Luminar Mobile Photo Editor Reviews

by GregoryT9

Luminar isn’t using AI.

The functions is has labeled, such as it’s magic erase function, is a rebrand of the clone/blend/blur tools you use in any other photo editing app. You even see it cloning the object nearby.

The re-sky features are premade images that they simply plaster onto the sky in your photo, without removing the current clouds in the sky. So you get weird double exposure effects.

All the other features such as lighting, darkening, sharpening, color saturation, are all features of any photo editing tool, INCLUDING YOUR DEFAULT IPHONE PHOTO APP, which does not use AI in any way.

It’s a fancy skin, marketing trick to do things your phone can already do, and collect your cash while doing it.

by Original Z

I was a big fan of Imgmi and had purchased a subscription to it, but they very quickly abandoned it and stopped updating and now Luminar has been removed and now have just brought the features to this. Don’t spend your money subscribing to Luminar as surely the same thing will happen, soon Luminar will also be abandoned and they’ll tell you to just subscribe to a new app again!

by Ed106010

I've used this app on desktop and found it great. However, the mobile app's editing features seem gimmicky, to call this AI is an insult to the intelligence of users who’ve used the MAC version and other software. The highlight/shadows/etc. tab should use sliders instead of dials for better precision, like the exposure slider under the lighting tab. Additionally, the need to save photos as new files slows down the workflow; it should allow modifying or overwriting the original photo, as most iPhone apps have done for years. I'm surprised this feature wasn't available at launch. After a few hours of trying to edit photos, I had to delete Luminar as it doesn't simplify the editing process and I’ve ended up achieving the results I was looking for much quicker and precise via the IOS photos native editing. Don’t waste your money on this. Truly shocking this is the final version they decided would be acceptable to release and sell.

by Khackee Davee

I hate apps that require my CC info prior to the end user being able to test an application. I immediately delete that app and the company has lost a potential customer. If everyone did this companies would give people a chance to test the apps.

by Bc22@

No reflections in water from added skies also the sky adjustments for warmth, brightness, and defocus do nothing Jul 30 you asked for examples, I sent on July 15 and have no response If you add a sky there is no way to delete it
Just updated to 2.0.4 and Sky reflections in water still don’t work. Also still no way to delete added sky.

by Jonleestaples

There is something fundamentally wrong with an app that demands payment before being given the ability to try it first before spending money on you might not want. It tells me you know I will choose not to use it. But you got your percentage regardless of a continuing patronage. I haven’t used Luminar, because I refuse to line your pockets off a default pay before usage. You get nothing from me but judgement.

by AceDsk

All it needs for me to love Luminar and completely replace Lightroom and Photomator are a faster and more accurate AI erase tool than Photomator's, layer editing and being able to actually focus on selected areas when layer editing instead of letting Luminar decide, advanced AI bokeh that's better than Focos's, gradient tools, and exporting as tif and png

by TT_2274

Crashes repeatedly. Cancelled my trial.

by Edged Cede

I just downloaded and am now beginning my free trial. The first thing I did was to remove objects. Luminar failed MISERABLY. I’m using an iPad having the latest update. Also I consider myself a very experienced person using photoshop and many other image and photography processing apps. I will continue using it for the trial period, but will most likely cancel my subscription.

by Very Disapointed111111111

A very nice app but it does not play nice with this app neo and you must close out of it after every photo you edit and reopen to move to the next photo. If it is for iPad just make it a photos extension and cut the clumsy interface. But nice try.

by Mr.Nuyoka

**App Review: A Nostalgic Step Back in Time with Disappointing Modern Features**

If you have a fondness for the retro charm of early MySpace profile pictures or the over-the-top HDR effects from 2007, then Luminar might be right up your alley. However, if you're expecting the high-quality, polished results typically associated with this company, you might be in for a letdown.

Luminar 's sky replacement feature is particularly underwhelming. Instead of offering dynamic and engaging options, it provides rather bland replacements. There's no support for adding mirrored reflections or creating a cohesive look with faded skies for water reflections, which limits its usefulness for more sophisticated edits.

The relighting tool is more of a gimmick than a functional feature, offering limited control and unnatural results. The removal tool, unfortunately, fares no better. It seems to just copy pixels from nearby areas, leading to very obvious and often jarring replacements.

The control knobs are overly simplistic and feel more like a distraction than a serious editing tool. It's like handing a 3-year-old a video game to keep them busy—fun for a moment, but lacking the depth and precision required for serious editing. This gimmicky approach fails to meet the needs of today's editors, who expect more refined and powerful tools for their work.

Overall, while Luminar may evoke a sense of nostalgia for simpler times in photo editing, it falls short of the quality and functionality expected from a modern photo-editing tool.

You’ll have better luck using free apps like Snapseed.

by Pmorelli

Sadly looks like raw support isn’t truly there, seems to convert to jpeg. Really would like true raw support.

And as far as I can tell, this is a separate purchase from this app neo? I get paying for it if you don’t have neo desktop, but this should be bundled with the desktop purchase.

by Gabriel .G

As I have recently moved away from Adobe this app has been my software choice for desktop but I still use Lightroom mobile because I haven’t found anything that has even come close to it. this might be my next option there’s just a few tools that are kind of a must have for me one is an HSL tool where I can adjust the saturation brightness and hue of each color individually. The next would be presets I own a lot of Lightroom presets and nothing else I can use them it would be really cool to see a way to import my old Lightroom presets into this app or at least the ability to save presets or add them from other places.

by ZGALINEC

Looks like this will be the premiere app for editing on iPad but unfortunately until it can open raw files on newer cameras such as the Nikon Zf and compressed raws it has limited usability. Unfortunately we can’t go back to reshoot images already taken. Hence the 3 stars, but would be happy to revise once more file support is available.

by Mabryan777

The developers have created one of the most creative and powerful editing tools available for the iPad. If Luminar could save your work for future editing and, create masks and edit raw photos, I might abandon Lightroom. It is a joy to use. However, I don’t see any way to save your work, open another photo and then go back to the original photo and continue editing. It looks like you loose all your work as soon as you open a new photo for editing. I hope I’m wrong and there is a way to save your work.

by Izzme1

It’s almost there but needs to have skin/face tools for portraits and similar shots. Likewise, it would be good if it was also available as a photos extension.

by ORHobbes

I loved the previous Skyler apps, and this app is no exception.

But I am done with subscription based apps. It just keeps adding up to a point of lunacy.

One or two here or there is fine if you use them every day, but for casual users who only need Luminar a couple times a month for editing a few private photos, paying a subscription every month/year just doesn’t make sense.

If they had an option for casual users to pay a one time fee to be able to use Luminar a few times a month, I would happily pay that.

But I am done paying subscriptions every month for apps that I only use sometimes.

by Chris-pa Music

this app Neo is one of the best photos editing out there. All the features that the software offers are just amazing and what get me on was the one time purchase option and its so sad to see that we don’t have that option on the mobile.

I take photos as a hobby and don’t make money from it so I can’t afford paying a subscription.

I would like to have Luminar but I can’t since we don’t have that options. Why don’t have both options like the desktop version.

Who ever can afford subscription go for it and who can’t juts go with the one time purchase option.

by Mohondhay

I really liked using Luminar compared to many others simply because it takes so less time to edit a picture. I mean it's so easy to make my pictures pop. Adjust the AI slider to my liking, bring the shadows and whites, done! But when it comes to export the picture, that's where Luminar's problem lies. A 12MP picture is exported as a 3MP picture! Seriously why? There are only 2 export options, large and small. I get my 12MP pics exported as 3MP and the file size reduced to around 700Kb. That's a lot of details lost. This is with the large file export option selected.

One other thing, Luminar like many others uses AI to detect the subject during auto masking. And many times, it doesn't mask or detect the subject properly. Other apps like Photomator and Lightroom has included a brush for such cases where we can edit the mask easily. this app doesn't include any brush.

Update: I just found out that this happens with the Raw files (taken from the phone). With HEIF or jpegs this doesn't happen. Please fix this issue. Raw files are usually the ones many people like to edit more. I was this close to buying the Lifetime membership but until this gets fixed, I'm starting away.

by KevinPurcell

First, I’ll talk about the stability of Luminar . It’s a little bit buggy and crashed a couple times in early usage. I’m guessing that will improve overtime but until it does potential Downloads should know about it. I really hope the company makes certain squash the bugs, causing these crashes.

Second, let’s talk about the user interface. It’s a little bit strange and you have to experience it to understand what I mean. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever used and I’ve used every major photo editing app on iOS. This will take some getting used to. The question is is Luminar really worth the effort?

Finally, let’s talk about the pricing model. Like every other app in Luminar Store, you have to pay through a subscription. I’m really limiting my subscriptions these days and I’m just not sure this version of this app is worth it. The desktop version and actually really like it. I have paid for the software and even subscribed to their this app X membership. I think if you do pay for this app X, Luminar all to be included as part of that subscription instead of paying extra. for these reasons, I will probably cancel the annual subscription before the seven day free trial. I may try it again in a few months, and really hope that they decide to include this in this app X.

by Josh_Joshmeme

Originally was impressed by the enhancement adjustment but was ultimately able to pretty much replicate it in the Lightroom mobile app I already pay for. It’s handy to get a quick result with the single adjustment in this app, but now I can’t see paying a subscription fee for it and the interface just doesn’t work for me. There is a reason most editors use simple horizontal sliders I think. Big dials, tools that turn and move every which way just seems more like a video game than a serious editor built for efficiency. Considered making the purchase but it’s just not there yet for me.

by G1112g

It’s a very good star as a basic editor lots of potential but what it needs for five stars and a go to editor are two things, local adjustments and total control to export, able to set your dimensions for size renaming and saving to an external device. This way you. Can modify the photo with local adjustments like dodge and burn specific areas of the photo ( masking) then export the size of the photo ( customize ) and save it to an external or com[uer.

by Odessit2000

So far good start. I do like ending my iPhone 15 Pro Max ProRaw files. So far so good. I do like some AI enhancements especially details. You can bring little more sharpness to 5X shots “Small”

Downside.
1) there is no Copy/Paste edit to other photos . Workflow photo to photo brakes editing flow.
2) i understand Luminar touch first but you have to make some kinda adjustment to interface. Many use iPad with a keyboard trackpad and its not user friendly. It really pushing you use touch to pencil.

by Vaporcontact

My only complaint thus far is waiting for an effect to take place after you try and make an adjustment or even trying a filter. Unsure if it’s connectivity to a network of some sort or what. I’m using a iPhone 15 Pro Max.

by Bike21

I’ve really been enjoying using this app Mobile for quick and dirty edits. It has mostly just what you need assuming you don’t need layer upon layer to make your work look presentable.

Really enjoy the ease of sliders while using the pencil on my iPad and well laid out UI for just what one needs without being bloated. Those wanting to make it way more complex of a program are missing the point of well laid out editor. Kudos for the throughtful UI and out of the box thinking!

Only real nit for me is a lack of masking/local edits, bring that ability and it’ll be my go to mobile editor from now on. Don’t need layers per se, just an easy mask for the basics and bam!

by KrankyTrey

Well rounded editing software but no .ARW support, I would really like to see this added.

by LorNrocks

I’ve used this app before on desktop and loved it. I was excited to see that it’s here for iPhone (or maybe I just never noticed it was). I really wish I could save over a photo instead of making a copy. An extension for the photos app would be great, too.

by PolyStoly

So far good start. I do like ending my iPhone 15 Pro Max ProRaw files. So far so good. I do like some AI enhancements especially details. You can bring little more sharpness to 5X shots “Small”

Downside.
1) there is no Copy/Paste edit to other photos . Workflow photo to photo brakes editing flow.
2) i understand Luminar touch first but you have to make some kinda adjustment to interface. Many use iPad with a keyboard trackpad and its not user friendly. It really pushing you use touch to pencil.

by Jo's Basement Studio

Have this for my laptop and iPad. Both work really well with amazing results.

by BAR112

My first experience: a very unconventional method of editing one's photos but I think I will get used to the dials, etc. It does make my photos look better! Hopefully Skylum will continue to add/tweak Luminar for ease of use/additional features. I think I will go with the one-year subscription, which is not unreasonable. Check it out!

by App Magazine

I have been using Skylum products since 2015 and my only complaint is that Aurora HDR on the Mac no longer can export to the file system, you have to go through photoshop to save the image now. :)

by JOHN PURCELL SR..

I’ve been a user on my desktop for sometime and yet I only go there occasionally..perhaps with the iPad version I wil get more use,i really like it. Jp

by Cpaley1

I am very much enjoying this app for iPad.
I have one suggestion: after replacing the sky it would be very helpful to be able to adjust the sky brightness separately from the brightness of the rest of the image.
Thank You

by 790akland

One of many options for editing, one that Ilike a lot and have a deep feeling that this is only the beginning of the relationship. I am guessing the designers will offer more and more tools as they gain traction.

by Phanley

By far Skylum’s this app Neo for computer desktop removes the complexity of photo editing with sophisticated tools made simple. this app for IPad doesn’t replace the desktop version but includes some of the best and most used tools to enhance your photos. Best of all with one click you can send your edited version back to your Photos library where it will appear next to your original!

by JazzBassMan1

I just downloaded the program and there is a lot to learn, but I immediately saw the power and possibilities of the program. I’m looking forward to continued use of the program.

by Alcarbuccia

Excellent!

by Vidman5

Many great tools, more or less experimenting, but that is where the fun begins. Thanks

by Have Not Given Up

Thus far finding this app Mobile highly intuitive and affords me the level of editing I desire

by StLouis16

Needs some sort of liquify-like feature. Other than that it’s great. Especially on my iPad Pro.

by Alexisrocket

So,far working fantastic!