Adobe Lightroom review

Adobe Lightroom is the strongest choice for photographers who shoot a lot and want one library on their Mac, phone and the web. The Mac App Store listing describes AI features such as Denoise, Super Resolution and one-click subject selection, an AI-powered Remove tool, adaptive presets and masking for selective edits, and AI search that finds photos without tagging. Edits on one device are applied everywhere else, you can keep images locally or in the cloud, and the same tools now edit video. Apple named it the 2024 Mac App of the Year. The cost is the catch: a Lightroom subscription is required after a 7-day trial, at $11.99 a month or $118.99 a year in the US App Store, and generative credit packs are sold on top, starting at $4.99 a month for 500 credits. It also needs macOS 14.0 or later, so older Macs are left out. We compared documented features and published prices.

Who it is for

photographers who edit and organize large libraries across Mac and phone

Price

$11.99 per month or $118.99 per year on the Mac App Store; 7-day free trial.

Lightroom Monthly Subscription $11.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• AI Denoise, Super Resolution and one-click subject selection
• AI-powered Remove tool for distractions
• Adaptive presets and masking for selective edits
• Edits sync across desktop, mobile and web
• AI search without manual tagging, plus video editing with the same tools

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Edits made on one device apply everywhere else
• Strength: Store images locally or in the cloud
• Strength: Same presets and tools work on video
• Weakness: A subscription is required after the 7-day trial
• Weakness: Requires macOS 14.0 or later
• Weakness: Generative credits are sold separately, from $4.99 a month for 500

Key facts

• Price: $11.99 a month or $118.99 a year
• Free trial: 7 days
• Requires: macOS 14.0 or later
• Awards: Apple App Store Awards 2024 Mac App of the Year
• Credit packs: From $4.99 a month for 500 credits

Where it ranks

Adobe Lightroom is No. 3 in our Best Photo Editing Apps for Mac verdict.