Lightroom vs Darktable | Which One is Better to Choose [2025]
Whether you are a photographer or designer, expressing creativity or telling a story from your edits will make them the most charming.
Therefore, editing software needs a call, and among them, Lightroom vs Darktable is distinct.
In the general overview of Lightroom vs Darktable, you will see Lightroom requires $9.99 per month to access paid features. On the other hand, Darktable is a free, open-source resource available on multiple platforms.
Hence, a free vs paid photo editing software one-on-one comparison is only won by Darktable. But you can’t forget some other features like user interface, editing tools, performance etc.
Lightroom vs Darktable: A Concise Overview
The major difference that one should count down while making a side-by-side comparison is cost. Lightroom has a subscription cost to access unlimited extensive features, whereas Darktable is an open-source app.
“Lightroom boasts an impressive image processing speed with proper adjustments without any lags. However, Darktable experiences a delay of about 1-2 seconds for applying edits and making adjustments.”
Darktable is fantastic for image editing and gives tremendous results for its raw processing engine.
Since Lightroom has drag-and-drop options, importing images in Lightroom is easier than in Darktable.
Creating, renaming, and moving files in Darktable is not possible. Besides, Lightroom takes less processing time than Darktable for exporting purposes.
In terms of usability, Darktable is a first-rate editing app for performing repetitive tasks along with basic image editing.
If you have a check on speed, Lightroom has outstanding image processing speed, whereas Darktable lags.
For professional photographers, Lightroom is the best app to choose from, whereas for free users, Darktable is perfect for practice.
What is Lightroom?
The best photo editing app that allows users to make on-the-fly edits using its extraordinary features is Lightroom. The photo and video editing application was created by Adobe Creative Cloud in 2006.
Lightroom has various features to enhance image organization, reduce noise, and customize presets.
If you want to create, edit, organize, or share any images, Lightroom is for you with various advanced editing tools. The benefits of using this software include;
- Easy and Quality Color Correction
- HDR Effect in the Mobile Version
- Raw Image Processing
- Clear and well-organized interface
- Adobe Photoshop Integration
Adobe Lightroom has various versions that are compatible with mobile, Mac, iPhone, and Windows.
Adoble Lightroom is a better option than Darktable to do tweaks to sharpening, exposure, and other subtle adjustments to your images.
What is Darktable?
One of the free editing software that is used as a Lightroom alternative is called Darktable. It has unlimited features and a slightly cluttered user interface, as well as virtual Lighttable and Darkroom.
Darktable is popular in managing digital negatives and is known as a “Photography Workflow Application and Raw Developer.”
Besides, Darktable is a powerful RAW image processor where Lighttable manages images, imports, exports, and more.
On the contrary, the darkroom is responsible for directly processing images in the photo lab. As a free editing tool, Darktable is the best alternative to Adobe Lightroom, and its file management and editing solutions are adorable.
A Detailed Comparison Table Feature for Darktable vs Lightroom
Key Features | Darktable | Lightroom |
User Interface | Clumsy and Complex Intuitive Interface | Easy-to-use Interface |
Cost | Free open-source | Subscription Based |
Non Destructive Editing | Supported | Supported |
Tethering Module | Available | Available |
Metadata Management | Right-Hand Column | Right-Hand Column |
Defined Import Location | Not Available | Customizable |
Keyboard Shortcuts | Available | Available |
Navigation Process | Less Intuitive and more challenging | Seamless and more intuitive navigation |
Catalog System | Basic and minimal catalog system | Robust and Comprehensive |
File Management | Complex | Streamline and Efficient |
Find Focus Points | Supported | Supported |
Mobile-Friendly Version | Not Available | Available |
Drag & Drop Image Feature | Not Available | Convenient |
Control Over Presets | Limited | Extensive |
Keyword Tags & Metadata | Supported | Supported |
Slideshow, Map, and Printing Modules | Included | Included |
Slider for Smaller Adjustments | Available | Not Available |
Lightroom vs Darktable | Which one to use?
Are you finding it difficult to handle large photo libraries, manage basic adjustments, and advanced color correction? That may happen with anyone who is new to the editing industry.
Adobe Lightroom is a PRO editing tool for the individuals who are looking for the perfect app for photo organization. There is no time to enhance complex edits into stunning ones with Lightroom presets.
On the contrary, Darktable is preferable to use if you are looking for a free editing app for RAW editing. The app has powerful features to have a good control over the images with clean layouts. You can easily organize images as well but the interface may not be so easy for beginners.
Note: Check the way to update Lightroom Classic on Windows & Mac!
One-on-One Comparison of Lightroom vs Darktable Features
A side-by-side comparison of the features of both photo editing applications will help you decide which is the best one. Let’s examine the features listed as follows:
User Interface
Having a look over the interfaces of both Lightroom and Darktable, you will observe both are the same.
However, Lightroom’s design and interface are smoother for beginners, whereas Darktable clutters somewhere.
Lightroom has a straightforward and intuitive interface, and users can navigate to various tools easily.
On the contrary, Darktable has a less redefined and clumsy interface, especially in Darkroom, where tools are divided into several tabs.
Darktable has modules for different purposes, including Lighttable, Darkroom, map, slideshow, print, and tethered shooting.
Lightroom contains a histogram on the right corner of the Library, which Darktable misses.
Winner – Lightroom
Editing Tools and Capabilities
Lightroom has advanced editing tools and capabilities, organized in an excellent way that users can easily find. But, you will find Darktable cluttered with tools, causing confusion for users from one tab to another.
This is for quick editing purposes and uses various tools together, like color correction, exposure, and highlights.
Lightroom provides a strong performance with simple contrast, light, and shadow adjustments.
The edited image quality in Darktable is not as clear and smooth as in Lightroom. In short, the navigation process for different tools in Darktable is harder than it is in Lightroom.
Winner – Lightroom
See Also : Lightroom vs Capture One
File Management Capabilities
When it comes to file management, Lightroom provides a neat and well-organized with its brilliant feature to locate files.
There is a lot of flexibility in managing images, and it gives a smooth workflow for catalog options.
The big advantage for professionals is a comprehensive menu system with a full image control and management system.
The extensive menu tabs with the necessary tools make file management efficient. Though File management in Darktable is similar to Lightroom, cataloging is minimal.
It doesn’t contain drag-and-drop options and collections and hence isn’t as incredible, just as Lightroom is. Darktable has an outstanding file-filtering system for large image catalogs.
You will find it considerably more difficult to identify a single image. Exporting any image from Darktable is straightforward.
Winner – Lightroom
General Performance and Speed
If you operate both editing Software on a single device, you will observe the clear difference in performance and speed. Lightroom instantly saves the edited image changes, whereas DarkTable takes a few seconds.
Though a few seconds doesn’t matter much, as a working professional, working on a hundred images simultaneously makes it critical.
The key advantage of Lightroom vs Darktable is the ability to edit and handle larger files with smart previews. For general performance and speed, Lightroom’s paid version works smartly.
On the contrary, Darktable works efficiently with open-source free tools. Therefore, if you aren’t working with tens or hundreds of images, both tools will make a tie decision.
Winner – DRAW
Pricing and Value
One of the major differences between Lightroom and Darktable is the pricing. Adobe Lightroom prices has a proper subscription service starting from $9.99 per month to $59.99 per month.
For professional photographers, Lightroom is a fully-fledged PRO editing solution with advanced tools and features.
However, Darktable is for beginners who aren’t happy with a subscription price and want free editing tools.
Winner – Darktable
Supporting Devices and Synchronization | Lightroom vs Darktable
Lightroom has various supporting devices like mobile platforms, Windows, iPhones, and PCs. You can synchronize with any of the devices easily.
On the contrary, Darktable doesn’t support mobile devices. You can use it on Linux, macOS, Windows, and Solaris.
Note – As a free editing app, Snapseed is also famous. Don’t miss a comprehensive comparison over Lightroom vs Snapseed.
Features that Lightroom Support but not Darktable
There are some key features where we can directly fall into the one-on-one comparison of Lightroom vs Darktable. However, some robust features make Lightroom stand out extraordinarily.
Don’t catch them as the shortcomings of Darktable, as the new advancements are still making certain changes.
- Plugins and Presets – Lightroom has a whole universe of plugins and presets (free as well as paid). However, these are not available in Darktable.
- Publish Services – Lightroom provides direct connections for publishing services.
- Mobile App Companion – Lightroom Classic has a good integration with Lightroom CC.
- Panorama Stitching – Lightroom offers direct panorama stitching, whereas in Darktable, you have to use a separate panorama stitching software.
- Color Grading – There is a new feature in Lightroom known as color grading that provides traditional processing in video editing.
- Batch Processing – Darktable has a slow and less intuitive batch editing process as compared to Lightroom.
- Video Support – You will find basic video support in Lightroom and manage videos and photos alongside. However, Darktable doesn’t support video files.
- Robust Community Support – Lightroom has various guides and tutorials for the community.
- Integration with Photoshop – Only Lightroom offers integration with Photoshop and works amazingly for editing purposes.
- Book Module – Besides editing modules, you can use Book modules in Lightroom to publish photobooks.
- Enhanced Third-Party Integration – Lightroom has a larger audience, including developers, manufacturers, and users. It can translate wider compatibility with new cameras and lenses along with other editing apps.
- Web Module – Lightroom offers a web module where you can create web photo galleries.
Built-in Features of Darktable, Not Available in Lightroom
Unlike Lightroom, Darktable has some exciting features that aren’t available in Adobe Lightroom.
- LUA Scripting
LUA Scripting is the major release of Darktable, and it has multiple features. Using it, you can customize certain patterns by adding scripting capabilities to programs. You can use such scripting in digital asset management.
- Duplicate Manager
Adobe Lightroom requires a plugin for natively duplicating files, whereas Darktable has a built-in feature for duplicating files.
If you are looking for any other alternative to Lightroom, you should look over Lightroom vs Photoshop.
PROS and CONS of Lightroom vs Darktable
Without having a check over the ultimate pros and cons of both photo editing apps, we can’t decide on the better one. Let us look over the benefits and drawbacks of both Lightroom and Darktable.
PROS and CONS of Adobe Lightroom
PROS
CONS
PROS and CONS of Darktable
PROS
CONS
Frequently Asked Questions about Lightroom and Darktable
Final Statement
The initial factor you should remember is that both photo editing programs have perks and drawbacks. Lightroom is popular in the market, as 46.8% of photographers turned to Lightroom for its streamlined workflow.
Lightroom vs Darktable stands out differently in many aspects, especially pricing. If you are a newbie to showcase your editing skills, you can use Darktable with its free robust features. But don’t forget about its clumsy interface.
