15 Best Free RAW Photo Editors in 2025

Why I picked it: Darktable is an open-source photo app and RAW image developer for a PC. That means it's completely free for anyone to use and start downloading.

This digital darkroom is actually really cool, the way it acts as a database for your RAW photos, so you can upload them all to the program and then keep them nicely searchable with tags, labels, and other parameters.

Now, it might be a bit overwhelming for beginners, as this is a photo editing suite, which means the interface isn't as modern and slick as something like Movavi. But it gives you serious power with equalizer, chromatic aberrations, and highlight reconstruction to get that polished finish, whether it's for an Instagram picture or high-end photo shoots.

Recent additions of more than 20 languages and fresh camera integrations mean it's perfect for anyone worldwide to use this open source software.

Why I picked it: RawTherapee is another crazy, powerful photo editing software. It makes me question how you can get these tools for free, but here we are.

Obviously, a professional-level photo editing studio, it easily handles RAW photo inputs, whether you're working on Mac, Windows, or Linux.

One of the big bonuses about RawTherapee is its continual development and maintenance. Of course, it has all the important editing features from HDR tone mapping, deep exposure, color correction, and histogram matching.

I had used RawTherapee a few years ago and actually moved away from it because I found it randomly crashing, which was super frustrating in the middle of a job.

However, developers appear to have resolved that issue, along with introducing a set of new features, including the ability to convert fisheye images into standard images, dehazing, and more comprehensive support for well-known cameras such as Canon, Fuji, and Sony's latest models.

Why I picked it: I've punched Photoscape X high in this list because it's a fun and easy photo editor without too many frills.

It might not have the refined UI or in-depth functionality of the other tools, but this is actually a bonus for beginners.

Once you get your RAW photos inside Photoscape, you can quickly start using batch edits to convert and adjust dozens of photos at once without getting lost in intricate, complex settings. You can still access a wide range of filters, editing functions, and tools.

Plus, it ran easily on my cheap Lenovo laptop, not dragging my computer speed down. The only downside is that, in the last few years, there have not been many major upgrades or features added, like some of the other AI improvements elsewhere.

Why I picked it: NCH PhotoPad is a highly capable RAW photo editor. The Android app is free, while on Windows and Mac, it's completely free to download as long as it's for non-commercial use.

For beginners, it's easy to use and has all the core features you'd expect for the RAW development process. For what you need in terms of importing and outputting RAW files, it works great.

Although I did find the constant nudges to upgrade your license kind of annoying. Like any RAW photo editor, it's now added easier AI features that allow you to automatically add color, delete backgrounds, and create panoramas.

One new feature that was really handy is the blur background setting to help me create eye-catching profile pictures and stories for social media. It's free, it's easy to use, and it offers the functionality you'd expect. Not too shabby.

Why I picked it: this is a program for Mac users who need a wide range of support for digital RAW formats.

It's not a full-fledged editor, but brands itself more as a development machine, like you would find for film photography.

That means I found it easy to grab my RAW images on my MacBook and swizzle them into the right format along with some tweaks to the saturation, brightness, and contrast. If you want to do wider editing, then you'll need to integrate it with more in-depth tools like Adobe^® Lightroom^® or even link it up to Photoshop^®.

Why I picked it: my first real foray into photo editing was using Adobe^® Lightroom^®. Even just on the free version, I was able to use it across my phone and computer to start processing RAW images.

I still use it to import, organize, process, and tweak my RAW images. Plus, as it's such a well-known program, there are almost limitless presets you can start using that other people have designed, if you're not a slick photo editor.

If you like using Adobe's other suites, then you might as well jump into Lightroom, and you can link it directly to your Photoshop^® to switch between the two when perfecting your final pieces. Of course, it has all the professional features, such as high-level color grading, and it operates really nicely as an image library for ongoing work.

Now that it has its generative AI remove feature as well, you can achieve some truly impressive results with just a quick touch of your phone screen.

Why I picked it: Snapseed is actually my girlfriend's favorite editing app for her phone, and she comes out with banger photos, so I had to put this on the list.

When I asked her why she liked it so much, she explained how she could load her RAW images, and it was a marvel that it cost nothing, before listing off its powerful features.

When I gave it a test myself, the selective edit section was a handy way to punch up contrast and saturation while leaving the rest of your shot pretty much untouched. Although after a few attempts with RAW images, I did find it crashed every so often, which was a little frustrating. Maybe a sign of the developers being a little slow to react to requirements.

There've been continual upgrades and new versions, including one-touch masking and more precise color editing.

Why I picked it: VSCO is such a loved app that it even has its own hashtag on Instagram. I can't think of too many other free RAW image editors that can boast that.

I've always loved that VSCO is a community-driven platform that offers the tools to produce stunning photography while connecting with other creatives.

The free version has a wide selection of presets, and you can dump your RAW photos in before adjusting contrast and saturation and adding a little color pop. If you want to edit RAW while also feeling like you're part of the photography community, this is the place to go without spending a dime.

The app is regularly updated and maintained every month to keep bugs at bay. And one interesting new release is the VSCO We The Creators, which has presets designed in partnership with VSCO photographers from around the world.

Why I picked it: if you're a graphic designer, illustrator, or artist who likes to work with RAW photos, check this platform out.

If you want to edit on your iPad, then Affinity Photo 2 is a direct challenger to Adobe's dominance in design, particularly on Apple tablets.

It integrates with all the iPad gestures that you're used to using, while even linking in with the Apple Pencil to boast pressure sensitivity, tilt, and angle to start illustrating and designing on your RAW images. I was impressed with how it didn't bomb the quality of my RAW development.

And with machine learning built into its object selection tool, it's a really wonderful app for your iPad.

Why I picked it: have you ever wished that Photoshop^® was completely free? Well, that's what Photopea gives you.

It's a browser-based Photoshop^® that you can just log on to and start editing your photos. You actually won't notice too much difference between Photoshop^® controls and Photopea's.

You can import RAW images and mimic everything you would do in Adobe software. If you're not able to afford Photoshop^® or you're wondering whether you want to upgrade to Photoshop^®, then this is a good place to start. Think of it as a practice ground for your RAW photo editing before upgrading to the real thing.

Although if you do just want to process RAW images, then it's not a specialist app for that. Thanks to Ivan Kutskir, the creator behind Photopea, millions of people around the world use this platform for free, whilst he maintains it for everyone.

Why I picked it: if all you want is straight-up RAW photo editing with no frills attached, then here is PhotoKit.

I actually hadn't used it before testing it, but it was a pleasant surprise. Immediately, it had an intuitive and functional interface where I was quickly able to develop my RAW photos, use the background remover, batch image resize, and jump into its small but perfectly formed toolbox.

If you just want to tinker, then the free version is fine, or you can upgrade to the bigger editing suite that gives you more advanced tools and even some AI features. And did I mention you can run it directly in your browser or even use its Chrome extension for fast processing? Pretty nifty.

Why I picked it: Color.io really allows you to tap into your RAW images' full potential with highly sophisticated color grading tools. 

I took a couple of hours to really get to grips with the platform, but once I had, I was impressed by how deeply I could transform my images.

Images felt like they were responding like traditional film, giving a natural finish without ever looking over-edited or horribly filtered. It can leave you with some epic cinema-grade finishes from your RAW files, while also allowing you to export directly into Photoshop^®. It's like analog photography meets digital pixels.

Make sure you upgrade to the latest version, where 100 new film presets and an AI in beta help automatically generate and remix your images.

Why I picked it: we can't have a fully packed list without an AI-powered RAW photo editor that runs on the cloud. That's what Fylm.ai delivers. 

It gives you that cinematic grade that feels like you've been shooting on film.

What's wild is that you can pair it with deep learning neural networks trained on millions of cinematic frames to help you grade. Impressively, it works with virtually any RAW file, no matter if you're shooting on a DSLR, mirrorless, smartphone, or digital back.

All within your browser for free across a maximum of three projects. Have fun.

Why I picked it: Polarr's been making its way through the online RAW image editing space for years, but its recent news of Polarr Next is a potential game-changer.

This regular suite with AI-enabled tools can run directly in your browser or on iOS or Android, so you've got complete flexibility. You can quickly develop and grade your RAW photos as you need.

Polar Next is going to take things to the next level. Without the need for a credit card, you can import and edit your photos completely for free with AI that helps capture and learn your editing style, so it'll cut your workflow time by 80 percent – mind-blowing speed.

Basically, as you work, the built-in AI gets smarter, so you're essentially teaching it how to rework your RAW photos. It's an absolute game-changer, and I don't take that phrase lightly.