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Skylum Luminar Neo Photo Editing Software logo
Skylum Luminar Neo
4.3

( 80 )

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Skylum Luminar Neo Reviews: 4.3/5 — Solid Choice

Skylum Luminar Neo Overview
What is Skylum Luminar Neo?

Skylum Liminar combines traditional photo editing tools with AI enhancements. The Skylum Luminar photo editing software lets users access AI enhancements to help them with things like atmospheric balance, structure, facial symmetry, skin enhancements, and so much more. Templates are also available to help bring life to images and offer extensive features that include cropping, adjustment, and retouching tools, background and filter settings, and image layer enhancements. It’s an excellent option for beginners and is available with no subscription cost

Company Skylum
Year founded 2009
Company size 51-200 employees
Headquarters Bellevue, Washington, United States
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Ask Questions about Skylum Luminar Neo
What Skylum Luminar Neo is best for?
How does Skylum Luminar Neo compare to Adobe Photoshop?
What are the pros and cons of Skylum Luminar Neo?
Skylum Luminar Neo Product Details
Capabilities
AI
Segment
Small Business
Mid Market
Enterprise
Deployment Cloud / SaaS / Web-Based, Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows
Training Documentation
Languages English
Skylum Luminar Neo Pros and Cons
Pros
  • Endless AI enhancements for easier editing
  • Excellent ease of use for beginners
  • No subscription cost to worry about
  • Range of background and filter settings
  • Exclusive filters and image layer enhancements
Cons
  • Cloning tool can be problematic
  • Not the best for organization
Skylum Luminar Neo Features
3D Editing
Automatic Adjustments
Background Removal
Batch Processing
Brush Tools
Clone Stamp
Color Correction
Cropping
Custom Brushes
Face Recognition
Filters and Effects
Gradient Editor
Skylum Luminar Neo Media
Skylum Luminar Neo video thumbnail
Skylum Luminar Neo - Skylum Luminar Neo Homepage
Skylum Luminar Neo Screenshots
Skylum Luminar Neo Homepage
Skylum Luminar Neo Homepage
Disclaimer
Our research is curated from diverse authoritative sources and meant to offer general advice. We don’t guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each use-case, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services. Feel free to share your feedback.
Last updated: August 31, 2026
Skylum Luminar Neo Photo Editing Software logo
80 Skylum Luminar Neo Reviews
4.3 out of 5
Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Apr 27, 2021
 Source
Overall Rating:
4.0
AG
Verified Reviewer
Founder
Share
"Great add on for Photoshop."
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

We liked the AI Sliders, the all-in-one solution with easy format selection and adaptive filters.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Price and supportability. It would be nice to get phone support faster

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

We are an Apple shop, and having Photoshop and Luminar gives us all the applications we need in two apps. No more jumping between other software to crop, tone, shade, etc.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Apr 27, 2021
 Source
Overall Rating:
4.0
AG
Verified Reviewer
Founder
Share
"Luminar Review"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

The editing tools are so easy to use and understand.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

I would prefer to have these applications and editing tools to be cheaper or free to use.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Luminar is helping my photography or graphics become brighter, clearer, and more suited to my business.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Feb 07, 2021
 Source
Overall Rating:
4.0
AG
Verified Reviewer
Founder
Share
"morocoo"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

* The best thing about Luminar4 is its ease of use, either for professionals or beginners

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Everything is ok in luminar4 but there is only a small problem we want this app on phones

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

The problems that LUMINAR4 solved are the complicated icons in other programs in addition to the time gain

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Jan 14, 2021
 Source
Overall Rating:
4.0
WJ
Winfield J.
Manager
Share
"A nice program for quick and easy editing"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

I can make quick edits with only a few clicks and get a great looking result. I like the templates and the fact that I can quickly change them.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

I have had issues with the content aware removal of extraneous things if there are too many of them. When I have had these issues, I can go into Photoshop and quickly remove them without the issues I ah having with Luminar. I also like that I only get the privilege to use it on one computer, unlike the multi computer license that earlier versions came with.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Many of the templates allow me to quickly edit a photo to make it look great.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Jan 09, 2020
 Source
Overall Rating:
4.0
Ralf T. avatar
Ralf T.
Webdeveloper And Owner
Share
"Easy to use photo editing software at an affordable price for beginners and enthusiasts"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Luminar is very easy to use and within a few minutes you get great results. It offers ready made looks or presets that transform most photos instantly. With some easy slider changes you can change the result quickly. If you need more control it offer advanced setting that will satisfy even a experienced photo editor.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

The worst bit is the slow library module. If you have folders with 100 or more photos the app comes to almost a total stand still. If you are a professional with large folders you can only use this as a plugin from either lightroom or photoshop.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

I use the plugin function and manage my photos in Lightroom and export them for editing into Luminar. The editing is so much easier then in Lightroom. The portraits editing features in Luminar 4 are outstanding.

Mid Market (51-1000 emp.)
Jun 21, 2022
 Source
Overall Rating:
3.5
AG
Verified Reviewer
Founder
Share
"Great way to edit photos"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Simple to use, has all the options and tools I need.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

hard to figure out how to save photos after finishing using

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

A cheaper alternative to photoshop

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
May 19, 2022
 Source
Overall Rating:
3.5
TE
Tufan Emre E.
Ux Designer
Share
"functionally it's great, but I can't say the same for its interface."
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

AI support is very good. It can handle a lot of work with one click. It also gives consistent output.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

I think it failed in terms of user interface and user experience.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Doing editing work quickly thanks to AI.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Jan 04, 2022
 Source
Overall Rating:
3.5
RT
Richard T.
Director & Editor
Share
"Fun software for personal use and creatives"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

It's really user-friendly, and within minutes you can "enhance" your photos with just a few clicks. It doesn't require a lot of technical knowhow and can turn a basic photo in to something quite eyecatching.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

It isn't as professional in terms of quality and features as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop but is more for the amateur or semi-pro. Several add-ons require additional purchase.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Quickly and effortlessly replacing poorly exposed or dull sky and enhancing uninteresting photos. Creating fun personal artwork for personal use. Works great with M1 Mac.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Oct 15, 2021
 Source
Overall Rating:
3.5
Bryan S. avatar
Bryan S.
Photographer
Share
"Luminar: Good for editing but a little slow"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

It can automatically retouch portraits by detecting the faces. It even slims bodies.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Overall, the program is slow. Every time I make an adjustment it has to render the image, making me wait.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

I wanted editing software that could do things for me automatically so I wouldn't have to go to Photoshop. It does keep me from having to go into Photoshop, but I don't know if it's any faster.

Mid Market (51-1000 emp.)
Apr 28, 2021
 Source
Overall Rating:
3.5
AG
Verified Reviewer
Founder
Share
"Intuitive and great for quick photo edits"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

I love the easy automatic features that Luminar has like sky replacement. It makes photo editing very simple and quick especially for those who are not skilled in Illustrator or other photo editing apps.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Had some difficulty connecting the plug in and getting the app to start working with my PC

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Very quick, innovative photo editing. Used it for editing client photos and event photos for our social media usage.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Jun 22, 2022
 Source
Overall Rating:
3.0
Cameron N. avatar
Cameron N.
Professional Photographer
Share
"Great Capability, Annoying Update/Feature Schedule"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Luminar is a very capable and robust product that allows for some great editing capability. I've really enjoyed the application of AI to the editing flow nad what it has made possible and the time saved for some tasks.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Luminar has gotten in the habit of making pretty regular new product releases that should really be updates to existing software. They will include one or two new features and charge an entirely new premium as though it's a ground breaking new product.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Luminar has allowed for significant time saving with some editing tasks via the use of AI. These tasks include things like sky replacement and over-all "one click" AI image editing. While not perfect, it's great for quick fixes.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Jan 06, 2022
 Source
Overall Rating:
3.0
Josh U. avatar
Josh U.
Senior Developer
Share
"Quick and dirty- just not very quick"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Luminar provides a simplified workflow that enables unskilled users to quickly process raw photographs. When I want to edit a single image in a few clicks, I open Luminar instead of Lightroom.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Luminar's main drawback is its speed. It can take seconds to switch images (a 46 MP NEF, for example), so a lot of time is spent just waiting for the UI to catch up. This adds up to a lot of wasted time. Then when it comes time to export, you'll be waiting once again- and far longer than you would with Lightroom.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

I can teach Luminar to novices a lot faster than I can teach them effective Lightroom. However, I find that novices also gravitate toward Luminar's more irritating features like sky replacement. Suddenly, everyone's photos have the exact same fake skies, milky ways, etc. Tacky, tacky, tacky!!!

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Aug 31, 2020
 Source
Overall Rating:
3.0
Colin M. avatar
Colin M.
Limited Spectrum Design
Share
"Beautiful results, *if* you can run it on your PC."
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Easy interface and great editing tools for almost any type of photography, in addition to a one-time payment instead of a subscription plan.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Awful performance on Windows PCs, and no "undo" when in the "erase" tool. With Intel i5, Nvidia 1050ti 4gb, 500gb m.2, and 32gb RAM, the application would take several seconds for any effect to render after touching any slider. The erase tool is it's own module inside Luminar 4, opening it's own dialog box to work in. Entering the erase tool takes my PC about a minute, and panning the image causes pixelation and lag, forcing you to stop and wait for the image to load so you can see what you're doing. After all your erasing (basically spot healing tool with a content aware fill function), saving the results will take at least a minute before the module closes and brings you back to the main Luminar interface, creating it's own layer. But there is no "undo" ability in the erase tool, so if that content aware algorithm messes up a spot, you have to cancel and start over.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Excellent raw processor/photo editor with a clean, modern interface, helps put that extra polish on all your photography. Especially useful for portraits and landscapes, there's a variety of adjustments that easily add that extra pop to your images. Simple sliders can manipulate effects to your liking, including some that would take multiple steps in Photoshop, such as eye/teeth whitening, skin smoothing, eye enlarging, orton effect, and sky replacement.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Jul 30, 2020
 Source
Overall Rating:
3.0
NM
Naasirah M.
Ceo
Share
"Luminar was not for me"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

The overall aspects of the app was good, and other peoples results using this app looked well

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

when I tried using this app, it was very difficult to actually get the results that I wanted out of it.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

I couldn't really solve my photo editing issues with this product. Had to switch to Lightroom

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Apr 28, 2023
 Source
Overall Rating:
2.5
BA
Bilal A.
Founder
Share
"Promising start but fell short"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

The range and variety of presets is really the selling point. The raw processing power assisted with AI also helps to set the starting point quite quickly. The masking technology is on par with big giants like Adobe,

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Speed, slow rendering of photos. Although the developers claim the speed to be improved, its still the weakest point of the system. Slow Real-time feedback for a change is killing the overall user experience.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Alot of my photos are taken in general setting where not much processing is required. The presets and quick AI features get these images to a respectable point quite fast. Quick to share with friends and family.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Jun 17, 2022
 Source
Overall Rating:
2.5
DW
Derek W.
Student
Share
"Half baked"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Quick and easy to use filters, but the w

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Quick and easy to use filters, yet compared to adobe products they seem rudimentary at best. The work flow is also very strange considering that there is a sort of non linear history by default. It's decent for quick touch ups, but honestly a modern phone can do what this app does.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Initially I was interested in the AI features, but as mentioned before they are extremely rudimentary and not at all as helpful as something like the neural filters in photoshop or Topaz products.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
Jan 02, 2022
 Source
Overall Rating:
2.5
AG
Verified Reviewer
Founder
Share
"User friendly tools"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

We can organize our photos and also edit with various designs and colors.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

The quality of the image and graphics. No

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Graphics for a Marketing campaign.

Mid Market (51-1000 emp.)
Aug 03, 2020
 Source
Overall Rating:
2.5
AG
Verified Reviewer
Founder
Share
"Fantastic editing interface"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

The price is superb, the interface is streamlined and makes workflow smooth. I enjoy the ERASE feature and the portrait and sky editing modes.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

The AI uses a lot of power and causes delays and site lags. A mobile version should be developed. When downloading and importing my photos, there is a glitch whereby I then have duplicates I don't need/want.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

I am able to edit any image! I love the clone and stamp tools, and am able to produce high quality marketing images and flyers. The quality of Luminar software is superb, with minor fixes. All in all, I think that Luminar is pretty equivocal to photoshop or other editing softwares.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Jan 06, 2022
 Source
Overall Rating:
2.0
AG
Verified Reviewer
Founder
Share
"Good software -- poor customer experience"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

The Luminar technology is very good. It helps save time and increases your creative efforts with photography. For instance, the sky swap feature in Luminar AI is excellent.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Unfortunately, the way that Skylum (the vendor behind Luminar) does business is awful for several reasons. One, when you buy a lifetime license for Luminar, you expect that it will receive ongoing development. Well, soon enough, they'll discontinue the product you just purchased and release a "new" product so that you have to buy the new version to benefit from ongoing development. This is very disingenuous. Two, as another user pointed out, Skylum operates like a marketing agency rather than a software vendor. You'll be bombarded by marketing emails, and worse, annoying "offers" every time you run Luminar. The app appears to have the option to disable those ads, but the disable option "conveniently" does not work. Third, you can suggest improvements in the Luminar user forum but those suggestions are ignored and any critical commentary (which would help further the product and the user experience) is not well received by Skylum.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

I've been able to replace skies in photos quickly and otherwise boost the creative effect in photos.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Jun 12, 2020
 Source
Overall Rating:
2.0
AG
Verified Reviewer
Founder
Share
"Some Exciting Features"
What do you like best about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Luminar has been around for a bit, and their newest release as of this writing, Luminar 4, has a pretty spectacular AI sky exchange engine that works really well. It let's you easily swap out your boring sky with a more exciting/dramatic sky to give your photos an extra oomph. Beyond that it also has the regular photo processing tools that will get you where you need to go. As a whole Luminar is a pretty good tool that has a lot to offer.

What do you dislike about Skylum Luminar Neo?

Luminar seems to draw heavily from your computer resources. When I was using Luminar 4, I noticed that just starting up the software made my computer fans kick on, and it pretty much stayed at top speed the whole time I was using it. The software is also rather slow and lacks responsiveness, so it takes a few seconds to respond every time you change anything. Definitely slows down the workflow.

What problems is Skylum Luminar Neo solving and how is that benefiting you?

Photo processing. The sky exchange was pretty cool, but I didn't really realize any benefit beyond what I would get in Lightroom/Photoshop.

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