Too Expensive" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 December 10, 2025 I love working with Lightroom, especially because I can use it on my phone and everything syncs so easily. Sometimes not all the features are available on the mobile app, but it still works really well overall. Pros I like that Lightroom lets me save my presets so I can use them again later. The preset suggestions are helpful when I’m not sure what changes to make. I also love the object removal tool because it quickly removes things I don’t want in my photos. Cons I don’t like the pricing. Lightroom is expensive, and the subscription can be hard to manage. It’s also annoying that sometimes you have to log in through a browser for that. Even though these things are frustrating, there aren’t many other apps that offer the same features. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. ML Melissa L. Founder and Creater Arts and Crafts ### "Great image editing app!" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 October 1, 2025 I live using the app, it’s very convenient. The simple tools needed to quickly edit images are all there. Pros I really love the convenience of this app. The features it offers make good value for your money. Image editing tools have helped elevate my content a lot. Cons Most of the advanced tools require a specific monthly subscription in order to be unlocked. In order to get into presets, there are a series of steps to click into before getting to it. It would be much better if it were a few clicks less for more convenience. Switched from [Image Tools](https://www.capterra.com/p/10015191/Quicktools/) It was too expensive and only offered the most basic tools Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MB Meherunnesha B. Content creator Education Management ### "Is Adobe lightroom good for edit ?" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 1/10 July 17, 2025 It's great and I use this only for colour grading. Otherwise they are very costly features and heavy app. Pros Lightroom is best for color grading. It's easy to use and best features.I also like their filters for changing color. Cons On budget friendly phones, lightroom became laggy and slow and their cloud storage are limited. Beginners might feel lost without tutorial. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Crystal C. Owner Health, Wellness and Fitness ### "Great for photographers" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 May 29, 2025 Overall, I'm a huge fan of the software and would recommend it for any photographer, but the costs and the learning curve can take some persuasion to want to jump in Pros It is a very in depth software for editing photos. It can make adjustments from the most miniscule changes to the most extreme and everything in between. If you can learn the software, it will be a gamechanger for your photography Cons It has a semi-steep learning curve, the subscription costs can be hard to justify for those just starting out, and my least favorite thing, is the black lettering on a dark gray background for 99% of the menu options making it extremely difficult at times to pick out what you are looking for Alternatives considered [GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)](https://www.capterra.com/p/168960/GIMP/) Reasons for choosing Adobe Lightroom More training available for the software. It's also more intuitive Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. LA Lya A. Product Designer Design ### "LIGHTROOM AVIS" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 May 7, 2025 TRÈS PRATIQUE POUR CLASSER ET RETOUCHER LES PHOTOS. FLUIDE ET EFFICACE, MAIS CERTAINES FONCTIONS SONT UNIQUEMENT SUR ORDI. Pros INTERFACE SIMPLE, RETOUCHES NON DESTRUCTIVES, SYNCHRO CLOUD TOP. PARFAIT MÊME POUR LES PHOTOGRAPHES DÉBUTANTS. Cons L’ABONNEMENT PEUT REVENIR CHER À LA LONGUE. VERSION MOBILE MOINS COMPLÈTE, FAUT PARFOIS PASSER PAR L’ORDI POUR TOUT AVOIR. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. TA Tabarak A. Graphic Designer Design ### "Pocket photo powerhouse" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 May 6, 2025 Pros I can raise exposure, lower contrast, and test different colour profiles on my phone without long waits. Overall, that feels quite powerful for a mobile app. Cons For the desktop version, even on my strong PC, Lightroom Classic sometimes slows down when I change modules or start a large export. The face‑recognition tool is not always accurate; it often marks my cat as a person. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. LB Leighann B. Director Education Management ### "Simple and a HUGE time saver" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 May 2, 2025 Very satisfied. I am able to edit my photos quickly and easily to make them more presentable on social media. Pros Preset filters are the best! I don't have a lot of time for photo editing. It's something I've had to learn to do in order to maintain a decent social media presence for my school, but I'm not great at it. Preset filters in Lightroom make all my photos look better. Cons I just wish I knew how to better use all the features! I know I'm not using it to its fullest potential, but it works for my purposes. Alternatives considered [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Reasons for choosing Adobe Lightroom Adobe Lightroom was much simpler and easier to learn that Photoshop Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. JS Jesse S. Owner Photography ### "Lightroom is all you need to edit" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 2.0 2.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 15, 2025 I have enjoyed using it for several years, mostly using it on my phone and it has helped get several photos in magazines. Pros I love how user friendly, theyre constantly updating, super easy to use on phone, you can easily import to other adobe apps too Cons How slowly it syncs between multiple devices or how differently the pictures appear on my phone vs laptop when im editing Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. 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While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/proprietary-data-research/) How Capterra verifies reviews Capterra carefully verified over 2.5 million+ reviews to bring you authentic software experiences from real users. Our human moderators verify that reviewers are real people and that reviews are authentic. They use leading tech to analyze text quality and to detect plagiarism and generative AI. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-verify-reviews/) How Capterra ensures transparency Capterra lists all providers across its website—not just those that pay us—so that users can make informed purchase decisions. Capterra is free for users. Software providers pay us for sponsored profiles to receive web traffic and sales opportunities. 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