commons
Built in the open
THE REPLACEMENT INDEX

Open alternatives to Adobe Lightroom.

Compare projects for raw photography. Pick the workflow you need, then check the gaps and adoption documentation.

Want to help build an alternative?

Platforms describe available clients; self-hosted services still need a server. “Mixed licenses” means editions or components have different terms.

A PLACE TO START

Open alternatives exist. Start a Commons project.

The curated references below are independent upstream projects. A member-owned Commons project is a separate place to share work and coordinate a team.

No Commons project is linked to Adobe Lightroom yet. Add yours or use the guide to start one.

How to start one
1 project for this comparison

Reviewed upstream alternatives

Comparisons cover specific workflows, not complete feature parity. An active alpha can be worth building while still being unsuitable for daily work.

Creative tools

darktable

Established project

Nondestructive RAW development and a photography workflow on your own computer.

Windows / macOS / LinuxLocalGPL-3.0Open source
RAW development and local photo workflowsSelected workflows

Cloud services, catalog migration and edit-history compatibility need separate evaluation.

Sources, activity & license scope

RAW processing is the relevant replacement workflow.

License source Release: 5.6.2 · Oct 4, 2026
Workflow source

Reviewed Oct 14, 2026 · Commons editorial research

Explore project Adoption & documentation

Independent curated reference · discuss it here; contribute upstream.