--- title: "Adobe Lightroom Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is Adobe Lightroom the right Photo Editing solution for you? Explore 328 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/233631/Adobe-Photoshop-Lightroom/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-09-29" --- Adobe Lightroom 4.8 (328) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/233631/Adobe-Photoshop-Lightroom/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated September 29th, 2026 # Reviews of Adobe Lightroom Ease of use 4.4 Customer Service 4.1 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews RV Renato V socioComputer Software, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “I consider it to be a complete image editing app due to its wide variety of tools in the field of color, lighting, cropping and more.“ February 4, 2025 HA Hakob A Solutions EngineerElectrical/Electronic Manufacturing, 5,001 - 10,000 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “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.“ February 2, 2025 JG Joe G CEOPhotography, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It gives you the ability to edit a photo a little more effortlessly while keeping the quality and maintaining low grain visibility.“ February 1, 2025 VM Victor M EDITOR PROFISSIONAL DE IMAGENSMarketing and Advertising, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Limited editing compared to Photoshop, as it does not allow for layers or deeper manipulations.“ April 2, 2025 JB Johanna B Dental HygienistHospital & Health Care, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Lightroom is a great tool for people who want to get started with photo editing while having more options than a smartphone, but easier than photoshop.“ February 20, 2025 Maximilian P Managing PartnerPhotography, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Unfortunately, it sometimes is painfully slow and unresponsive and Adobe does not really seem to do anything about it nor implement feedback - even if there are thousands of votes for it.“ January 27, 2025 LL Lise-Mari Anne L PhotographerPhotography, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I like that it offers a simple user interface and allows for more than adequate photograph editing for an affordable price.“ January 31, 2025 MB Meherunnesha B Content creatorEducation Management, Self-employedUsed the software for: Less than 6 months. “On budget friendly phones, lightroom became laggy and slow and their cloud storage are limited.“ July 17, 2025 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 328 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Crystal C. Owner Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great for photographers" May 29, 2025 4.0 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/) Reason for choosing Adobe Lightroom More training available for the software. It's also more intuitive Review Source ML Melissa L. Founder and Creater Arts and Crafts Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Great image editing app!" October 1, 2025 4.0 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 LL Léandre L. Photographer Photography Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great software, horrible business plan" February 12, 2025 3.0 Everything is great, but the subscription model is abhorrent. The minute I find something similar without a subscription, I'll switch Pros Access between tablet, pc and cellphone. Cons The subscription model is horrible. I would love to buy once and would put 5 stars if that was the case Review Source LB Leighann B. Director Education Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Simple and a HUGE time saver" May 2, 2025 5.0 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/) Reason for choosing Adobe Lightroom Adobe Lightroom was much simpler and easier to learn that Photoshop Review Source JS Jason S. Photography assistant Apparel & Fashion Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best overall photo editing software " April 7, 2025 5.0 I love Lightroom, and use it as my main editing software. Pros Best platform to not just edit your images, but also organize and categorize your work. New features are constantly being added to further the experience. Cons Work requiring more detailed editing work or layers will have to be used along side of Photoshop. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) I started using Photoshop, but switched to Lightroom as my main editor for its file organization, and ease of use. Review Source PE Pete E. Head of IT Services Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Vvery powerful image catalogue and editing tool" March 26, 2025 5.0 Lightroom has been effective in improving my photography workflow. I like how it has evolved into the product it now is, and has many features to help transform dull images into vivid snapshots. Pros It is an incredibly powerful tool for managing and edit photos. Cons It could be more efficient with PC CPU and RAM. Sometimes it can be slow to work with. It is also quite pricey with a subscription model. Switched from [Capture One](https://www.capterra.com/p/200094/Capture-One-Enterprise/) Lightroom has better features and is easier to use with the sliders etc. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Managing Partner Photography Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best software for photographers" January 27, 2025 5.0 I am using lightroom for almost 15 years now and still stick to it. There is no other software that is capable of Lightrooms cataloging features combined with development tools. Unfortunately, it sometimes is painfully slow and unresponsive and Adobe does not really seem to do anything about it nor implement feedback - even if there are thousands of votes for it. Pros \- Best cataloging software on the market - Easy to use - Many options for development and editing Cons \- Sometimes painfully slow, especially with large catalogues - Only subscription model available, if newest version is needed Alternatives considered [Affinity Photo](https://www.capterra.com/p/228748/Affinity-Photo/) Reason for choosing Adobe Lightroom There is no better software that combines both cataloging and developing images. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Photographer Photography Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Lightroom Classic user for years" March 14, 2026 5.0 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 DR Devan R. Sales and Marketing Representative Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Lightroom is a must" April 8, 2026 5.0 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 Farnaz K. ML Engineer Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great Editing Tools, but Too Expensive" December 10, 2025 5.0 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 RA Rachel A. Director Education Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Photo Editing made easy" December 10, 2024 4.0 Overall, I enjoy using Lightroom. Outside of managing my preschool, I handle all social media and Lightroom is great for editing the photos I take of activities within our program. Pros I like how many features users can explore while working in Lightroom. I also like that users can connect to the community and use filters created by others. Cons I find that this program can be easily "overloaded" and will crash- especially if the device you are using it on is not completely up to date. If you are ensuring that your device and Lightroom are both running on the latest software, it works fine 99% of the time. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) I like the features and functions of Lightroom better than Photoshop. This platform feels a little easier to use as well for strictly image editing. Review Source BL Bruno L. Photographer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Lightroom Features and Usability" June 15, 2022 5.0 In general, I see a friendly program that I can import my photos, edit them, put them in collections and export them in a very fast and dynamic. I managed to solve the delay in my daily workflow with photography. TODAY is essential for my workflow and I do not intend to exchange for similar programs on the market. Pros The amazing and time-saving features are the import and export menu. In import you can easily import and analyze all photos and put them in collections, and quick export to generate the final file type. Very easy to use of course, dedicated to learning. Later we understand that the program is very easy and intuitive. It integrated with my current programs and especially photoshop. It is even possible from within the Lightroom interface to export to photoshop with just one click. Cons I miss a feature that works with videos more thoroughly. I know that little by little this can be implemented. I find it a little difficult to customize tabs and menus on the desktop. Regarding the integration requirement, I liked the way it integrates with Photoshop and when it comes to exporting to the cloud, it's easy. It was a very powerful feature that Adobe put in. Alternatives considered [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Reason for choosing Adobe Lightroom Because it has powerfully adapted to my flow, with importing, editing, cataloging and exporting very dynamic. The others are programs that lack resources and end up delaying processing time much longer, even losing money. Review Source PV Prateek V. Graphics Editor Photography Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Adobe Lightroom, The Best Photo Editor" September 25, 2023 5.0 Overall, Lightroom has become the core of my everyday operations, and it's the single software I rely on the most. The initial implementation was a bit rough due to the complexity of Lightroom's Professional Tools but now, it has become integral to my role. Pros Lightroom has everything a Photo Editor can think of. From basic editing like manipulating brightness and contrast, to more advanced features like HSL Split Tone, Masking, Layers, and Tone Curves, Lightroom has it all in one place and is the benchmark product in its industry. Cons Starting up with Lightroom as a beginner is a bit steep and challenging. Lightroom has a vast palette of tools and features that appear overwhelming for a newbie but the learning and experimenting is actually fun. Switched from [GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)](https://www.capterra.com/p/168960/GIMP/) GIMP wasn't simply good enough for making professional photographer-level edits. Review Source JC Jacqueline C. Brand Designer Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "The Photo Editing Software That Became a Standard" January 14, 2025 4.0 It does what it says regardless of if you're a subscriber or not. it came with my creative cloud subscription so I tend to use it when I want to do some light editing. The app is far more superior than the desktop version. Pros What I liked the most is the tools offered for editing and organizing images. Taking a decent image that may have turned out too dark and giving it a lighting adjustment is so easy to obtain. I also liked the option to use a screen reader. The interface is simple to navigate and easy to understand. Cons Since adobe moved to a subscription model lightroom is pricey considering the many alternatives that are out there. I don't like that it doesn't default to opening when I pop in an SD memory card. Review Source RG Ravi G. Fashion consultant Retail Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Largest lightroom " January 30, 2025 5.0 My experience is to good to use in daily work and doing project also Pros I like most about adobe lightroom You can always go back to the original or tweak previous adjustments. Cons I like least about adobe lightroom classic can be slow, especially when handling large catalogs or high-resolution RAW files. Review Source JB Jatin B. Fashion Consultant Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Cons of lightroom" January 9, 2025 5.0 It's very good overall but just focus on reducing rendering Pros Lightroom can make a very good photo album for wedding photography and videography Cons Lightroom take more time in photo rendering and video rendering i have i5 11th gen pc still it load a lot Review Source JW Jenna W. Owner Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great for photo editing " December 30, 2024 5.0 Have used for years for photo editing and is easy to use with other adobe programs Pros Can easily edit photos like a professional Cons Have to relearn some of the functions when they make updates Review Source Adham H. Senior Social Media Specialist, Senior Graphic Designer Broadcast Media Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The fully fledged photo editing software for every photographer outhere" January 2, 2024 5.0 i've been using lightroom for almost 7 years now, and never ever has it failed me, they update it on regular basis, it's always easy to handle, it gives me the freedom to edit every single aspect of my photos, i always recommend it for every photographer out there. Pros You can control every single aspect of colors on your photos, create presets or even import ready made ones, you can adjust every single light and shadow on your photos as well as the color wheel of the shadows & highlights, you can also batch import and edit, create your own settings and save them to a catalog, edit on the go from your mobile, it's always synced and backed up to the cloud, so you can access your photos anywhere and anytime. Cons Nothing to dislike except the prices, it's a bit expensive when it comes to single software use if you're only using lightroom, however you can get an offer bundle if you get it with photoshop, or with photoshop and illustrator Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Freelancer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "From today, you will not be without Adobe Lightroom" March 7, 2022 5.0 Let me tell you a secret, this is from the experience of more than 4 years of using it, so that your heart is rested to set out on this adventure . But still , I can't do without using it to edit my photos . Pros It is very difficult to upload a picture of my own to social networking sites without it being modified in the Lightroom program , simply, because people take a lot of photos at the same moment , but they need to edit all the photos in one click , and here comes the role of the great program , which is Adobe Lightroom . The speed in editing your photos in this program is incredible to the mind, you do not need to go to many places inside it to finish editing your photos compared to Adobe Photoshop, you need to navigate more than once, quite the contrary, in only one place inside Adobe Lightroom you can create The best and most exciting editing, you basically do not need previous experience with it, you can learn it in a few days and become a professional in color editing and this is a powerful feature of Adobe Lightroom. Let me tell you before I forget , the user interface is simple and easy on the eye , And believe me, you will learn it in less than a week for its simplicity and you will come out of it with the best picture you will see in your life. Cons The only problem is that if you want to change and delete in the small details, in fact you can do it, but not as powerful and easy as Adobe Photoshop handles . Review Source Rahul R. Product Manager Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Premium Image editing software " October 3, 2022 5.0 I had a fantastic experience with the app as I do lots of image editing work and need professional-level tools to work on high-definition images. The app provides me a platform to create content and these contents are used for posters and online ads for my business. All thanks to adobe lightroom for giving me some pro-level image editing experience. Pros The best thing about the software is that it has premium-level image editing tools like masking and Image optimizer. One feature which I always use is the recommended presets that lightroom provides, they are so amazing that you won't need to do anything and lightroom will do all the work by recommending self-edited presets and trust me all of these presets will be worth exploring. Cons Everything is great about the software but the main problem is its price. It is a high-cost app if you buy it's premium and also the windows version is a little difficult to understand as it has lots of professional-level image editing tools and it will take a lot of time for a user to get comfortable with the software interface. Review Source SC Sam C. Designer Graphic Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "No better batch photo editor out there!" November 10, 2021 5.0 Regarding my workflow, Adobe Lightroom has substantially improved photo categorization. I take images on a regular basis, so having them all in one spot is quite convenient. I can quickly locate a one-off old photo that I require, make a fast edit, re-export and tag it, and move on to my next task.  This is useful when I'm using photographs from more than a year ago in current marketing materials. Overall, Lightroom is a must-have for those looking to improve everything about photography—especially workflow and aesthetic adjustments. Pros I like how Adobe Lightroom  allows me to edit RAW files in a comprehensive manner. I can batch-edit RAW photographs more easily than I can with Photoshop. I appreciate being able to rapidly switch between presets and preview them. The simple keyboard shortcut that allows me to rapidly change between my altered photo and the original RAW shot is perhaps my favorite feature, allowing for easy comparisons when editing. Cons There aren't many things that Adobe Lightroom does poorly. Lightroom occasionally has long photo export times, which is the only drawback I can think of. For example, exporting a batch of 50 photographs can sometimes  take up to an hour or more. It's not a major concern because I'll just be leaving my computer for a few minutes, but I'd like to see speedier photo exporting, or one that works better on computers with less RAM. Review Source Babu S. Quality Manger Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Adobe Lightroom review by a Self taught photographer" June 18, 2022 5.0 My overall experience with Lightroom has been really good and I am already prescribing it among my friends and collegues. Pros Adobe Lightroom has an user friendly interface and it allows any beginner to use the software without any prior knowledge or specific training. Importing a file is easier, sharing the file is even more easy. we can also use another person's design from the cloud without having to pay for it Cons Unable to load images with huge size. Version control can be a little messy Can't edit layer by layer like how we do it in Photoshop Review Source SS Szabolcs S. Software developer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "It's a must" July 31, 2022 5.0 I can successfully organize my pictures, i can retouch and perfect them with ease, I can go from desktop to mobile and pick up the work and continue - I like this the most. Pros If you are a photographer, be that on a professional basis or a hobbyist, you can't expect to create awesome shots with the camera only. A good post-processing software is needed. Lightroom is the "industry standard", every other editor is compared against it, in the features, in organizing tools, sharing features, with Adobe family software integrations Cons It's a little annoying, that it needs a little too much resources, cpu and ram. I had to switch hardware because of this. The 20gb cloud space offered in the basic subscription is too little. Review Source AR Ansh R. Operations specialist Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Fabulous editing software in the market." September 30, 2022 5.0 My overall experience with adobe lightroom was amazing as I like image editing a lot. I have produced some of the premium-level edited photos just by working a few minutes on the software. All thanks to adobe for making my editing experience great and giving me results which directly helped my business social media pages to grow with better content. Pros The best thing about the software is that it works on Android devices which makes it more handy and efficient. The editing tools which lightroom has are extremely powerful and are capable of giving you the best results. There are real-time editing tools like masking and animations. The best thing I liked about the app was inbuilt presets recommendations which will give you premium results even without much efforts. Cons The premium of the app is a little costly which can be difficult to afford for newbies and it has a huge variety of editing tools so they will also need to take a professional course to understand working on this app. Some time app crashes by itself and shuts down without any reason. I think this is something in which adobe should work on by removing these small bugs for a better user experience. Review Source JM Joyce M. Photographer Media Production Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Why you need Lightroom if you are in the Media industry." July 15, 2022 5.0 Lightroom has improved my media business threefold. It allows me to be efficient with my time, therefore, providing my business with a better profit margin. Pros This software besides being affordable is reliable, user-friendly, and efficient. I prefer Lightroom over other editing software because it is easy to understand, learn and use all the different tools it offers. It has cut my post-processing time in half and allows me to do all the post-processing steps like importing, selecting, editing, exporting into many customizable formats and sharing through my other devices all in one place. I cannot live without this software. Cons The only feature I dont like it is: With one of the recent updates, the importing process now also makes a 2nd copy of the master file on your computer/hard drive therefore now having the original, a copy, plus the exported image for a total of 3 files for the same image taking up storage space. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Based on user friendliness. Review Source Similar Products Featured