Luminar Neo Review (2026): Best AI Photo Editor for Beginners?

If you’ve been searching for a Luminar Neo review to decide whether this AI photo editor is finally worth it — the short answer is: yes, for the right photographer, it’s better than ever.

Hi, I’m Darlene Hildebrandt, and I’ve been using Luminar since its early days — and helping thousands of photographers learn editing with it. In this review, I’ll walk you through what Luminar Neo is, what’s new, what works great (and what still needs work), and how it compares to tools like Lightroom or Photoshop.

TL/DR: Our verdict: 4/5 stars. Luminar Neo works best for learners who value simplicity, clarity, and control over their photos — not software frustration. In this review, we explore why it’s perfect for beginners, non-techies, photo restoration enthusiasts, and creatives switching from Adobe — and where it still has room to grow.

Whether you’re an editing beginner, a hobbyist, or a photographer finally fed up with Adobe subscriptions — this review will help you decide if Luminar Neo is the right fit.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase Luminar Neo using a link on this page, I earn a small commission. There is no increase in the price for you.

Luminar Neo is the current generation of photo editing software created by the folks at Skylum. Previous versions include Luminar AI, Luminar 4, and Luminar Flex.

Luminar Neo is a complete solution with a full raw photo editing workflow as stand-alone software, OR you can use it as a plugin for Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, or Apple Photos and incorporate it into your existing workflow.

Minimum and recommended computer specs

As with every photo editing software, there are minimum computer requirements for running Luminar Neo, and recommended specs for best performance.

Minimum requirements Mac

Minimum requirements Windows

What’s New in Luminar Neo (Versions 1.17 to 1.24)

Since our last review when it first came out, Luminar Neo has gone through massive upgrades. Here’s a quick overview of the most important new features:

Auto Adjust (v1.24)

One-click exposure, highlight, shadow, and curve adjustments using AI — great starting point for most edits. It’s fast and surprisingly good, though sometimes you’ll still want to fine-tune afterward.

GenExpand (v1.17)

Extend the edges of your photo with AI-generated content that blends seamlessly — think of it like content-aware fill on steroids. Amazing for reframing landscapes.

GenSwap & GenErase Improvements

Swap or remove objects with more accuracy and cleaner blends. Still not perfect for detailed areas but much better than before.

Atmosphere AI 2.0

Now includes depth mapping, meaning fog and haze effects wrap more realistically around subjects. It’s subtle but powerful, especially for landscapes.

Water EnhancerAI & Twilight EnhancerAI (v1.19)

Two new tools for landscape shooters:

• Water Enhancer fine-tunes the tone, depth, and color of water.
• Twilight Enhancer brings golden/blue hour glow back into your scenes.

Color Transfer Tool (v1.21)

Match the color palette of one photo to another. Want your photo to look like a Wes Anderson movie or a sunset from Morocco? Now it can.

Smart Search + Catalog Improvements

Search for objects like “Christmas tree” or “cat by window” in your photo library. Also: virtual copies, custom filters, new filmstrip view, faster performance.

Export Presets + DNG Option

Quick exports now include options for full-quality JPEG, TIFF, and DNG — plus you can re-use last settings or export faster than before.

Cache Cleanup & Catalog Optimization

New tools to reduce bloat and speed up Luminar’s performance on machines with limited space.

And more: updated UI, faster masking, support for the latest cameras, improved slider behavior, and Preset previews.

Light Depth Tool (Fall Update October 2025)

Light Depth debuts with fine-tuned, zone-based lighting control, surpassing Relight AI by letting users place and blend light exactly, improving subject focus and mood instantly.

What About Extensions in Luminar Neo?

Since launching Neo, Skylum has added a suite of optional Extensions to expand its capabilities. These include:

• HDR Merge – Combine bracketed exposures into a single high dynamic range image.
• Focus Stacking – Blend multiple images with different focus points into one sharp photo.
• Upscale AI – Enlarge your images using artificial intelligence without losing sharpness.
• Supersharp AI – Fix minor motion blur or focus errors.
• Noiseless AI – Remove noise with better control than standard denoise tools.
• Panorama Stitching – Merge multiple images into a wide pano.

Note: Some Extensions are only available via the Pro Subscription or Creative Journey Pass.

These updates alone make it worth revisiting any older Luminar Neo review — because the software has matured significantly since its launch.

If you’re doing advanced workflows like product photography, landscapes, or macro work — these add-ons can be extremely helpful. I personally use HDR Merge and Focus Stacking regularly for travel scenes with tricky lighting or deep depth of field.

Cataloging and DAM: Where Luminar Neo Still Falls Short

I’ve worked with a lot of students who struggle with file organization — and this is still the weakest part of Luminar Neo.

Neo’s cataloging system is lightweight, but not full-featured like Lightroom. Here’s what you can and can’t expect:

What works:

• Organize images in folders or albums
• Flag, star, and color-label images
• Use Smart Search to find photos using keywords or even object recognition
• Create virtual copies for editing variations

What’s missing or limited:

• No smart collections or auto-sorting rules
• No face recognition
• Folder-based only (no cloud sync or advanced database tools)
• Metadata editing is minimal

If cataloging and organization are a major part of your workflow, Lightroom still wins hands down. But if you just need to import and edit a folder of RAW files with basic sorting and tagging, Neo is sufficient.

Darlene’s Insights on Cataloging (What Most Users Miss)

One of the most common pain points I hear from students is, “Where did my edits go?” or “Why is my catalog so huge?” So here’s what I’ve found in practice:

• Thumbnail cache bloating: I once had a Luminar Neo catalog grow to over 35GB — and it only had 500 images in it. Neo was building large previews in the background, and unless you go into the Settings to limit cache size, it will keep growing. When I used the new cache cleanup tool, I dropped that same catalog to under 5GB. Huge difference.
• Cataloging confusion: Neo allows you to browse folders directly or catalog them — but the behavior isn’t always clear. I’ve had students accidentally catalog their entire hard drive, which not only creates a massive preview folder but can slow Neo to a crawl.
• No version history like Lightroom: Neo uses non-destructive editing, but it doesn’t store a full history log. If you close the program and come back later, you’ll see your edit results — but not the step-by-step changes. There’s no slider history or timeline like in Lightroom’s develop module.
• Sidecar files and Neo file types: Edits are stored inside Luminar’s internal catalog database, not as sidecar .xmp files like Lightroom. If you move your images outside of Neo, you’ll lose edit data unless you’ve exported the final version or are moving the entire catalog folder.
• Import is simpler, but not smarter: Neo doesn’t require importing images like Lightroom does — which can be a plus — but also means you don’t get powerful import presets, metadata templates, or auto-sorting rules.
  

If you’re brand new, this simplified system might be a good starting point. But if you’re transitioning from Lightroom and expecting robust DAM tools, you may be frustrated by what’s missing — or worse, confused by what’s happening behind the scenes.

I’ve worked with a lot of students who struggle with file organization — and this is still the weakest part of Luminar Neo.

If cataloging and organization are a major part of your workflow, Lightroom still wins hands down. But if you just need to import and edit a folder of RAW files with basic sorting and tagging, Neo is sufficient.

Can You Use Luminar Neo as a Plugin?

Yes — Neo works both as a standalone app and as a plugin for:

• Adobe Lightroom
• Adobe Photoshop
• Apple Photos (macOS only)

You can also launch Neo from Lightroom or Photoshop and return the edited image back into your workflow — which makes it easy to add AI tools like Sky Replacement, Portrait AI, or GenExpand to an existing Adobe workflow.

However, not all tools or extensions are accessible when used as a plugin. For full power, launch Neo directly.

Note: Luminar Neo previously worked as a plugin for Affinity Photo, but as of version 1.19 it is no longer supported.

Real Before & After Results (With Luminar Neo Tools)

Atmosphere AI 2.0 (Depth Fog Mapping)

Atmosphere AI 2.0 is now smart enough to fog up the background behind the subject and leave the subject clear. That’s the kind of depth control that makes a tool go from gimmick to usable.

Notice how the fog wraps behind the subject, maintaining foreground detail and realism.

GenExpand (Image Reframing with AI)

GenExpand let me widen a panorama by filling in the top with sky

Useful for adding breathing room around a subject or reframing without cropping in tight.

Color Transfer Tool (v1.21)

Want your photo to look like a Wes Anderson movie or a sunset from Morocco? Now it can.

Water Enhancer AI (v1.19)

AI-powered tool to fine-tune water color, contrast, and clarity — perfect for seascapes, lakes, and dynamic action shots like surfing.

I tested Water EnhancerAI on an image of a surfer cutting through a wave, and it made a dramatic difference — pulling out more vibrancy in the water and defining the splash more clearly.

Water Enhancer AI brought out texture and motion detail in the splash while deepening the ocean tones.

Why Luminar Neo Is a Useful Tool for Restoring and Digitizing Old Family Photos

Luminar Neo provides powerful tools for users restoring damaged or faded family photos. Tools like GenErase remove scratches, stains, and blemishes with AI precision. Smart Contrast, Curves, and Dehaze restore vibrance to faded images, correcting years of color loss.

For scanned photos that suffer from blur or grain, Supersharp AI and Noiseless AI help recover detail and reduce noise without destroying image texture.

Neo also includes Upscale AI, which enlarges low-resolution images, making them suitable for printing or sharing digitally.

Family historians also benefit from Neo’s intuitive design. Most adjustments are guided by AI, reducing the need for advanced photo-editing skills.

Even tools like GenExpand can intelligently fill torn or uneven edges.

The best part is you don’t need to be a Photoshop pro. Luminar Neo’s AI-driven tools guide you through the process step by step, so family historians and beginners alike can digitize and preserve their photo archives.

It’s incredibly rewarding to see treasured images of parents or grandparents come alive again with just a few thoughtful edits.

These features make Luminar Neo a strong option for digitizing and restoring photo archives.

New tools: Light Depth and Restoration (Fall 2025 update)

In the fall 2025 update, Luminar Neo added two tools that fit really well with how I already use this software: Light Depth and Restoration. Both continue the theme of making advanced edits more accessible for beginners, without needing a ton of technical knowledge.​

Light Depth: shaping light with less effort

Light Depth is essentially the next generation of Relight, but smarter and more flexible. It uses depth information in the scene so I can push light forward or back, which makes it much easier to brighten my subject or keep the background moodier without fiddling with complex masks.​

In my own editing, I’ve found it especially useful for:

• Adding a subtle spotlight effect to the main subject.
• Separating foreground and background in portraits and travel images.
• Quickly refining light in a way that feels more natural and three‑dimensional.​

It still works best with a gentle hand on the sliders, but overall it feels more intuitive and forgiving than the older Relight tool.​

Restoration tool: bringing old photos back to life

The new Restoration tool is aimed at fixing old or damaged photos with far less manual work. If you have family prints or scanned images with fading, dust, or scratches, you can run them through Restoration to clean things up and improve color and contrast in just a few steps.

From my testing and real‑world use, it shines when:

• I want to quickly improve a batch of family or client archive photos.
• The goal is “much better and shareable,” not museum‑level restoration.
• I use it as a starting point, then fine‑tune with my usual tools in Neo.

It will not be perfect for every single image, but for many older photos it gives me a strong head start and saves a lot of time compared to doing everything manually.

Why I Like Luminar Neo so Much

• It’s super fun to use.
• Luminar Neo is really user-friendly (way more so than Adobe software).
• It can add finishing touches to images quickly with a few clicks or sliders that previously took a lot longer in Photoshop.
• Adding a bit of style is also faster and easier with Luminar Neo than with Photoshop.
• It handles tasks that Lightroom can’t (so you don’t need to go to Photoshop) such as:
  • Doing a sky replacement
  • Adding a texture or bokeh overlay
  • Single image faux HDR
• In my opinion, Luminar Neo can even do some things better than Photoshop (like sky replacement, which I rate highly).
• Luminar Neo allows me to focus more on creativity and style than software technique and skills.
• It HELPS me create looks for images that I never would have considered or imagined, again enhancing creativity.
• The end result is that I am more inspired and happier with my finished images!

Even a DigitalCameraWorld review says “some of Luminar Neo’s AI tools are quite remarkable.”

Who Is Luminar Neo For?

Now that you know why I use Luminar Neo, let’s take a closer look and evaluate whether or not it is for you. Luminar Neo isn’t for everyone — but it shines for:

• Beginners and hobbyists who want stunning results without a huge learning curve.
• Travel and landscape photographers who benefit from tools like GenExpand, Water Enhancer, and Sky AI.
• Adobe-weary users who want powerful tools without a subscription.
• Photographers focused more on creativity than complex workflows.
• You are not currently editing your images but you want to and have no idea where to begin.
• You find Lightroom and Photoshop too complicated to learn and use.
• You have an older version of Lightroom or Photoshop and don’t want to pay Adobe monthly to update them – but you know you’re missing out on new tools and technology.
• You want to upgrade from Apple Photos or Windows Photo Editor.
• You primarily use Lightroom Classic and you want to do more advanced things with editing but Photoshop baffles you.
• You want to speed up your existing workflow which includes using Lightroom and Photoshop.
• You like to keep photo edits simple so you can spend less than five minutes on an image.
• You want to spend more time doing photography and less time editing.
• You want to make images that pop and wow your friends and family.
• You already have Lightroom, Photoshop, Topaz, and a few other plugins (meaning you see the value in each of them).

It may not be ideal if:

• You rely on advanced layer-based editing like in Photoshop.
• You need pro-grade cataloging tools (Lightroom still wins here).
  

Pros and Cons of Luminar Neo

Having said all that, if you’re still with me, in this part of my Luminar Neo review we will take a closer look at what it actually does and how it performs. Keep in mind that Luminar Neo can be used as a stand-alone editor or as a plugin. If you do the latter, it looks and functions a little bit differently.

Pros	Cons
One-time purchase option (no sub required)	Some tools only available via subscription or upgrade pass
Intuitive UI — easy for beginners	Catalog tools still basic compared to Lightroom
AI tools save time and effort	Gen tools can be hit-or-miss in complex scenes
Frequent updates with real value	Extension/plugin system can feel fragmented
Powerful masking and portrait tools	Performance can lag on older systems

What Luminar Neo does really well – PROS

As I mentioned in my assessment above, there are lots of things to like about Luminar Neo and it does a lot of things really well. The following is a small list of the stuff that I think it excels at:

• It’s easy to add images and get going.
• Presets make it simple to do a one-click edit and call it a day.
• At the same time, the tools are available for more advanced options like layers, local adjustments, sky replacements, and more.
• Tons of Artificial Intelligence (AI) makes it a really powerful tool.
• The tools are sorted in a logical manner – basic tools at the top (do those first), then creative and advanced tools further down (do those later) – this is very useful for beginners!
• The portrait editing tools rock – I’ve tried many so-called automated and AI portrait tools and in my opinion, Luminar Neo’s are the best (also super easy to use). I rate this set of tools as top-notch!

• You can do you – meaning whether you prefer a natural look for your editing or one that’s more over the top – you can do either with Luminar Neo.
• It has layers so you can combine images to make composites, or add an overlay.
• It’s super easy to replace the sky or remove a portrait background.
• It does sharpening and noise reduction really well (rating a very close second to Topaz software).
• It has some unique tools that aren’t in any other software that I’ve tried (Super Contrast and Color Harmony to name two) – and they are fast becoming some of my favorite go-to’s.
• Luminar Neo does complete NON-destructive editing – meaning, you can’t ruin your original photos, ever!
• It’s easy to create your own looks and save them as a preset to use on other images.

I could continue to add many more pros to the list above, but I’ll stop there. You have probably already gotten the idea from this Luminar Neo review – I am a fan of it! In fact, I am also a Skylum ambassador – that’s how highly I rate it and how much I like it!

What are its shortcomings – CONS

As with any software, there are always a few cons or shortcomings to go along with the good stuff. But how big of a deal are they for Luminar Neo and are they a deal breaker for you? In this part of the review we’ll discuss and then you be the judge.

At the time of writing this Luminar Neo review, the cons as I see them include:

• The lack of a fully functioning UNDO feature. This is necessary and we’re told it’s coming soon.
• The program can be slow to respond at times.
• Exporting multiple images at one time is slow. Exporting is up to 30% faster in v1.24.7 allegedly.
• There is no ability to edit the metadata of your images (such as adding copyright information, a caption, or GPS coordinates).
• You cannot batch rename your images.
• There isn’t currently a text tool to add text overlays to your images.
• When using a radial or gradient mask you can’t go back and alter it or reposition it. You have to undo the mask and start over.

Darlene’s Real-World Take

I used the new Auto Adjust tool on five different types of photos and was really surprised at how well it balanced the whites and highlights — especially on high-contrast images. It’s not perfect, but it’s a great place to start.

Atmosphere AI 2.0 is now smart enough to fog up the background behind a cyclist and leave the subject clear. That’s the kind of depth control that makes a tool go from gimmick to usable.

I tested the cache cleanup tool on a Luminar catalog with just 500 images, and it dropped the size from 35GB to under 5. That’s a real fix, not just a checkbox feature.

Luminar Neo vs Lightroom vs ON1 Photo RAW (Quick Comparison)

Feature	Luminar Neo	Lightroom	ON1 Photo RAW 2022
Subscription-free option	YES	NO	YES (one-time or sub)
AI Tools (GenExpand, GenSwap, Auto Adjust)	YES	Partial (limited masking AI)	SOME (some tools, less intuitive)
Cataloging & Organization	SOME, Basic	YES, Pro-level	SOME, Hybrid, less intuitive UI
RAW Editing	YES	YES	YES
Layer-based Editing	SOME, Limited	SOME, Limited (better in Photoshop)	YES, Fully integrated
Plugin Compatibility	SOME, Some plugins	YES, Adobe ecosystem	YES, Works with PS/Luminar/Topaz
Sky Replacement	YES, Excellent	SOME, Basic	SOME, Inconsistent results
Best For	Creatives, hobbyists	Workflow-heavy photographers	Power users who love deep tools but can handle a learning curve

One thing I’ll give Skylum full credit for: they’re constantly listening to feedback.

Every few months, we see a fresh update — not just with flashy new features, but with real performance gains, new camera support, and smart workflow tweaks that show they’re paying attention to what photographers actually need.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?

If you’ve read this far in our Luminar Neo review, you probably already know: for anyone tired of Lightroom’s complexity, Neo offers a refreshingly powerful alternative in 2025.

It’s not flawless, and some of the GenAI tools still need refinement. But what Skylum has built over the past year shows real momentum, and the value for the price — especially if you grab a lifetime license — is hard to beat.

Luminar Neo Pricing: What Does It Cost?

There are two ways to get Luminar Neo:

1. Lifetime License (One-Time Purchase)

• Pay once, own it forever.
• Includes the core Luminar Neo app.
• Does not include future paid Extensions or Pro-only tools.
• Great if you want to avoid subscriptions and just need the basics.

2. Pro Subscription (Annual Plan)

• Billed yearly, includes all current and future Extensions.
• Access to exclusive Pro features and tools.
• Best for users who want everything (like HDR Merge, Focus Stacking, GenExpand, etc.)
• Also includes updates during your subscription term.

Want to Learn Luminar Neo Fast?

If you’re ready to start using Neo (or already own it), check out my complete Luminar Neo Online Course — updated for 2025 with lessons on every major new feature.

You’ll learn:

• How to set up your catalog and backups
• What every tool does (with demo photos)
• How to make edits that don’t look overdone

Check out our course here

Try or Buy Luminar Neo

We recommend buying Luminar Neo directly from Skylum using the link below — and if you use our code DPM10, you’ll save 10%.

Conclusion

It is my hope that this Luminar Neo review has helped you make a decision on whether or not to add it to your digital workflow. If you DO choose to buy Luminar Neo, remember to use my discount code DPM10 (*affiliate link) to save money when you checkout.

Overall, I rate Luminar Neo 4 out of 5 stars.

Yes, there are a few things that bug me about it, but in the bigger picture it does what I want it to do and it does it well. I’m excited to see where Skylum takes it and I’m in for the long haul.

Cheers,