Lightroom vs Photoshop Elements

Last Updated:

Our analysts compared Lightroom vs Photoshop Elements based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Photo Editing Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Photoshop Elements Software Tool

Product Basics

Lightroom is a sophisticated software designed for photo editing and management, offering a comprehensive suite of tools for enhancing and organizing digital images. It is particularly well-suited for professional photographers, graphic designers, and creative industries that require meticulous photo editing capabilities. The software excels in providing non-destructive editing, allowing users to make adjustments without altering the original image. Its powerful features include advanced color correction, exposure adjustments, and a wide array of filters and presets that streamline the editing process.

One of Lightroom's unique benefits is its seamless integration with cloud storage, enabling users to access and edit their photos from any device. This flexibility is highly valued by professionals who need to work on the go. Additionally, Lightroom's intuitive interface and robust organizational tools, such as keyword tagging and collections, make it easier to manage large photo libraries efficiently.

Compared to similar products, users often praise Lightroom for its user-friendly design and extensive editing capabilities. Pricing varies based on subscription plans, which typically include monthly or annual payment options. For specific pricing details, users are encouraged to contact SelectHub for a tailored quote based on their individual needs.

read more...
Photoshop Elements is a versatile photo editing software designed to cater to both amateur and semi-professional photographers. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools for photo enhancement, organization, and sharing. Users can perform tasks such as color correction, red-eye removal, and background replacement with ease. The software is particularly well-suited for hobbyists, small business owners, and educators who require powerful yet user-friendly editing capabilities without the complexity of more advanced software. One of the standout features is its Guided Edits, which provide step-by-step instructions for achieving various effects, making it accessible for beginners. Additionally, the software includes automated features like Auto Curate and Smart Tags, which streamline the photo organization process. Pricing for Photoshop Elements typically falls within a moderate range, often available as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription model. For precise pricing, users are encouraged to contact SelectHub for a tailored quote.
read more...
$9.99 Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
$100 One-Time
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Streamlined Workflow: Lightroom integrates photo management and editing in one platform, reducing the need to switch between multiple applications.
  • Non-Destructive Editing: Edits are saved as separate instructions, preserving the original image and allowing for easy reversion to the original state.
  • Advanced Organization: Features like keyword tagging, collections, and smart albums help efficiently manage large photo libraries.
  • Batch Processing: Apply edits to multiple photos simultaneously, saving time on repetitive tasks such as exposure adjustments or color corrections.
  • Cloud Syncing: Access and edit your photos from any device with cloud storage, ensuring your work is always up-to-date and accessible.
  • Powerful Presets: Use and create presets to apply consistent styles across your photo collection, enhancing productivity and maintaining a cohesive look.
  • Detailed Adjustments: Fine-tune images with precision tools for exposure, contrast, color balance, and more, allowing for professional-grade edits.
  • Integration with Adobe Ecosystem: Seamlessly transfer images between Lightroom and other Adobe applications like Photoshop for more complex edits.
  • Efficient Export Options: Export images in various formats and sizes tailored to different platforms, from web to print, ensuring optimal quality and performance.
  • Regular Updates: Benefit from continuous improvements and new features through regular software updates, keeping your tools current and competitive.
  • Community and Support: Access a vast community of users and extensive online resources, including tutorials and forums, to enhance your skills and troubleshoot issues.
  • Customizable Interface: Tailor the workspace to your preferences, improving efficiency and comfort during long editing sessions.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Share projects and edits with clients or team members easily, facilitating feedback and collaborative workflows.
  • Mobile Editing: Edit photos on-the-go with the Lightroom mobile app, ensuring flexibility and convenience in your workflow.
  • AI-Powered Tools: Utilize artificial intelligence features like auto-tagging and smart adjustments to speed up the editing process and enhance results.
read more...
  • Ease of Use: Photoshop Elements offers an intuitive interface that simplifies complex photo editing tasks, making it accessible for beginners and efficient for experienced users.
  • Guided Edits: Step-by-step instructions help users achieve professional-quality results, such as creating double exposures or turning photos into paintings, without needing advanced skills.
  • Automated Organization: The software automatically sorts photos by date, subject, and people, saving time and making it easier to find specific images quickly.
  • Quick Fixes: One-click tools allow for rapid adjustments to brightness, contrast, and color balance, enhancing photos with minimal effort.
  • Creative Effects: Users can apply artistic filters and effects to transform ordinary photos into unique works of art, adding a personal touch to their projects.
  • Photo Merging: The Photomerge feature enables seamless combination of multiple photos to create panoramas or group shots, ensuring everyone looks their best.
  • Face Recognition: Advanced facial recognition technology helps organize and tag photos, making it easier to locate images of specific individuals.
  • Social Media Integration: Direct sharing options allow users to post edited photos to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, streamlining the sharing process.
  • Memory Management: Efficient file handling and storage options help manage large photo libraries without slowing down the computer, ensuring smooth performance.
  • Regular Updates: Adobe frequently updates Photoshop Elements with new features and improvements, ensuring users have access to the latest tools and technologies.
  • Cost-Effective: As a one-time purchase, Photoshop Elements provides a budget-friendly alternative to subscription-based photo editing software, offering long-term value.
  • Learning Resources: Extensive tutorials and community support help users master the software, fostering continuous improvement and skill development.
  • Backup and Restore: Built-in backup and restore functions protect users' photo libraries from data loss, providing peace of mind.
  • Customizable Workspaces: Users can tailor the workspace to their preferences, enhancing productivity and comfort during editing sessions.
  • Compatibility: Photoshop Elements supports a wide range of file formats, ensuring users can work with virtually any image type they encounter.
read more...
  • Non-Destructive Editing: Allows you to make changes to your photos without altering the original file, preserving the original image data.
  • Advanced Color Grading: Provides tools for precise color adjustments, including split toning and HSL sliders, to enhance the visual appeal of your images.
  • RAW File Support: Supports a wide range of RAW file formats from various camera manufacturers, enabling high-quality image processing.
  • Batch Processing: Enables you to apply edits and adjustments to multiple photos simultaneously, streamlining your workflow.
  • AI-Powered Features: Utilizes artificial intelligence for features like Auto Tone and Enhance Details, which help improve image quality with minimal effort.
  • Organizational Tools: Includes features like keyword tagging, star ratings, and collections to help you efficiently manage and categorize your photo library.
  • Lens Correction: Automatically corrects lens distortions, chromatic aberrations, and vignetting based on lens profiles.
  • Gradient and Radial Filters: Offers tools for applying selective adjustments to specific areas of your photos, enhancing creative control.
  • Integration with Adobe Ecosystem: Seamlessly integrates with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications, such as Photoshop, for an extended editing workflow.
  • Cloud Syncing: Allows you to sync your photos and edits across multiple devices, ensuring you can work on your projects from anywhere.
  • Custom Presets: Lets you create and save custom presets for consistent editing across multiple photos, saving time and effort.
  • Detail Enhancement: Provides tools like sharpening and noise reduction to improve the clarity and quality of your images.
  • Geotagging: Supports adding location data to your photos, making it easier to organize and search based on geographic information.
  • Print Module: Offers a dedicated module for preparing your photos for print, including layout options and color management settings.
  • Slideshow Creation: Allows you to create professional-quality slideshows with customizable transitions and music.
  • Web Gallery Creation: Provides tools for creating web galleries to showcase your work online, with various templates and customization options.
read more...
  • Guided Edits: Step-by-step instructions for complex edits, such as creating double exposures or turning photos into text.
  • Auto Creations: Automatically generated collages, slideshows, and effects using Adobe Sensei AI technology.
  • Photo Organization: Efficiently manage and categorize photos with tags, albums, and facial recognition.
  • Quick Edit Mode: Simplified interface for making fast adjustments to brightness, contrast, and color.
  • Advanced Selection Tools: Precisely select and isolate parts of an image using tools like the Refine Edge Brush.
  • Content-Aware Fill: Seamlessly remove unwanted objects from photos by filling in the background intelligently.
  • Layer Management: Utilize layers to create complex compositions and non-destructive edits.
  • Photo Merging: Combine multiple photos to create panoramas or HDR images with enhanced detail and dynamic range.
  • Text and Graphics Integration: Add text, shapes, and other graphic elements to photos for creative projects.
  • Filters and Effects: Apply a wide range of artistic filters and effects to transform the look and feel of images.
  • Red-Eye Removal: Quickly correct red-eye in portraits with a single click.
  • Batch Processing: Apply edits to multiple photos simultaneously to save time on repetitive tasks.
  • Photo Collage Creation: Easily create photo collages with customizable templates and layouts.
  • Slideshow Creation: Generate dynamic slideshows with music, transitions, and captions.
  • RAW File Support: Edit RAW files from various camera models for maximum image quality and flexibility.
  • Print and Web Export Options: Export photos in various formats optimized for printing or web use.
  • Face Tagging: Automatically recognize and tag faces in photos for easier searching and organization.
  • Customizable Workspaces: Tailor the interface to suit your workflow preferences and editing style.
  • Integrated Tutorials: Access built-in tutorials to learn new techniques and improve your editing skills.
  • Mobile Companion App: Sync photos and edits with the Adobe Photoshop Elements mobile app for on-the-go editing.
read more...

Product Ranking

#6

among all
Photo Editing Software

#16

among all
Photo Editing Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

76
we're gathering data
68
we're gathering data
96
we're gathering data
96
we're gathering data
Show More Show More

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Lightroom
Photoshop Elements
+ Add Product + Add Product
Advanced Editing Tools Basic Editing Tools Collaboration Platform Capabilities User Interface And Experience 68 96 96 99 90 0 25 50 75 100
54%
23%
23%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
89%
0%
11%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
100%
0%
0%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
100%
0%
0%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
100%
0%
0%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

80%
0%
20%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
100%
0%
0%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Lightroom and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Collaboration, Platform Capabilities and Security.

Collaboration Award
Platform Capabilities Award
Security Award

we're gathering data

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Powerful Organization: Lightroom excels in photo management, allowing users to import, organize, and categorize vast image libraries efficiently using tools like keywords, ratings, and color coding.
Non-Destructive Editing: Edit without fear of permanently altering originals. Lightroom preserves your original images, enabling you to experiment freely and revert to previous versions if needed.
AI-Powered Adjustments: Lightroom harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to streamline complex editing tasks. For instance, its AI-powered masking feature allows for precise selections, making local adjustments a breeze.
Streamlined Workflow: Lightroom offers a comprehensive workflow, encompassing everything from basic adjustments to advanced techniques. Features like tethered shooting, soft-proofing, and printing tools make it ideal for photographers seeking end-to-end control.
Extensive File Support: Work seamlessly with a wide array of image formats. Lightroom supports various RAW files from numerous camera models, ensuring compatibility and preserving the highest image quality.
Show more
Cost-Effective: Photoshop Elements allows businesses to purchase the software outright, eliminating recurring subscription fees.
User-Friendly: The software's intuitive design and guided edits make it easy for users with varying skill levels to edit photos.
AI-Powered Features: Features like one-click photo selection and color matching are powered by Adobe's Sensei AI technology, streamlining editing tasks.
Show more
Subscription Required: Unlike some photo editing software that offers a one-time purchase, Lightroom operates on a subscription model, which can be a recurring expense for businesses.
Cloud Syncing Issues: Some users experience difficulties with Lightroom's cloud storage syncing, which can be inconvenient when accessing photos across multiple devices or collaborating with colleagues.
Show more
Occasional Installation Issues: Some users have encountered problems during the software installation process, leading to frustration and delays in getting started with the program.
Catalog Migration Challenges: Migrating existing photo catalogs from older versions to the newest release has proven cumbersome for some users, potentially causing workflow disruptions.
Show more

Is Adobe Lightroom the right tool to brighten up your photo editing workflow? Users rave about Lightroom's robust features, particularly its efficient batch editing capabilities, which are a godsend for photographers working with numerous images. The software's intuitive interface and powerful organization tools, including auto-masking and face recognition, streamline the editing process, making it a favorite among both seasoned professionals and enthusiastic beginners. Users highlight Lightroom's integrated AI noise reduction as a key strength, eliminating the need for additional plugins like Topaz Photo AI, especially when dealing with the bane of high ISO noise. Furthermore, its seamless integration with AI-powered tools like Aftershoot for culling and Imagen for advanced editing, all viewable within Lightroom or Capture One, significantly enhances its appeal. The cloud-based syncing feature is the cherry on top, allowing for effortless access and editing across multiple devices. However, some users have pointed out that Lightroom can be a resource hog, impacting battery life and potentially slowing down older devices. Overall, Lightroom emerges as a top contender in the photo editing arena, best suited for photographers of all levels who demand a comprehensive, integrated, and user-friendly platform to manage and elevate their photography workflow.

Show more

Is Photoshop Elements truly a cut above the rest when it comes to photo editing software for the casual user? User reviews from the past year indicate that Photoshop Elements is a capable, user-friendly photo editing software that's well-suited for hobbyists and non-professionals. Users rave about its intuitive interface, especially the guided edits, which provide step-by-step instructions for achieving specific effects, making it a breeze for beginners to grasp. They also appreciate the software's ability to efficiently handle large image files and maintain metadata, a feature often overlooked in other similar products. However, some users have reported occasional hiccups with the installer and catalog migration. While Photoshop Elements boasts an impressive array of features, it notably lacks some advanced tools found in its professional counterpart, Photoshop, such as the pen tool and paths panel. This absence might be a dealbreaker for users who require more intricate editing capabilities. For instance, one user lamented the inability to perform advanced color correction due to the lack of CMYK support, a feature crucial for professional printing. Overall, Photoshop Elements emerges as a robust option for individuals seeking powerful yet accessible photo editing software without the hefty price tag of professional-grade applications. Its intuitive design, coupled with its comprehensive feature set, makes it ideal for photography enthusiasts looking to elevate their images without the steep learning curve associated with more complex software.

Show more

Screenshots

Top Alternatives in Photo Editing Software


ACDSee Photo Studio

Affinity Photo

Capture One Pro

DxO PhotoLab

Fotor

GIMP

Luminar Neo

Movavi Photo Editor

ON1 Photo RAW

PaintShop Pro

PhotoDirector 365

Photoroom

Photoshop

Picsart

Pixlr

Polarr

Ribbet

WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...

Compare products
Comparison Report
Just drag this link to the bookmark bar.
?
Table settings