Luminar Neo vs Krita

Luminar Neo7.9Visit Krita7.9Visit

Luminar Neo #4 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac 7.9/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 6 features Visit Luminar Neo

vs

Krita #6 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 6 features Visit Krita

• Luminar Neo fits best

  Mac photographers who value AI editing and cloud sync

• Krita fits best

  Digital painters and animators on Mac

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Side by side

Feature	Luminar Neo 7.9/10 Visit ↗	Krita 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	7.9	7.9
Ranking	#4 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac	#6 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac
Best for	Mac photographers who value AI editing and cloud sync	Digital painters and animators on Mac
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	$129 one-time	Free plan
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	7 days	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile	Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Support	Live chat, Email, Docs · 24/7	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market	Solo, Small business
Features Luminar Neo 0/6 · Krita 0/6
Layer support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
RAW processing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
PSD compatibility	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Non-destructive editing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Plugin support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
iPad version	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Maximum color depth	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Combines RAW processing with non-destructive layers and several masking tools. AI tools cover portrait retouching, generative edits and sky replacement. Higher plans add mobile editing, cross-device editing and web galleries.	Configurable brush engines, painting assistants and stabilizers Layers, masks, vector tools and reusable document templates Frame-by-frame animation with export to image sequences and video
Cons	No free plan; the trial lasts 7 days. Desktop Only costs $129 USD as a one-time purchase. Generative AI tools are included for one year with Desktop Only.	Its painting focus is less suited to broad photo-editing workflows Support channels are community resources and documentation Store editions on some platforms are paid, unlike the free download
Our verdict	For Mac photographers seeking an alternative to Photoshop, Luminar Neo pairs RAW photo processing and non-destructive layers with AI editing tools. Its editing toolkit includes brush, gradient, radial and AI masking, batch edits through… Read the review →	For illustrators, comic artists, concept artists and texture painters, Krita is a free, open-source painting program with a desktop app for macOS as well as Windows and Linux. It also has Android builds. Its toolset is centered on making… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Luminar Neo — where it wins

  • Combines RAW processing with non-destructive layers and several masking tools.
  • AI tools cover portrait retouching, generative edits and sky replacement.
  • Higher plans add mobile editing, cross-device editing and web galleries.

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan; the trial lasts 7 days.
  • Desktop Only costs $129 USD as a one-time purchase.
  • Generative AI tools are included for one year with Desktop Only.

• Krita — where it wins

  • Configurable brush engines, painting assistants and stabilizers
  • Layers, masks, vector tools and reusable document templates
  • Frame-by-frame animation with export to image sequences and video

  Where it doesn't

  • Its painting focus is less suited to broad photo-editing workflows
  • Support channels are community resources and documentation
  • Store editions on some platforms are paid, unlike the free download

• Luminar Neo7.9/10 · 7-day trial

  A layer-based Mac editor with AI tools, RAW processing and cross-device options.

  Visit Luminar NeoFull verdict →
• Krita7.9/10 · Free plan

  A free Mac painting and animation app with configurable brushes, layers and color tools.

  Visit KritaFull verdict →