Next Level Open Source

LightCraft

Photo & design · 22 Oct 2026

LightCraft is a free, open-source app for organising your photos and developing raw files (the unprocessed files many cameras save), without changing your originals. It runs on your own computer, needs no account or subscription, and the project says it is still in development.

WebsiteInstall guide
LightCraft's editing screen: a black-and-white portrait, with colour grading wheels and colour sliders on the right and a strip of photos below.

Is it right for you?

Photographers who want a free app to organise their photos and edit raw files on their own computer, without an account, cloud or subscription, and who are happy to use an app the project says is still in development.

Replaces some features, but not everything.

Look elsewhere if you need:

  • You need a finished, dependable app: the project says LightCraft is still in development, so it is still changing.
  • You edit photos on an iPad or phone: the downloads are for Mac, Windows and Linux computers.

What you can do with it

  • Edit photos without changing the originals: LightCraft never touches your original files.
  • Adjust light, colour, the tone curve and effects, with an 8-band colour mixer, colour grading wheels and 18 built-in presets (ready-made looks).
  • Change only part of a photo with masks: a brush, gradients, colour and brightness ranges, and automatic sky, subject and background masks.
  • Open raw files in DNG, CR2, ARW, NEF, RAF, RW2, PEF and ORF formats, with more on the way.
  • Organise a large photo collection with albums, star ratings, flags and search.
  • See changes instantly: moving a slider updates a 24-megapixel raw photo in about 4 milliseconds.
  • Keep your photos private: no account, no cloud, no tracking (telemetry) and no subscription.
  • Run it without its window from the command line, so scripts and AI agents can use it.

Running cost

Running
Where it runs

Nothing to pay for this place itself.

Usage
API usage and online services

No API or online services are recorded. That may mean none are needed, or that we have not checked.

Price estimation

$0.00/month

About $0.00 a month on average, in USD. Over 1 year (12 months) that is $0.

Upfront, paid once
$0
Fixed monthly costs
$0 / month
Usage-based (API) costs
none recorded

Software licence: LightCraft is free and open source on every platform: there is nothing to pay to use it.

What this assumes

Typical use. Your own computer: The software runs on a computer you already own.

    • You already own the computer, so its price is not counted.
    • Electricity is not counted: it depends on your computer and where you live.

    An estimate built from these assumptions, not a quote.

    Getting started

    Choose how much technical work suits you. Easy takes you to the project’s own ready-made option; the other levels show what you need first and a prompt you can give an AI coding agent.

    Ways to install it

    Running
    ArtCraft Launcher
    Where
    Your own computer
    API usage
    None needed

    Install the ArtCraft Launcher, an app from the same makers that installs LightCraft, picks the right version for your computer and keeps it up to date.

    Requirements

    • A Mac, Windows or Linux computer (needed)

    What you take on

    • The launcher also offers the other ArtCraft apps, and each update is one click.