Trying to decide between ON1 Photo RAW 2025.2 and Adobe Lightroom Classic? Each photo editor includes AI-powered tools, advanced color tools, and non-destructive workflows, making them the top choices for photographers looking to manage and streamline their photo editing workflows.
This page gives you a clear, side-by-side comparison of both apps—focusing on core photo editing, workflow, and professional tools.
If you’re comparing organization features, check out our DAM-focused comparison.
For Lightroom alternatives in general, visit our Lightroom Alternatives Guide.
How are these two software programs similar? If you’re looking for an alternative to Lightroom Classic or just curious about ON1 Photo RAW, this post breaks down 10 key similarities that make both programs great choices for photographers.
- Organized Photo Asset Management
- Raw Processing & Non-Destructive Editing
- AI-Powered Photo Enhancements
- Customizable Presets & Styles
- Advanced Color Grading & HSL Tools
- Layer-Based Editing Capabilities
- Portrait Retouching Features
- HDR & Panorama Stitching
- Customizable Export Options
- Cloud Sync & Mobile Compatibility
ON1 vs Lightroom Comparison Table
| Feature | ON1 Photo RAW 2025.2 | Adobe Lightroom Classic |
| Pricing Model | One-time purchase (no subscription) | Subscription required |
| AI Editing Tools | ✅ Super Select AI, AI Retouching | ⚠️ Basic AI masking only |
| Layer Support | ✅ Full, non-destructive layers | ❌ Requires Photoshop |
| HDR, Panorama, Focus Stacking | ✅ All built-in | ⚠️ Partial / plugin required |
| Organization System | ✅ Folder-based (no catalog) | ✅ Catalog-based |
| Migration Tool for Lightroom | ✅ Yes | N/A |
| Performance on Large Libraries | ✅ Fast with local folders | ⚠️ May slow with large catalogs |
| Subscription Required? | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Plugin Ecosystem | ✅ ON1 Extras + Adobe-compatible | ✅ Adobe marketplace |
Organized Photo Asset Management
Both ON1 and Lightroom offer robust tools for managing your photo library. You can tag images, search by metadata, organize into collections, view geotagged images on a map, and even shoot tethered directly into each program.
Lightroom Classic relies on a catalog-based system. This works well for photographers who prefer structured, centralized organization. However, catalogs can become fragile—file links break if you move images outside the app, and performance slows as catalogs grow.
ON1 takes a folder-based approach, letting you browse and edit your images directly from your drive, without imports or databases. This makes it more intuitive and faster for users who prefer working with real folders.
How ON1 Photo RAW Stands Out:
ON1 Photo RAW can act as an image browser with no import necessary—browse and edit directly from your folders
Compare View for checking multiple images side by side at 100%
Easier to manage across drives or cloud services, with no broken links
Raw Processing & Non-Destructive Editing
Both programs support RAW files from nearly every major camera brand. They provide non-destructive editing, lens and camera profiles, and advanced tools like gradient masks, radial filters, and selective adjustments.
How ON1 Photo RAW Stands Out:
ON1 introduces Brilliance AI, a one-click tool that enhances tone, color, and skies while simultaneously reducing noise. It streamlines the editing process and gives photographers a fast, high-quality baseline without sacrificing control.
AI-Powered Photo Enhancements
Both software options integrate AI-powered tools to enhance images including noise reduction, image upscaling, and sharpening. Making selections using built-in AI Masking Tools is also easy, allowing for selections based on subjects, backgrounds, or skies.
How Photo RAW Stands Out:
Modern photographers expect intelligent, time-saving tools. Both ON1 and Lightroom offer AI-assisted features like noise reduction, image upscaling, and sky or subject selection.
How ON1 Photo RAW Stands Out:
ON1’s AI suite is significantly more advanced. Super Select AI allows you to apply adjustments to any object or area instantly. Sky Swap AI replaces dull skies in seconds, and Portrait AI intelligently retouches faces—automatically smoothing skin, enhancing eyes, and adjusting lighting on a per-subject basis.
Customizable Presets & Styles
Presets make it easy to apply consistent looks and speed up editing. Both platforms include adaptive presets, with Lightroom leaning heavily on profile-based looks.
How ON1 Photo RAW Stands Out:
ON1 features genre-based preset collections, and users can preview effects in the browser before applying them—saving time and reducing guesswork. It also includes stackable filters built into the editing engine, making ON1 a better choice for creative workflows.
Advanced Color Grading & HSL Tools
Photographers who demand precise color control will appreciate the HSL sliders, curves, LUTs, and black & white conversion tools available in both apps.
How ON1 Photo RAW Stands Out:
ON1 comes loaded with over 30 creative filters, including Dynamic Contrast, Glow, Sunshine, Lens Flare, and Match Color. These filters are fully maskable, allowing for localized color effects and nuanced adjustments beyond Lightroom’s capabilities.
Layer-Based Editing Capabilities
Lightroom allows for some local editing using gradients and brushes—but when it comes to true composites or layered edits, it requires jumping to Photoshop.
How ON1 Photo RAW Stands Out:
ON1 has built-in, non-destructive layers. You can blend images, replace skies, or create complex compositions—all within the same app. There’s no need to round-trip to external editors.
Portrait Retouching Features
Both apps offer face detection, blemish removal, and other essential retouching tools. However, Lightroom often requires manual brushing and multiple steps to fine-tune a portrait.
How ON1 Photo RAW Stands Out:
ON1 includes a dedicated Portrait AI module that automatically detects faces and applies individualized adjustments. You can edit multiple faces in the same photo independently with intuitive sliders, speeding up portrait workflows considerably.
HDR & Panorama Stitching
Both programs allow users to merge images into HDR composites for high dynamic range (HDR) images, along with panoramas for ultra-wide shots.
How Photo RAW Stands Out:
ON1 Photo RAW enhances creative possibilities with Focus Stacking, allowing photographers to merge multiple images for an extended depth of field, ensuring every detail is sharp from foreground to background. Additionally, the Time-Lapse Creation feature transforms image sequences into video, perfect for capturing motion and progression over time. For greater control over exposure blending, Layer Stacking enables users to combine different exposures seamlessly within the software without requiring external applications.
Customizable Export Options
Both programs offer robust batch export options with presets and the ability to control naming, location, file size and type, metadata, and watermarks. The ability to export multiple file sizes and types simultaneously is also beneficial in each app.
Cloud Sync & Mobile Compatibility
Both Lightroom Classic and ON1 Photo RAW offer mobile compatibility, allowing users to sync photos between desktop and mobile devices. Each program uses proxy-based editing (without requiring full-resolution files), keeping the original photo stored on your desktop computer.
How Photo RAW Stands Out:
ON1 Cloud Sync allows users to publish entire cataloged folder structures that can be navigated on mobile, as well as collections and albums. The ON1 Cloud Sync service also works across multiple desktop or laptop computers, so you can publish photos from any of them and view and edit them on any device. Additionally, Cloud Sync synchronizes other features such as presets, add-ons, and preferences across devices.
Who Should Use ON1?
If you’re looking for an all-in-one Lightroom alternative that includes robust AI tools, advanced masking, and full-layer editing without needing multiple software applications, ON1 Photo RAW might be your best choice. While Lightroom Classic excels, ON1 offers greater flexibility, more filters, and a one-time purchase option—making it an ideal pick for photographers who want more control without committing to a subscription.
ON1 is ideal for:
- Users who want a single app for editing + organization
- Photographers who dislike Adobe’s subscription pricing
- Creatives who need AI tools and layered editing without jumping to Photoshop
- Beginners who prefer easy folder access over catalogs
Who Should Stick With Lightroom?
Lightroom Classic is ideal for:
- Users heavily invested in the Adobe ecosystem
- Photographers who rely on smart collections and keyword hierarchies
- Workflows already tied to Photoshop, Bridge, or Adobe Cloud
Can I Switch from Lightroom to ON1?
Yes! ON1 offers a built-in Lightroom Migration Assistant to help you transfer:
- Catalogs
- Collections
- Metadata
- Keywords
- Many develop settings
Learn more in our Lightroom to ON1 migration guide
Try ON1 Photo RAW Today!
Want to see how ON1 Photo RAW stacks up in real-world editing? Download the free trial and experience its powerful features firsthand.
