darktable vs Lightroom (2026): GPL Catalog or Creative Cloud?

darktable 4.4.2 darkroom view with modules on the right and history on the left — Wikimedia Commons screenshot of darktable 4.4.2 darkroom (identifies the UI). Source · License: GPL-3.0.

forkalt Lightroom-class job graphic listing darktable, RawTherapee, and digiKam — forkalt comparison graphic (2026-10-21). Source · License: forkalt original.

Verdict. Choose darktable 5.6.2 if you want a GPL virtual lighttable and non-destructive darkroom you can run locally. Choose Adobe Lightroom if you want the commercial Creative Cloud catalog (desktop, web, and mobile as Adobe markets it). Choose RawTherapee if the job is demosaic depth without a DAM. We have no sourced speed, color, or catalog-migration test.

Compare darktable and Adobe Lightroom.

Dimension	darktable	Adobe Lightroom	Source
License	GPL-3.0 (LICENSE, 2026-10-21)	Proprietary (Adobe General Terms of Use)	darktable-org/darktable LICENSE; adobe.com/legal/terms.html
Price	free (open-source)	paid Creative Cloud (price not copied here)	Licenses / Adobe Lightroom product page
Current release (this check)	release-5.6.2 (GitHub, 2026-10-04)	Creative Cloud SKU; version string not copied from Adobe’s product page	GitHub Releases darktable-org/darktable; adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html
Community snapshot (2026-10-22)	13,305 stars / 1,485 forks; last push 2026-10-22	Not a public GitHub product in this check	GitHub API darktable-org/darktable
Job (project positioning)	Virtual lighttable + darkroom; catalog of digital negatives; originals never modified	Commercial catalog + develop (desktop, web, mobile per Adobe’s product page)	darktable.org; adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html
GPU / color (project claims)	GPU acceleration documented as optional; professional color management claimed through print	Commercial color/cloud stack; not independently listed here	darktable.org (2026-10-22)
Quality vs Lightroom	Not independently tested	Not independently tested	n/a

When to choose which

Local GPL catalog plus develop this week: darktable — That is darktable.org’s lighttable+darkroom positioning (5.6.2). We did not migrate a catalog.
Paid Creative Cloud catalog (desktop / web / mobile): Lightroom — That is the commercial product. Not a quality score.
Demosaic / develop controls without a DAM: RawTherapee — See darktable vs RawTherapee. RawTherapee 5.13.
Photo library (albums, tags, share): digiKam — Different job. See the Lightroom hub. Canonical git is invent.kde.org.
Pixel editor, not a RAW catalog: GIMP — See GIMP vs Photoshop and PhotoCraft vs GIMP.

Read the entity pages: darktable and Adobe Lightroom (identification only). Hub: Lightroom alternatives. OSS pair: darktable vs RawTherapee. Photo-library row: digiKam.

darktable vs Lightroom at a glance

darktable is an open-source photography workflow and RAW developer. darktable.org (opened 2026-10-22) describes a virtual lighttable and darkroom: originals are never modified; GPU acceleration is documented as optional. GitHub darktable-org/darktable: GPL-3.0, 13,305 stars / 1,485 forks, last push 2026-10-22, latest release release-5.6.2 (2026-10-04).

Lightroom is Adobe’s proprietary catalog. The product page we opened on 2026-10-22 markets it for desktop, web, and mobile: adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom. Terms: Adobe General Terms of Use. We did not copy a price or a catalog-migration guide.

Pixel editing is a different search: Photoshop alternatives, GIMP vs Photoshop, PhotoCraft vs GIMP.

When to pick each

Need a lighttable plus darkroom this week: darktable 5.6.2 from darktable.org.
Need the commercial Creative Cloud catalog: Adobe Lightroom.
Need demosaic depth without a DAM: RawTherapee 5.13 — darktable vs RawTherapee.
Need a photo library (import, tags, albums): digiKam.
Need a pixel editor: GIMP or PhotoCraft on Photoshop alternatives.

FAQ

darktable vs Lightroom — is darktable a drop-in replacement?

No sourced document we opened claims feature parity. darktable.org describes a virtual lighttable and darkroom that develops RAW files non-destructively. Catalog, tethering, cloud sync, and preset ecosystems are not independently tested.

What version of darktable did you check?

GitHub release-5.6.2 (2026-10-04). API 2026-10-22: 13,305 stars, last push 2026-10-22. We have not run the installer.

Should I pick RawTherapee instead?

RawTherapee’s README targets demosaic/develop depth and may lack DAM, printing, and upload peripherals. See darktable vs RawTherapee.

Should I pick GIMP or PhotoCraft instead of Lightroom?

Those are pixel editors. See Photoshop alternatives, GIMP vs Photoshop, and PhotoCraft vs GIMP.

Sources & verification

Last verified 2026-10-22 · Last updated 2026-10-22· Edited by forkalt editors · Editorial policy

License notes are not legal advice. Read the original LICENSE. Trademark & disclaimer.