photo editor · Skylum

Luminar Neo

Photo editor sold as a one-time licence, with AI masking, sky, noise and erase tools.

71/100

#2 of 9 photo editors
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

Skylum's pages now mostly call the product Luminar, and its help site calls the desktop app Luminar for Desktop^2,13.

In short

Desktop Only costs €129 once and covers 2 devices; All Platforms is €159 and Max €199^1,2.
AI and generative tools stay usable for 365 days, then need the optional Luminar Prime subscription^1,17.
A 7-day free trial of every feature needs no credit card³.
Opens raw files such as CR3, NEF and ARW, plus PSD¹¹.
Runs on 64-bit Windows 10 (1909 or later) and macOS 13 or later; the web editor is still marked as coming^2,13.

Luminar Neo suits people who want AI masking, erase and noise tools without a monthly fee for the editor itself^1,4,7,8. Desktop Only is €129 once, and a 7-day trial needs no card^1,3. The catch: the AI and generative tools need paid Prime after the first 365 days, and the file types page does not say whether PSD layers are kept^11,17.

Best for: Photographers who want AI tools and a licence with no monthly fee for the editor.

Where the points come from

Systems8 of 12

Editing tools31 of 34

AI tools13 of 13

Workflow9 of 11

Price and licence10 of 30

Systems 8 of 12 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Systems	Windows, macOS, iPhone/iPad, AndroidDesktop app for Windows and macOS¹³; Luminar Mobile for iPhone, iPad and Android¹⁶; web editor listed as coming².	8 / 12

Editing tools 31 of 34 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Camera raw editing	YesSupported raw formats include CR3, NEF and ARW¹¹.	10 / 10
Layers and masks	YesThe page describes adding many mask layers and duplicating an image to edit each layer separately; layer masks hide part of a layer⁴.	8 / 8
Non-destructive editing	YesVendor's raw editor page says "Luminar's editing is non-destructive"¹⁵.	6 / 6
Local adjustments	YesBrush, linear gradient and radial gradient masks are described⁴.	5 / 5
Opens and saves PSD	Not publishedPSD is listed among formats Luminar opens; saving with layers is not stated on the vendor's supported file types page¹¹.	0 / 3
HDR and panorama merge	YesHDR Merge combines up to 10 exposure-bracketed images; Panorama Stitching is also built in^5,6.	2 / 2

AI tools 13 of 13 points

Rule	What is published	Points
AI subject and sky selection	YesMask AI detects up to nine kinds of element, including skies; Background Removal AI cuts out the subject^4,7.	5 / 5
AI object removal	YesGenErase is listed among the AI tools in the plans¹ and erases distractions¹⁰; no beta label shown.	5 / 5
AI noise reduction or upscaling	YesNoiseless AI is described as an AI-powered noise remover; Upscale AI enlarges photos with trained artificial intelligence^8,9.	3 / 3

Workflow 9 of 11 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Built-in photo library	YesCatalog is described as a hub for sorting, searching and rating photos¹².	5 / 5
Batch editing and export	YesSync Adjustments copies edits to many photos, and Export batch-exports multiple photos¹⁴.	4 / 4
Soft proofing	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's raw editor, file types or system requirements pages^11,13,15.	0 / 2

Price and licence 10 of 30 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Open source	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's pricing or home pages^1,2.	0 / 3
Free trial	Yes7-day trial of all features; the sign-up form says no credit card is needed³.	2 / 2
Free version	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's pricing or trial pages; only the 7-day trial is shown^1,3.	0 / 8
No subscription needed	YesLicence is one-time; the optional Prime subscription is needed only to keep AI tools after 365 days^1,17.	5 / 5
Price per month	$12.02/moDesktop Only, €129 once, divided by 12. A Luminar for Desktop subscription is mentioned² but its price is not published on the pricing page¹. Converted at €1 = $1.1186¹⁸.	3 / 12

The rule behind each line: how we score photo editors.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
Desktop Only1 person, 2 devices	€129 once^1,2	–	Windows and macOS; AI tools renewable after 365 days with Prime
All Platforms1 person	€159 once^1,2	–	Adds Luminar Mobile on 3 devices
Max1 person	€199 once¹	–	Includes one year of Prime, which then renews yearly

Prices are shown in euros. A 10% first-purchase coupon is advertised; the page does not say whether listed prices include it, so list prices are used¹.

Strengths

Desktop Only is a one-time €129 licence for Windows and macOS^1,2.
Seven-day trial covers all features and asks for no credit card³.
Built-in HDR merge of up to 10 bracketed photos and panorama stitching^5,6.
Catalog for sorting, searching and rating photos, and a batch route using Sync Adjustments and batch export^12,14.
Brush, linear and radial masks, and AI masks that detect up to nine kinds of element⁴.

Limits

AI and generative tools need Luminar Prime after 365 days^1,17.
The web editor is listed as coming in fall 2026, so there is no browser version yet².
The pricing page shows euros only, with no dollar prices¹.
The supported file types page does not say whether PSD files keep layers when saved¹¹.

What Skylum says

Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.

Skylum says Luminar Neo supports over 1000 cameras and has 24+ AI-based tools².

Other photo editors

1
ON1 Photo RAWPhotographers who want raw development, layers and AI tools in one app
76/100
$7.50/moprice per month
3
PhotopeaPeople who want a layered, Photoshop-style editor in a browser without paying
66/100
$4.66/moprice per month
4
ACDSee Photo Studio UltimateWindows users who want an editor and a photo library in one app
60/100
$15/moprice per month
5
Adobe PhotoshopPeople who edit with layers and masks and accept a subscription
60/100
$19.99/moprice per month

Luminar Neo vs ON1 Photo RAW · Luminar Neo vs Photopea · All 9 photo editors

Sources

Luminar pricing, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Luminar, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Luminar free trial, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
AI layer mask, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
HDR merge, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Panorama stitching, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Background removal AI, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Noiseless AI, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Upscale AI, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Luminar Neo AI comparison, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Supported file types and cameras, Skylum Help. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Catalog, Skylum Help. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
System requirements, Skylum Help. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Efficient batch photo editor, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
RAW photo editor, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Luminar Mobile, Skylum. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Difference between Luminar for Desktop subscription, Prime and X Membership, Skylum Help. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Euro foreign exchange reference rates: US dollar, European Central Bank. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: skylum.com/luminar · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Skylum.