Capture One vs RawTherapee

Capture One9.0Visit RRawTherapee7.9Visit

Higher score Capture One #3 in Photo Editing Software 9.0/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Capture One

vs

R RawTherapee #12 in Photo Editing Software 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 6 features Visit RawTherapee

• Capture One fits best

  Professional RAW and tethered workflows

• RawTherapee fits best

  Free open-source RAW development

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Side by side

Feature	Capture One 9.0/10 Visit ↗	RRawTherapee 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	7.9
Ranking	#3 in Photo Editing Software	#12 in Photo Editing Software
Best for	Professional RAW and tethered workflows	Free open-source RAW development
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	7 days	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile, Cloud	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Tickets, Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Capture One 6/6 · RawTherapee 3/6
RAW photo support	✓	✓
Layer editing	✓ (best)	—
Masking tools	✓	✓
Batch editing	✓	✓
Cloud sync	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
AI retouching	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Platform	Multi-platform	Desktop
Our review
Pros	Deep RAW conversion, layers, masks, and AI retouching Tethered capture with camera control for supported cameras Catalogs, Sessions, batch editing, and cloud synchronization	Supports most RAW formats plus HDR DNG, JPEG, TIFF, and PNG Non-destructive sidecar editing with masking and local adjustments Batch processing, queued exports, and command-line automation
Cons	No free plan Desktop Pro and Studio pricing is not shown here Mobile editing is available on iPhone and iPad	Desktop application only, with no mobile platform listed Does not provide layer-based editing GIMP is the listed integration
Our verdict	Capture One is photo editing software for professional photographers, studios, and image creators who need RAW processing, tethered capture, organized photo libraries, and non-destructive editing. Its desktop software runs on macOS and… Read the review →	RawTherapee is free, GPLv3-licensed desktop software for developing and processing RAW photographs. It is aimed at enthusiast and professional photographers who want detailed control over camera files across Linux, macOS, and Windows.… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Capture One — where it wins

  • Deep RAW conversion, layers, masks, and AI retouching
  • Tethered capture with camera control for supported cameras
  • Catalogs, Sessions, batch editing, and cloud synchronization

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan
  • Desktop Pro and Studio pricing is not shown here
  • Mobile editing is available on iPhone and iPad

• RawTherapee — where it wins

  • Supports most RAW formats plus HDR DNG, JPEG, TIFF, and PNG
  • Non-destructive sidecar editing with masking and local adjustments
  • Batch processing, queued exports, and command-line automation

  Where it doesn't

  • Desktop application only, with no mobile platform listed
  • Does not provide layer-based editing
  • GIMP is the listed integration

• Capture One9.0/10 · 7-day trial

  A deep choice for professional RAW and tethered workflows, without a free plan.

  Visit Capture OneFull verdict →
• RRawTherapee7.9/10 · Free plan

  A capable free RAW workflow with masking, batch tools, and non-destructive editing.

  Visit RawTherapeeFull verdict →