Adobe Photoshop vs Luminar Neo
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
AI tool · Paid
Adobe's flagship image editor, with Firefly-powered Generative Fill, Generative Expand and AI selection tools.
AI tool · Paid
Skylum's AI-driven photo editor with one-click sky replacement, portrait retouching and relighting.
The short answer
Choose Adobe Photoshop if you need…
- Detailed retouching and compositing
- Generative fill edits
Choose Luminar Neo if you need…
- Hobbyists wanting quick dramatic edits
- Landscape and portrait enhancement
Side-by-side
| Adobe Photoshop | Luminar Neo | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Photography · Photo editing | Photography · Photo editing |
| Price | Paid | Paid |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, iOS, Web | macOS, Windows |
| Works with | Adobe, Figma | Adobe |
| Hands-on tested by us | Not yet | Not yet |
| Last checked | 2026-10-29 | 2026-10-29 |
What each one is
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe's flagship image editor, with Firefly-powered Generative Fill, Generative Expand and AI selection tools. Unmatched depth. Overkill for simple edits, and generative features consume credits.
Luminar Neo
Skylum's AI-driven photo editor with one-click sky replacement, portrait retouching and relighting. Fast for eye-catching results. Effects are easy to overdo, and the extensions model adds cost.
Best for
Adobe Photoshop
- Detailed retouching and compositing
- Generative fill edits
Luminar Neo
- Hobbyists wanting quick dramatic edits
- Landscape and portrait enhancement
Strengths
Adobe Photoshop
- Generative Fill and Expand
- AI object selection
- Remove tool
- Layers and masks
Luminar Neo
- Sky replacement
- Portrait retouching
- Relight and enhance
- Lightroom plugin
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Adobe Photoshop and Luminar Neo?
Adobe Photoshop: Adobe's flagship image editor, with Firefly-powered Generative Fill, Generative Expand and AI selection tools. Luminar Neo: Skylum's AI-driven photo editor with one-click sky replacement, portrait retouching and relighting. Adobe Photoshop suits detailed retouching and compositing, while Luminar Neo suits hobbyists wanting quick dramatic edits.
Are Adobe Photoshop and Luminar Neo free?
Adobe Photoshop: Paid. Luminar Neo: Paid.
What are other alternatives to Adobe Photoshop and Luminar Neo?
Other options people compare them with include Adobe Lightroom, Picsart, Capture One, remove.bg.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.