Comparison

Capture One vs Luminar

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Capture One

Edit and organize RAW photos directly on your mobile device. Tether your camera for real-time shooting, apply edits instantly, and collaborate with clients through shared feedback and ratings. Seamlessly transition your work to desktop for final touches.

Highlights
  • Tether camera directly to mobile
  • Real-time shooting and review
  • RAW photo editing on the go
  • Instant style and look application
  • Client collaboration with feedback
  • External storage support
  • Supports 550+ camera models
Features
Read full description

GREAT IMPROVEMENTS TO MOBILE * With Retouch Faces, you can complete your post-work on the fly and deliver your images on location. * Sessions Support enables you to stay organized with nested folders and track your selections. * Work and backup as you please with External Storage, so you’re not limited by your mobile storage. SHOOT INTO MOBILE & SHOWCASE YOUR STYLE Forget the heavy laptop. Tether your camera directly to your iPhone or iPad, wired or wirelessly. Shoot, review, and showcase your images in real time. Impress clients and make sure you get the perfect shot on the spot. SHARE, RATE, COLLABORATE Share shots instantly with teams and clients, get comments, star ratings, and color tags, and keep all feedback in one place, no matter where everyone is. APPLY EDITS AS YOU SHOOT Turn RAWs into near-final images instantly. Make quick edits and auto-apply the same look as you shoot for faster, clearer client feedback during the session. INCREDIBLE COLOR QUALITY Get our renowned RAW conversion and hand-calibrated colors right on your mobile screen, for true-to-life tones and perfect skin every time. STYLE & EDIT ON THE FLY AirDrop your favorite presets and Styles, or create your own. Apply them in a tap, auto-create complex masks, correct perspective, straighten shots, and edit freely on the go. DELIVER ANYWHERE Export to an external SSD, or send your work to Capture One Pro with all edits and ratings intact, so you can start on mobile and finish on desktop seamlessly. WORK WITH ANY CAMERA Supports 550+ cameras from Canon, Sony, Nikon, FUJIFILM, Leica, and more. Control your camera, fire the shutter, and adjust settings right from your device. PRICING & PLANS Start with a 7-day free trial of Capture One Mobile. Continue with a mobile subscription, or go All in One to get: * Capture One Pro (desktop) * Capture One Mobile * Capture One Live Unlimited * Priority support Upgrade to All in One and get the complete photo workflow, from capture to delivery.

About

Luminar

This app offers powerful AI-driven photo editing tools for mobile devices. It features intuitive controls, smart enhancements for skies, lighting, and skin, and a range of editing options for composition and style. Supports RAW files and integrates with Apple devices.

Highlights
  • AI Sky Replacement
  • AI Photo Enhancement
  • AI Skin Retouching
  • AI Body Shaping
  • RAW File Editing
  • Intuitive Gesture Controls
  • Photo Filters
Features
Read full description

Luminar — Your all-in-one, on-the-go photo editor and creative companion for iPhone, iPad and Vision Pro. Explore powerful AI-driven tools and an interactive interface that responds to your touch, delivering a uniquely engaging photo editing experience. Streamlined design with unparalleled control Luminar's user-friendly design allows you to edit your photos with intuitive gestures, featuring smoothly gliding sliders and spinning dials that respond realistically to your touch with motion and sound. With Luminar, there are no complicated functions or processes. Less fuss, more creativity. Smart AI enhancements Powered by cutting-edge technology, Luminar is the revolutionary smart AI photo enhancer for your every need: - SkyAI: Seamlessly replace dull skies with brilliant ones for impressive backdrops - EnhanceAI: Effortlessly enhance photo quality with a single slide, adjusting color, tone and clarity for professional results in seconds - StructureAI: Unlock hidden details and clarity in your images, enhancing contrast and texture for striking visual impact - Light Depth: Add natural depth and dimension with AI-powered, depth-aware lighting - FaceAI: Automatically enhance face features, brighten the face and subtly refine proportions - SkinAI: Automatically retouch the skin and remove imperfections for a clean and smooth result - BodyAI: Shape a subject’s midsection in a realistic way by adding or removing volume - BokehAI: Blur backgrounds, adjust focus, customize bokeh shapes All-in-one powerhouse - Curves: Edit photos with precise color and tone adjustments, achieving the perfect balance and mood - Details: Enhance every detail with just a tap, bringing your images to life with clarity and sharpness - Crop: Easily trim, align, flip and rotate for the perfect composition, ensuring your images stand out - Landscape: Transform your landscapes with ease and enhance golden hour lighting, brighten foliage, or remove haze for breathtaking results - Monochrome: Convert your color photos to stunning black and white masterpieces, adding depth and mood to your images - Erase: Effortlessly remove distracting elements from your photos to place focus on your subjects - Photo Filters: Enjoy a diverse collection of photo effects that add a unique style to your shots - RAW File Support: Edit your RAW photos directly on your mobile, preserving maximum image quality Seamless integration with Apple devices Designed for the Apple ecosystem, Luminar makes it easy to edit photos taken on your iPhone or iPad, enhancing your editing workflow. On the iPad, you can add personal touches using the Apple Pencil for sharper details and convenient edits. Plus, discover a new immersive editing experience with Vision Pro, optimized for iPadOS and VisionOS. Luminar — Envision more Whether you're a beginner or a pro, the Luminar AI photo editor offers a range of features to suit your needs, including detail enhancement, photo retouching, color adjustment, and more. Try Luminar now and experience next-level photo editing at your fingertips. Compatibility Note: The Luminar picture editor is optimized for devices running iOS/iPadOS 17 and newer. Please note that on iPad 6-gen, certain advanced features such as Erase, Sky AI and Relight AI are not available. To access all features, you need to purchase one of the plans below: 1 Week subscription 12 Months subscription (+7 days free trial. Once the trial is over, you will be charged a yearly subscription) Lifetime license Subscriptions auto-renew at the cost of the chosen package, unless canceled 24-hours in advance prior to the end of the current period. The subscription fee is charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. You may manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://skylum.com/legal Terms of use: https://skylum.com/legal-eula

Screenshots

Capture One4 screens
Luminar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Luminar at 4.8 against Capture One's 3.5. Luminar also leads on review sentiment (42% vs 18%) and ratings volume (4.8K vs 331). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Capture One sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per month and Luminar sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Luminar holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Luminar has 4.8K ratings behind it against 331, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Capture One's written reviews are positive against 42% of Luminar's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Capture One ships an update every 2 weeks, Luminar every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Capture One versus Luminar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCapture OneLuminar
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (331 ratings)4.8 (4.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews18.1% of reviews41.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3314.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#167 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size1.3 GB667 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCapture One A/SSkylum

Customer experience

Capture One

All ratings331 ratings
Positive58.6%
Neutral5.1%
Negative36.3%
Written reviews459 reviews
Positive18.1%
Neutral14.6%
Negative67.3%

Luminar

All ratings4,700 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral1.3%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews817 reviews
Positive41.6%
Neutral13.7%
Negative44.7%

User reviews

Capture One

From 331 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent tethering capability
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
  • 🚀 Fast image rendering
  • 👍 Great for culling and rating photos on the go
  • 👍 Seamless integration with desktop Capture One

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
  • 🔒 Requires separate subscription even for desktop users
  • 👎 Severely limited editing features compared to desktop version
  • 👎 Slow cloud sync and lack of external storage support
  • 👎 Unintuitive file management and export workflow

Luminar

From 4.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful editing tools
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🎨 Great AI-powered features
  • 💡 Convenient mobile editing

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Subscription-only model
  • 🐛 Buggy and slow performance
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🔙 No option to save mid-edit

Bugs and requests

Capture One

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to log in due to keyboard not appearing
  • Inconsistent behavior when importing and exporting photos
  • Crashes when attempting to use certain editing features
  • Issues with wireless tethering and connection stability

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add layers, masks, curves, and other advanced editing tools
  • Enable direct import from camera/SD card, not just cloud sync
  • Allow opening and editing desktop Capture One sessions/catalogs
  • Improve tethering functionality with live view and camera control
  • Provide option to purchase app outright instead of subscription

Luminar

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes and freezes
  • Issues with saving and exporting
  • Inaccurate AI-powered tools

Requested features

4 requests
  • Batch editing and presets
  • Raw file support
  • Masking and local adjustments
  • Export options (PNG, TIFF)

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Capture One

Subscriptions4
  • Capture One mobile7 Days trial$10.991 Month
  • All in One7 Days trial$39.991 Month
  • Capture One mobile7 Days trial$109.001 Year
Show 1 more
  • All in One7 Days trial$294.991 Year
8 purchases

Luminar

Subscriptions6
  • 1 Week2 variants$4.997 Days
  • 1 Month$14.991 Month
  • 12 Months7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • 1 Year7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Prime subscription$69.991 Year
  • 12 Months + Prime7 Days trial$79.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime2 variants$69.99
  • Lifetime Web + Desktop$99.99

Questions

Is Capture One free?
Capture One is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Luminar free?
Luminar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Capture One or Luminar?
Luminar is rated higher. Capture One averages 3.5 out of 5 from 331 ratings, while Luminar averages 4.8 from 4.8K ratings.
Do Capture One or Luminar have ads?
Neither Capture One nor Luminar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Capture One or Luminar?
Capture One ships an update every 2 weeks, and Luminar every 9 days. Most recently, Capture One was updated on November 3, 2026 and Luminar on November 6, 2026.

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