Technology has revolutionized the way we edit images. We have come a long way from editing individual image components to relying on AI-based image editors that do all the heavy lifting for you.
Despite this, we are often spoilt by choice and can’t seem to figure out which image editor will be right for us. In this post, we are trying to resolve a similar problem about Adobe Lightroom plans.
We will walk you through various Adobe Lightroom plans, talk about Adobe Lightroom price and figure out which plan will suit your post-processing needs.
Read on!
What is Lightroom?
Adobe Lightroom is a workflow management and post-processing software. It is a cloud-based service and lets you access your projects across devices.
You can use the Lightroom app on your Android and iOS devices and use the desktop version to edit images and publish from your desktop/ PC.
It is a market leader in post-processing and comes with an advanced image recognition algorithm so that you can track down your images with ease.
You can leverage existing filters, image presets or opt to edit your images from scratch.
Its workflow management tools come in handy when you want to apply a filter or image configuration across multiple photos.
What does Lightroom do?
Lightroom lets you fine-tune your images, change their tonality, and also lets you add your custom styling to them. Lightroom is not meant for pixel-level editing(however the October 2021 Lightroom Classic upgrade added features like masks and brushes).
For that Adobe Photoshop will be the better of the two.
Let’s say you clicked two sets of images in RAW. One from a DSLR and another from your mobile phone. Most mobile phones digitally enhance or process your images before storing them. So the same image will differ when shot from a mobile phone or DSLR.
Now you can import both the copies to Adobe Cloud and import them in Lightroom. Once the images are imported, you can either opt to go with existing filters (for swift editing) or tweak saturation, RGB balance, and contrast to create your own signature styling.
Once you have found the sweet spot you can apply your edit configurations to both images so that the result looks similar.
That’s not all, you can leverage the Lightroom mobile app to quickly publish your images on any social media platform of choice.
Adobe Lightroom Requirements
| Windows | macOS | Android | iOS | |
| Processor | 64-bit Intel, AMD, or ARM processor; 2GHz or faster | Multicore 64-bit Intel Processor, or M1 Apple Silicon processor | Quad-Core CPU with 2.2 GHz frequency and ARMv8 architecture | |
| Operating System | Windows 10(64-bit) or later | macOS Big Sur (version 11) or later | 6.x (Marshmallow) or later | iOS13.0 or later |
| RAM | 16GB | 16GB | 6GB or more | |
| Disk Space | More than 2GB | More than 2GB | 64GB or more | |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | ||
| Graphics Card | GPU with DirectX 12 support, 4GB of VRAM for 4K or greater displays | GPU with Metal support , 4GB of VRAM for 4k or greater displays |
Adobe Lightroom is compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices. The above table will brief you about the recommended specifications for each platform.
This is the latest system specification for Lightroom post their Oct 2021 update. You can find details about minimum system requirements and other fine prints, here.
How much is Lightroom?
You can check out the Lightroom free trial for 7 days. After that, you have to opt for a suitable subscription plan. As they do not have a perpetual plan or a lifetime license, a Lightroom subscription is the only option.
Adobe Lightroom’s price starts from $9.99 per month. They also have other bundled plans which we will discuss in the upcoming sections.
Adobe Lightroom Plans
If you are looking to use Adobe Lightroom for post-processing here are the different Adobe Lightroom plans. Even though at a glance the Photography plan looks quite similar to that of the Lightroom standalone plan with Photoshop included, believe me, it’s not the case.
Lightroom has different versions and Lightroom standalone is much different from the version of Lightroom included in the Photography plan. Let me explain each plan in detail
Photography Plan (20GB)
Under this Photography plan, you will get to use Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic CC, and Adobe Photoshop.
Lightroom CC is the latest cloud-based image editor that syncs all your projects into Adobe Cloud so that you can easily edit and access your projects on the move. It is a simple user-friendly image editor aimed at amateur photographers.
Even though Lightroom CC gets things done, it lacks the advanced capabilities and editing freehand provided by Lightroom Classic CC.
Lightroom Classic on the other hand has far more advanced capabilities and is used for creating a desktop-centric workflow. It is mostly used by professional photographers and will provide you with a lot of creative freedom in terms of editing and adjusting your images.
Lastly, this plan will also get you an active subscription to Adobe Photoshop. If you want to take your images’ post-processing to a whole new level by adding blend modes, layers, and masking, and add text-based graphics, Photoshop has your back.
With this plan, you get 20GB of cloud storage to sync your projects and images and a subscription to Adobe portfolio to flaunt them. This subscription to Lightroom costs $9.99 per month.
Photography Plan (1TB)
The 1TB Adobe Photography Plan has all the features of the 20GB plan. The only difference is with this plan you get 1TB of Adobe Cloud storage.
This will allow you to sync bulkier projects and even more data, for easy access across devices.
This subscription will cost you $19.99 per month.
Lightroom Standalone Plan
With this plan, you get to use Lightroom CC on your desktop, or mobile device of your choice. You will also be able to showcase your creations on Adobe Portfolio.
It will also get you cloud storage of 1TB.
Note, Lightroom Classic and Photoshop won’t be part of this plan.
Subscription to Adobe Lightroom costs $9.99 per month.
Can you buy Adobe Lightroom outright?
You cannot get a lifetime license of Adobe Lightroom or any other Adobe product. Since Adobe migrated to a subscription-based pricing structure, enrolling in one of their subscription plans is the only way of using their products.
You can use all their products for a trial period of 7 days, after which depending on the Adobe products you require, you can select a suitable subscription plan or a bundle that caters to your needs.
Is there a Lightroom 6 student plan?
No, you can’t avail Lightroom 6 student plan discounts with Lightroom standalone. Lightroom student discount is only applicable on Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.
With this Adobe offer, students benefit from over 60% discount on Adobe Creative Cloud subscriptions. Rather than paying $52.99 for all Adobe apps, with a student discount, Creative Cloud subscription will cost you $19.99 per month for the first year and $29.99 for subsequent years.
However, you will be required to produce valid student IDs and other documentation to enjoy the offer.
How to get Lightroom for free?
You can use Adobe Lightroom for free during the 7-day trial period. Post which you have to subscribe to a Lightroom plan as mentioned before.
Even though you can’t get Lightroom for free, there are ways by which you can bring Adobe Lightroom price down.
If you are a student you can opt for a student discount. Others can keep an eye on ongoing Adobe Lightroom sales. You can also change your geographical location to check ongoing discounts in other parts of the globe.
If Adobe Lightroom cost still doesn’t fit your budget I’d suggest you check out other Adobe Lightroom alternatives.
Conclusion
Adobe Lightroom is very popular amongst professional photographers for post-processing images. But different Lightroom versions might be a bit complicated if you are just getting started.
Here’s how can select the right Adobe Lightroom plan
- Adobe Lightroom price and 20GB Adobe Photography plan cost the same ($9.99 per month). However, with the Photography plan, you’ll be able to use Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic, and Adobe Photoshop too.
- The Adobe Lightroom standalone doesn’t have the advanced features of Lightroom Classic and is best suited for amateur photographers and hobbyists.
- The Photography plan is aimed towards professionals and graphic designers who might have to rely on the precise editing capabilities of Adobe Photoshop.
- The 1TB Photography plan is the same as that of the 20GB plan with more cloud storage.
FAQs
Is Adobe Lightroom Classic free?
You can use Adobe Lightroom Classic for free during the 7-day trial period of your Adobe Photography plan. After that, you have to stick to the subscription charges of the plan you opted for.
Is Adobe Lightroom free?
You need an Adobe Lightroom or Photography plan subscription if you wish to use Adobe Lightroom. Even though you can’t use it for free after the 7-day trial period, you can fish for ongoing discounts to bring down the Adobe Lightroom price considerably.
Is Photoshop better than Lightroom?
Comparing Photoshop with Lightroom is like comparing apples to oranges. Yes, both are image editing tools, but their capabilities vary.
You can use Lightroom to edit images, and their workflow, while Photoshop is more suited for pixel-level editing, adding typographs, and is more inclined towards graphic designing than post-processing.
