Best RAW Photo Processing Software in 2026
Updated
In short: darktable is ranked #1 of 25 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of RawTherapee and vkdt. The best-ranked option with a free plan is RawTherapee. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Zoner Photo Studio X at $4.92/mo.
Working with RAW files calls for choices about how edits are organized, applied and exported. The ranking compares catalog workflow, local adjustments and lens correction, alongside RAW format support and export formats. Tethered capture and supported platforms help you assess workflow and compatibility; free plans and paid-from pricing provide cost points to compare. The first entries are darktable, Adobe Lightroom and RawTherapee, followed by Capture One and Darkroom. Use the listed criteria to weigh file support and editing features against the way you prefer to manage and finish photographs.
25 RAW photo processing software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
#1 darktable Top pick · 7.0 Free plan · Free
#2 RawTherapee Runner-up · 7.0 Free plan · Free
#3 vkdt Also great · 7.0 Free plan · Free- Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Catalog workflow
- Yes
- Lens correction
- Yes
- Local adjustments
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree About vkdtVisit site - Free plan macOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Catalog workflow
- Yes
- Lens correction
- Yes
- Local adjustments
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan macOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Lens correction
- Yes
- Local adjustments
- Yes
- Tethered capture
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan macOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial macOSWindows
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - iOS
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial macOSiOS
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOSiOSAndroid
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$129/mofirst paid tier About Luminar NeoVisit site - Free trial LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$79.99/mofirst paid tier About Corel AfterShot ProVisit site - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - macOSiOSRecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms
- macOSiOSAndroid
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$9.99/mofirst paid tier About RAW PowerVisit site -
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial Windows
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$4.92/mofirst paid tier About Zoner Photo Studio XVisit site - macOSWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Catalog workflow
- No
- Lens correction
- Yes
- Local adjustments
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - LinuxWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Catalog workflow
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOS
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOS
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOS
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOS
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- No
- Catalog workflow
- No
- Lens correction
- Yes
- Local adjustments
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms¥25,300/mofirst paid tier About SILKYPIX Developer Studio Pro12Visit site - macOSiOS
- Free plan
- No
- Catalog workflow
- Yes
- Lens correction
- Yes
- Local adjustments
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - macOS
- Free plan
- No
- Lens correction
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$119.99/mofirst paid tier About Iridient DeveloperVisit site
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which RAW photo processing software is ranked first on Everything Xiaomi?
darktable is ranked #1 of 25 with a score of 7.0. RawTherapee is second and vkdt third.
How many of these have a free plan?
6 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Zoner Photo Studio X has the lowest first paid tier we found: $4.92/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes: documentation depth, a free tier and the platforms it runs on. Paid placements never change a rank.