# Adobe Lightroom for iPad vs Canon DPP Express

The clearest difference is monetization model: Adobe Lightroom for iPad at free with in-app purchases against Canon DPP Express's subscription. Adobe Lightroom for iPad also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (37% vs 17%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Adobe Lightroom for iPad sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Canon DPP Express sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Adobe Lightroom for iPad holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Adobe Lightroom for iPad has 51K ratings behind it against 2.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of Adobe Lightroom for iPad's written reviews are positive against 17% of Canon DPP Express's.

Adobe Lightroom for iPad ships an update every 2 weeks, Canon DPP Express every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Adobe Lightroom for iPad | Canon DPP Express |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (51K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-lightroom-for-ipad/id804177739/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canon-dpp-express/id1315877685/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **51K** | 2.9K |
| Positive reviews | **37.1% of reviews** | 17.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 354 MB | 112 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Adobe Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331646274) | [Canon Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331269954) |

## What reviewers say

### Adobe Lightroom for iPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-lightroom-for-ipad/id804177739)

This app offers powerful AI-driven tools to enhance and edit photos and videos, making moments look their best. Easily adjust colors, remove distractions, blur backgrounds, and apply creative presets. It's designed for both quick fixes and more advanced edits, helping users create shareable content.

**Highlights:** AI-powered photo enhancement, One-tap Quick Actions, Generative Remove object eraser, Background blur and bokeh effects, Customizable presets and filters, Batch editing for consistency, Community-shared presets

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly 40GB | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly 100GB | $6.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly 100GB | $6.99 | per month |
| Premium Weekly 100GB | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly 100GB | $7.99 | per month |
| Lightroom plan 1TB | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly 40GB | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly 100GB | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient editing
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Powerful editing tools on the go
- 🔒 Seamless cloud sync across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and performance issues
- 🔒 Restrictive subscription model
- 💰 Expensive monthly fees
- 🔍 Missing key features compared to desktop version

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues causing data loss
- Selective editing tools lagging and freezing
- Export limitations (max 15 photos at a time)
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- Batch editing and renaming options
- HDR and panorama merging
- Expanded export options (raw, TIFF, etc.)
- Customizable color profiles and presets
- Improved organization and metadata management


### Canon DPP Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canon-dpp-express/id1315877685)

Edit RAW photos on your iPad or iPhone with intuitive touch controls. Adjust colors, save multiple versions, and export without watermarks after subscribing. Supports various Canon RAW and JPEG formats.

**Highlights:** Color edit RAW images, Intuitive touch operation, Save multiple adjustment patterns, Change history function, Export images without watermarks, Supports CR3/CR2, JPEG, HEIF (10 bit)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DPP Express Full Functions | $0.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for on-the-go RAW processing
- 👍 Fantastic app with lots of features
- 💡 Useful for quick edits in the field

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lacks support for CR2 RAW files
- 🔒 Requires subscription for full functionality
- 🔋 Slow performance on older iPads
- 👎 Limited compatibility with older Canon models

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to import photos
- Unable to open RAW files from camera roll
- Exporting photos results in quality loss
- Incompatible with some iPad models

**Requested features**

- Add support for CR2 RAW files
- Improve file management with folder support
- Allow direct import from SD card or external drive
- Implement batch processing and editing tools
- Add color profile creation using color checker


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Adobe Lightroom for iPad free?

Adobe Lightroom for iPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Canon DPP Express free?

Canon DPP Express is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Adobe Lightroom for iPad or Canon DPP Express?

Adobe Lightroom for iPad is rated higher. Adobe Lightroom for iPad averages 4.8 out of 5 from 51K ratings, while Canon DPP Express averages 4.6 from 2.9K ratings.

### Do Adobe Lightroom for iPad or Canon DPP Express have ads?

Neither Adobe Lightroom for iPad nor Canon DPP Express shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Adobe Lightroom for iPad or Canon DPP Express?

Adobe Lightroom for iPad ships an update every 2 weeks, and Canon DPP Express every 3 months. Most recently, Adobe Lightroom for iPad was updated on November 8, 2026 and Canon DPP Express on November 9, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*