immich vs Adobe Lightroom
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Immich is a self-hosted photo and video management solution that allows users to store, manage, and share their media files. It provides a simple and intuitive interface for uploading, organizing, and accessing media files, and supports various file formats.
Adobe Lightroom is a photo organization and editing app built around a non-destructive, catalog-based workflow ideal for managing and processing large photo libraries. It syncs edits and originals across desktop, mobile, and web.
From about $9.99/month in the Photography plan (with Photoshop).
- Self-hosted and open-source, providing control and customization options
- Supports various file formats and provides a simple interface
- Allows for file sharing and collaboration features
- Customizable and extensible architecture through plugins and APIs
- Excellent for large photo libraries
- Non-destructive workflow
- Great mobile apps and sync
- Strong preset ecosystem
- May require technical expertise to set up and configure
- Limited support for advanced media editing features
- May not be suitable for very large media collections
- Subscription-only
- Cloud storage limits on some plans
- Less pixel-level control than Photoshop
What reviewers say
immich Reviews
No reviews yet.
Adobe Lightroom Reviews
4.5 (4)Decent with caveats
Adobe Lightroom has been part of our stack. Upside: great mobile apps and sync. Downside: less pixel-level control than photoshop.
Great photo-editing
We rolled out Adobe Lightroom last quarter. Non-destructive workflow. No real complaints. Would recommend.
Recommend Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Lightroom has been part of our stack. Great mobile apps and sync. No real complaints. Would recommend.
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View all →The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataImmich is the low‑cost, self‑hosted option with full control but requires technical setup; Lightroom offers a polished, cloud‑based suite with advanced editing at a recurring fee.
Key differences
- •Deployment model: Immich self‑hosted vs. Lightroom cloud/SaaS.
- •Cost structure: Immich free open‑source vs. Lightroom subscription starting $9.99/month.
- •Editing depth: Immich lacks advanced editing; Lightroom provides non‑destructive RAW editing and AI masks.
- •Technical overhead: Immich needs setup and maintenance; Lightroom works out‑of‑the‑box.
- •Collaboration focus: Immich offers basic sharing; Lightroom includes synced libraries and mobile apps.
Pricing & value
Immich is free and open‑source; Lightroom requires a paid subscription.
Ease of use / learning curve
Lightroom works immediately on all platforms; Immich may need technical expertise to install.
Features & depth
Lightroom offers non‑destructive RAW editing and AI masks; Immich focuses on storage, not editing.
Integrations & ecosystem
Immich integrates with self‑hosted services like Nextcloud and Plex; Lightroom limited to Adobe ecosystem.
Collaboration
Lightroom provides cloud sync and mobile apps for shared libraries; Immich has basic sharing only.
Scalability
Immich can be scaled on own infrastructure; Lightroom limited by Adobe’s cloud storage tiers.
Support & security
Lightroom offers official Adobe support; Immich relies on community support only.
Choose immich if…
Tech‑savvy users or small teams wanting full control and zero cost.
Choose Adobe Lightroom if…
Photographers needing advanced editing, seamless sync, and official support.
Common questions
Can I use Immich without any cost?
Yes, Immich is free and open‑source.
Does Lightroom allow me to edit RAW files non‑destructively?
Yes, Lightroom’s core feature is non‑destructive RAW editing with AI‑assisted tools.
What happens to my media if I stop paying for Lightroom?
You lose access to Adobe’s cloud storage and sync; your local files remain but cloud features stop.