Best Free Mac Hdr Software

  • January 02, 2020
  • 29 min to read
  1. Welcome to the Best HDR Software Review list for Windows PC, MAC and Linux! I will be reviewing all the HDR software out there and separated them into 3 categories- Premium, Mid-Range and Free-Low Range. The process of creating a HDR image is called tonemapping which is essentially expanding the dynamic range of a scene. There are a lot of incredible tonemapping apps on the market which can.
  2. Jul 13, 2020  Aurora HDR 2020 Crack + Torrent (Mac) Free Download. Aurora HDR 2020 Activation Code lets you quickly and edit photos and create HDR pictures. It’s among the potent and most extensive HDR software. A project of Trey and Macphun Ratcliff, among the HDR photography from the world with over 30 million lovers.

A comprehensive review of the best RAW photo editors on the market

Best hdr software, free download - HDR for Free, HDR, Fhotoroom HDR, and many more programs.

There are many RAW photo editors available, and they get better every year. It can be hard and time-consuming to try all of them, so we’ve tried them for you and come up with a list of the best RAW photo editors you should consider right now.

Professional photographers shoot in RAW to preserve as much detail as possible. They want high-resolution images with a wide dynamic range, natural-looking colors, and sharp details. RAW files are large files that need powerful editors. A good RAW photo editor is able to edit RAW files while preserving image quality and color accuracy.

The first criterion in choosing a RAW photo editor is how good the RAW processor is and how well it renders the RAW data. But there are also other criteria to consider, such as support for batch processing, digital asset management, preset libraries, layers and masks, and local editing tools. Practicality is also important. Consider system requirements, processing speed, the user interface and workflow, and, of course, the price.

Because RAW editors are sophisticated software that require a long time to develop, you’ll hardly find free RAW photo editors. The only free editors on our list are darktable and RawTherapee, cross-platform image processing programs with enthusiastic communities around them. Nevertheless, all paid RAW photo editors on this list offer free trials that allow you to test them before buying.

The best RAW photo editors on the market

1. Luminar 4

Released at the end of 2019, Luminar 4 is a RAW photo editor that includes AI-based technology. Yes, it provides support for most RAW file formats and all the basic adjustments you need, but it also provides content-aware automatic adjustments. Its smart features and friendly interface have already convinced many professional photographers to become Skylum Ambassadors.

Luminar’s AI-based features analyze your images and make decisions based on their contents. Luminar 4 recognizes objects and people and applies custom adjustments for different types of pictures. It includes AI-based features for sky replacement, skin and portrait enhancement, structure enhancement, general image enhancement, and adding sun rays.

Moreover, Luminar 4 comes with more than 70 built-in presets, called Looks, that provide easy access to the most popular artistic styles. You can also create your own presets and download Signature Looks designed by renowned photographers from the Luminar Marketplace.

Luminar 4 allows you to fine-tune every aspect of an image, which is great because in RAW editing, every detail counts. Luminar works with layers and masks and provides easy tools for controlling opacity and blending modes. The workflow is fluid and easy to learn, and you’ll find features such as batch processing, adjustment synchronization, digital asset management, and image rating and labeling.

Luminar 4 works as standalone software, a plugin for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, and an extension for Apple Photos. It’s available for Mac and Windows and costs $89.

2. Aurora HDR

Aurora HDR was the first Skylum solution for RAW photo editing and is one of the most appreciated HDR photo editors. It’s the perfect choice if you want to create images with a wide dynamic range. Aurora provides tools for bracket merging that create high-quality images without halos, chromatic aberrations, or artifacts. It also includes basic tools such as color toning, a polarizer filter, detail enhancer, and LUT mapping.

Like Luminar 4, Aurora HDR makes use of AI technology to separate noise from detail and deliver exquisite denoising and detail enhancing tools. As Aurora is a RAW photo editor, its support for layers and masks is especially useful. Also useful are the presets designed in collaboration with professional photographers, which deliver amazing effects in seconds.

In terms of practical features, Aurora HDR offers batch processing, support for most popular cameras, and the ability to run as standalone software or a plugin for Adobe and Apple products. Aurora HDR is available for Windows and Mac and costs $110.

3. Adobe Lightroom

Due to its prestigious producer, Adobe Lightroom has been the standard in RAW photo editing for a long time. But it has lost many fans since Adobe introduced the monthly subscription plan. Yes, Lightroom is a RAW photo editor that gives you access to cloud space and synchronizes your edits across all your devices. But it’s expensive, and people have started to look for cheaper alternatives. Adobe Lightroom costs $9.99 per month, which means almost $120 per year. That’s more than other software costs for a lifetime license.

For this money, Adobe Lightroom offers endless sharing capabilities, image synchronization, exquisite image management tools, and easy-to-use image editing tools. It also has many presets, and you can find more in the large Adobe community, which also offers books, tutorials, and video materials.

Adobe Lightroom is available for Windows and Mac, but check the system requirements before you buy it because it requires relatively new operating system versions.

4. ON1 Photo RAW

ON1 Photo RAW 2020 is the latest version of the ON1 RAW photo editor. It’s a complete solution that includes photo management functionality, a powerful RAW processor, and tools for professional photo editing. Like Skylum products, ON1 Photo RAW 2020 includes AI-based functionalities for applying automatic adjustments, creating masks, and producing RAW photos that look like ones from the in-camera display.

Among the best features of ON1 Photo RAW are non-destructive editing using layers and masks, local adjustments, lens correction, custom camera profiles and support for more than 800 camera models, HDR tools, and many presets and effects. ON1 Photo RAW 2020 allows you to copy adjustments to multiple images and synchronize your edits with your colleagues. It also supports tethered shooting and cloud storage applications.

ON1 Photo RAW 2020 is available as a standalone program for Windows and Mac and runs as a plugin for Adobe and Apple products. It costs $99.99.

5. Capture One Pro 2020

Capture One develops a RAW photo editor that supports many RAW file formats and has dedicated versions for Fuji and Sony camera users. Capture One Pro 2020 is a complete photo editing solution for all cameras, and it provides tools for image editing and management.

While Capture One Pro 2020 isn’t very easy to learn and use, once you get to know it, you’ll have full control over every aspect of your images. This software’s features range from tools for basic image adjustments (fixing exposure, color, and contrast) to HDR tools, advanced color adjustments, and presets. Essential for a RAW editor, Capture One Pro 2020 works with layers and masks and provides non-destructive editing.

Capture One Pro 2020 is a powerful photo editor even if its workflow isn’t for beginners. It provides lens and camera profiles, lens correction, high color accuracy, and tools for printing and creative artwork. All these features come with a price, however: Capture One Pro 2020 costs $27 per month. It’s available for Windows and Mac.

6. DxO PhotoLab

Like Capture One Pro, DxO PhotoLab is a complex RAW photo editor for professional photographers. It focuses on color accuracy and camera compatibility. DxO PhotoLab matches the rendering of over 60 camera models and provides optical corrections and custom lens profiles.

Among its best features are exquisite color tools such as ICC profiles, Moiré removal, and the new HSL tool, more than 40 presets, haze removal based on colorimetric component analysis, noise removal that’s been optimized to process RAW files at high speed, and local adjustments. DxO PhotoLab is an editor for color perfectionists and aims to satisfy the most demanding professionals.

DxO PhotoLab provides digital asset management with all you need for organizing images in a neat interface. It’s available for Windows and Mac and costs $140.

7. PaintShop Pro

PaintShop Pro is one of Corel’s solutions for photo editing that includes RAW functionalities. Keeping to Corel’s long tradition in graphic design, PaintShop Pro provides not only photo editing tools but also graphic design tools. So if you want tools for creating artistic compositions, drawing, and painting onto images, PaintShop Pro is the best editor for you.

In terms of RAW photo editing, PaintShop Pro offers a powerful RAW processor, lens correction, HDR editing, geometric transformations, basic adjustments for image retouching, and layers and masks. It doesn’t have too many filters and presets, but it offers support for third-party plugins such as the NiK Collection from DxO and Topaz Labs plugins. This may cover the need for extra features, but these plugins come with an additional cost.

In terms of useful functionalities, PaintShop Pro doesn’t have digital asset management, but it does provide batch processing and support for many file formats. PaintShop Pro is easy to learn and has a customizable workspace. But if you don’t need graphic design tools, they’ll only slow you down.

PaintShop Pro is available only for Windows and costs $79.

8. AfterShot Pro

Another RAW photo editing solution from Corel is AfterShot Pro. Designed to compete with Adobe Lightroom, AfterShot Pro focuses on increasing processing speed while delivering high-quality images.

Unlike PaintShop Pro, however, AfterShot Pro is dedicated to photography. This means is has RAW camera profiles, lens corrections, a large library of presets, and highlight recovery for images with a wide dynamic range. It also provides efficient digital asset management and integrates with other editors. In exchange, it doesn’t have graphic design tools.

In terms of RAW photo editing, we’re more interested in color accuracy, noise reduction, and HDR tools than in drawing tools. Still, the advanced selection tools provided by Corel’s programs are always welcome for local adjustments and subtle image retouching.

AfterShot Pro is a better option than PaintShop Pro for RAW editing. It’s also more expensive, as it costs $99.99. But if you compare it with Adobe Lightroom, you’ll see that it’s worth the money.

9. Darktable

Darktable is an open-source, free RAW photo editor available for Linux, Mac / macports, BSD, Windows, and Solaris 11 / GNOME. It’s designed to be a virtual darkroom and allows you to view negatives through a zoomable lighttable.

Aiming to be more than a RAW convertor, darktable provides tools for image enhancement, batch processing, and tethered shooting. It also allows you to develop your own image processing modules and add them to the program.

For a free editor, darktable offers exquisite tools, from an optimized RAW processor that can manage large files to non-destructive edits and professional color management. It has ICC profiles, several demosaicing methods, base and tone curves, lens corrections, and tools for dithering, haze, fringing, noise removal, color, contrast, and white balance adjustments. It also offers a few filters for creative effects.

However, darktable has minimal image organizing functionalities. It does allow you to search for images by tags, stars, and labels, and it works with metadata.

10. PhotoDirector Ultra

With PhotoDirector Ultra, Cyberlink aims to deliver a photo editor that accumulates the functionalities of Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom at a better price. PhotoDirector Ultra supports many RAW file formats and provides AI-based tools for image retouching, layer editing, and presets.

This software is aimed at a wide variety of users, from professional photographers to the general public. It mixes powerful content-aware image adjustments with tools for making videos out of images, frame templates, and 360-degree photo editing. Delivering a wide variety of features isn’t always the best idea, however. Professional photographers are more interested in color accuracy, noise reduction, and detail preservation than in applying brushstrokes that simulate painting styles.

But despite the features unrelated to RAW editing, PhotoDirector Ultra is very good at recovering blurred images, eliminating haze and fog, and retouching portraits. It also provides image management tools, cloud storage, and additional products such as special effects and dedicated plugins.

PhotoDirector Ultra is available for Windows and Mac and costs $74.99.

11. ACDSee Photo Studio

ACDsee is known for its image organizing software, but its latest products show that it has become a powerful competitor on the photo editor market. Photo Studio is a complete editing solution that includes RAW processing, image editing tools, and the amazing ACDSee digital asset management.

ACDSee Photo Studio Professional 2020 supports more than 500 camera models and offers RAW editing tools such as LUTs, non-destructive color grading, lens corrections, noise and haze removal, contrast and brightness adjustments, layers and masks, selection tools, and local adjustments. Hp officejet 6700 scan software mac. It’s fast and supports many file formats, offers batch processing, and has a lot of tools for zooming, previewing, and reviewing images. In terms of the interface and image management, it’s one of the best RAW photo editors.

ACDSee Photo Studio Professional 2020 is available only for Windows. There’s also a separate ACDSee Photo Studio for Mac 6. You can choose between a monthly subscription at $8.90 and a lifetime license for $99.95.

12. RAW Power

Gentlemen Coders offers a RAW photo editor for Mac and iOS called RAW Power that can run as standalone software or a Photos extension.

RAW Power uses Apple’s RAW decoder to provide high-quality images. Among its best features are support for hundreds of camera models, precise curve adjustments, white balance recovery, lots of presets, and perspective and chromatic aberration corrections.

RAW Power also provides digital asset management, batch processing, synchronization between devices via iCloud Photo Library, multiple editing windows, and batch export. It comes as an extension to Apple Photos and costs $29.99.

13. RawTherapee

RawTherapee is a free RAW photo editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It provides high-quality images with high dynamic range and uses state-of-the-art demosaicing algorithms. Although it’s open-source software, RawTherapee supports most common RAW file formats, including those from Pentax and Sony.

Among its best features are RAW histograms, adjustments for fixing exposure, contrast, detail, and color, color profiles, and advanced controls. RawTherapee also lets you save your current editing profile for later use or batch editing. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support layers, and you have to apply all adjustments to the same layer, which may be confusing.

RawTherapee has a neat workspace that allows you to find all you need in seconds. It’s intuitive, well-labeled, and has shortcuts for everything. It also provides file browsing, ratings, and color labeling, and it supports metadata. For those who want to see how printed images will look, RawTherapee runs a simulation with a specific printer profile.

14. Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo provides powerful photo editing and graphic design tools. Alongside RAW editing, it provides HDR editing and focus stacking, panorama stitching, support for editing Adobe Photoshop files, and painting tools.

In terms of RAW photo editing, Affinity Photo’s big advantage is its ability to process very large files (more than 100 Megapixels) and to offer smooth zoom at 60 frames per second. It gives you full control over the smallest details of your images and provides editing tools such as levels, curves, HSL, and exposure and white balance adjustments. All edits are non-destructive because Affinity Photo works with layers and masks. You can perform local adjustments using advanced selection tools, analyze histograms, and edit EXIF information.

Affinity Photo provides lens corrections, noise reduction, and hot pixel removal, which is essential for RAW editing. It also provides presets and effects, including brush libraries and text and vector tools. It’s one of the best RAW photo editors for creating artistic compositions and collages.

Affinity Photo is available for Windows, Mac, and iPad and costs $49.99 respectively $19.99.

In conclusion

We’ve tested the most powerful RAW photo editors on the market, but the final decision is yours. Choose the best editor for your needs. Consider your budget, frequency of use, skills, and artistic preferences. For example, you shouldn’t buy an editor with graphic design functionalities if you don’t do abstract photography and strong editing. If you work with large amounts of similar images, batch processing is a must. So is digital asset management when you have lots of albums and catalogs. Keep in mind that trying before buying is the wisest thing you can do.

Multimedia • Updated on Feb.27, 2019

There are a few things that only professional photographers hear about. HDR isn’t one of them.

In the past couple of years, many camera apps have brought HDR support to smartphone apps. You will not need a fully-fledged software if you have a mid-range smartphone with better camera.

But, that’s not how things work when you capture photos using a DSLR. You need a dedicated HDR processing software if you need better control over your professional photographs.

Well, before we actually start talking about HDR Processing tools and the best ones, we think we should get a quick look at what is HDR, what it means to you and why would you need a HDR Processing.

The world of HDR

In case you did not get that yet: HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. So, you should first understand what is dynamic range. Dynamic Range is the ratio of light to dark. Digital cameras and smartphone cameras have a limit when it comes to capturing this dynamic range.

The actual imaging technique may miss something — which is actually visible for the naked eye. This is where HDR Photography comes in. HDR Processing makes sure that the image can reproduce a higher dynamic range, as to make it look better.


Before (SDR) and After (HDR)

While HDR can bring out every color in a sunset, over-processing the images can also take away from the detail you captured. HDR photography uses digital imaging and the sensors in cameras to differently map what the cameras capture in order to create a more dynamic contrast.

The sensors in cameras are far less dynamic than the human eye, but HDR processing software will differently map shadow and highlights by overlapping several different exposures of the same image. The software takes each level of exposure and combines the data, distributing the light captured by the sensors across the image more accurately.

There are a few more things an HDR software can do — in order to make the photograph more awesome.

  • Tone Mapping is one of the great things you can expect from an HDR software. You may get a flatter image when you subject it to HDR effect. Through tone mapping, you can adjust this and get a better photograph.
  • Some photographers use HDR Software for noise removal as well. Noise may be present when you combine two images to form an HDR image. Thanks to the plenty of editing tools inside, you can use it for optimizing the details.
  • Being relatively easier than the likes of Photoshop, you can use HDR Software for editing photos also.
  • If not HDR, you can use the HDR software for bulk optimization as well. Personally, I use my favorite HDR software for editing photographs in bulk.

So, an HDR software does more than applying the HDR effect.

Now that you have an idea, let’s start finding the best HDR software out there.

How we chose the best HDR software

Well, there are more than a few HDR processing software in the market. And, don’t you dare expect random selection to give you an effective HDR processing software. So, when it came to choosing the best tools, we had some criteria in our mind. Some of the core aspects were:

  • We wanted the HDR software to be quite simple to use and gain expertise in. To say the least, HDR is not something like rocket science, you know.
  • The tool should be performance-friendly when it comes to rendering and development. This would save a lot of time in the long run
  • We also recommend a tool that is multi-platform — Windows and Mac, to start with. This can offer a seamless HDR processing experience almost everywhere.
  • Of course, the tool must not compromise features like Tone Mapping and Optimization. These can effectively convert the HDR processing software to a not-so-bad photo editor.

In addition to these, our selection also looked at aspects like additional features. It’s nice to have some extra editing features. If you want an HDR image and make some quick edits to the image, these features come in handy. However, the four points mentioned above were given the utmost importance in selection. Shall we now get into the tools?

The best pick – Aurora HDR

Aurora HDR is a reputed tool for HDR processing photographs. Both professionals and beginners have been using this awesome tool for years. Developed by Skylum/Macphun, Aurora HDR is noted for the brand-new features it packs.

It does not matter whether you want natural HDR or creative HDR effects. Aurora HDR can offer you a superb experience. We really loved using this latest version and we believe it deserves the top position here. Before we go further, let’s see what’s new in Aurora HDR.

What is new in Aurora HDR?

Compared to the previous version, almost everything in Aurora HDR has been improved. However, we believe the following additions are great for every photographer out there.

  • Quantum HDR engine
    Quantum HDR Engine from Skylum is the best addition to Aurora HDR. It is powered by AI and can offer a better tone-mapping process now. The best part is that the new engine has been proven effective for both bracketed and single photographs.
  • More Aurora HDR looks
    Aurora HDR Looks are presets that can come in quite handy. In the latest version, Skylum has included some more looks from reputed photographers. You can count them in when you are not so sure about individual HDR looks.
  • HDR smart structure
    HDR Smart Structure now takes care of details and more in your photograph. It makes sure that your photo looks fantabulous even after you’ve done the HDR part. Here too, we have to thank the Artificial Intelligence at work.

Furthermore, Aurora HDR now offers enhanced support for other apps like Photoshop, Apple Photos, Luminar, Lightroom etc.

Now, to the full review. Ready, folks?

Aurora HDR review

Nothing much has changed here to say. Once installed, you can start Aurora HDR quite immediately. If you don’t have prior experience, you can use the Tour feature as well. It does not matter even if you do not have bracketed images. Aurora HDR can help you create an HDR image from a single image or a single RAW file.

Therefore, you can simply open the file/files and start seeing the magic of Aurora HDR. If you’re already familiar with the tool, you can check out features like Batch Processing as well. From downloading the install package to creating the first HDR image using the program, Aurora HDR takes just only a few minutes, which is great.

The user interface

An intuitive User Interface is one of the best features we found in Aurora HDR. Nothing much has changed from the previous version. Once you have loaded the HDR image, you can choose the convenient viewing options as well. On the right side, the Optimization, Editing and HDR Control panels are available for easy access.

If you ask me what I love about the UI of Aurora HDR, my answer would be customizability. There are times when I just need to add a simple preset. And, there are times when I need a fully-fledged control panel for editing. Aurora HDR UI can be optimized for both these needs. You can simply hide/toggle toolbars and sidebars for the maximum productivity.

The HDR experience

Thanks to the awesome UI, it feels really easy to create an HDR image using Aurora HDR. As we said, it lets you create HDR from single images, bracketed images and RAW files. In all these cases, the tool gets the job done in a few seconds. We had tested Aurora HDR on a MacBook Air, one of the low-end Macs now in market.

So, if you are planning to run Aurora HDR on a mid-end or low-end device, it would be great. If you’ve a high-end device, though, the performance would be unbelievable. We really loved how Aurora HDR managed to focus on useful features and performance than making a messy interface. Altogether, the whole experience of making HDR images from Aurora HDR is pretty great.

Noteworthy features in Aurora HDR

As it happens, Aurora HDR does a few more things other than adding HDR effect.

It’s a full editing suite

Aurora HDR is by far one of the best minimal editing suites I’ve seen. Of course, there is no comparison with tools like Adobe Photoshop. But, take this scenario: you have made an excellent HDR image but it won’t look good without a few corrections. It has sections like Colour Toning, Glow, Image Radiance, LUT Mapping and HDR Basic edits and Colour Correction.

Aurora HDR looks collections

There are some amazing in-built presets in Aurora HDR. These are expected to make your job easier in the long run. If you are a beginner, you may not know which settings are suitable for which scenario. Using the HDR Looks panel, you can choose the best option. The collections include Architecture, Landscape and Artistic. You can also get pre-built looks from some of the reputed photographers who use Aurora.


Productive workflow

To say that the workflow of Aurora HDR is productive is an understatement. It feels really easy to get started with the tool and finish everything off. For instance, as we said, you can optimize the Viewing panes as per your needs. On a personal note, I find Aurora HDR as the better option than using two tools for HDR processing and image editing.

By the way, did we tell you that Aurora HDR is designed for professionals? So, it offers plug-ins for other software like Photoshop and Lightroom. Skylum developers don’t want you to stick onto their own software, it seems. The point is, at the end of the day, you can have the best HDR and image manipulation options.

Availability and pricing

Aurora HDR is available for both Windows and macOS as of now. It doesn’t matter whether you have a MacBook Pro or Surface Tablet, it delivers the best experience. The devices should have minimum 8GB of RAM to smoothly run Aurora HDR, though. Coming to the price, you can grab the bundle license by paying just $99.

Skylum is offering some promotional discounts if you have been using Aurora HDR old version. You can log in find out more. Anyway, there is no doubt that the latest version of Aurora HDR is worthier than the $99 you have to pay. And, it has managed the top-pick position of the best HDR processing software for the second time too.

Also Great — Photomatix Pro 6

Photomatix Pro 6 is another great tool when you are looking for HDR processing tools. It’s available for both Windows and Mac but isn’t that feature-rich. On the other hand, you can use Photomatix Pro 6 as an easy way to do HDR stuff. Unlike Aurora HDR, Photomatix Pro 6 does not offer many editing features either.

Looking at the User Interface, there isn’t much newer. You have the traditional interface with the photograph on the center, controls on both sides. Although not as rich as Aurora, Photomatix Pro 6 offers a collection of pre-sets as well.

Getting started with Photomatix Pro 6 and using the program would be an easy task. From adding the photo to HDR and exporting the final file, everything happens so cool. However, we think it could have improved the User Interface designs.

Last but not the least, Photomatix Pro 6 is available for macOS and Windows. Resembling the case of Aurora, it wants you to pay $99 for lifetime license. Some other features of Photomatix Pro 6 include plugin support and Quick Export options.

Other contenders

Aurora HDR and Photomatix Pro 6 were not the only considerations we had. Out of the 20+ choices we had, here are some of the worthy contenders.

HDR Projects 4 is yet another popular HDR Processing software we’d considered. It’s different from Aurora in many ways. For instance, it does not allow much customization. You have to select the HDR style first and then import the photograph. HDR Projects 4 offers a better collection of pre-sets though.

There are more than 150 HDR pre-sets that you can apply. Rendering is quick and HDR Projects 4 does not consume much resources either. In many ways, HDR Projects 4 User Interface resembles that of Aurora HDR, but that is actually good. We hadn’t much trouble in getting used to it.

It should be noted that HDR Projects 4 is a better choice for hardcore professionals. It’s offering a number of advanced features that we hadn’t seen in others. The problem is that the features aren’t that organized per se.

Despite all these, if you have $99 to shell out, HDR Projects 4 is a great choice for sure.

easyHDR is a multiplatform HDR software that you can count on. It’s available for Windows, macOS and Linux distros. Compared to the tools we have listed, easyHDR is more minimal. Still, it allows you to process HDR photos in the shortest time possible.

Coming to the User Interface, easyHDR has kept simplicity intact. You don’t have to worry about the complex toolbars or designs. On the left side, it shows the available presets and, on the right, you can use the tools to bring major edits to the photograph.

Performance is an area where easyHDR becomes a pain in the ass. You may have to wait for some time for rendering the HDR exports. Similarly, you don’t have the best collection of presets. Even then, we’d suggest easyHDR for those who need a customized way to handle their HDR projects.

The Home and Commercial versions of easyHDR are available for $39 and $65 respectively.

Yet another awesome tool in the market, HDR Darkroom is one of my personal favorites. It has been designed with simplicity in mind. From choosing the right style to mapping the correct tone, everything can be done so effectively.

Free Mac Computer

You can simply drag-and-drop the photo and applying the HDR presets. The performance part is so quick and impressive for most people. We also loved the simple interface with two sidebars. Coming to advanced set of features, HDR Darkroom offers Batch Editing as well.

If you ask us why we recommend HDR Darkroom, the reason is the User Interface itself. Within a simple set of options, HDR Darkroom has managed to offer comprehensive control. Indeed, you cannot compare these features with those of Aurora or Photomatix.

HDR Darkroom costs $89 per license. You can run it on either Mac or PC.

As you have seen, all the programs we’ve covered above are paid. Luminance HDR is an exception here. You can use this software without any limitation to build HDR images. It’s not the fastest HDR processing tool in the market though.

Compared to the other contenders and top picks, Luminance HDR is pretty slow. If you are getting the HDR images from a RAW file, you will have to wait even further. But, the point is that you can get the final HDR image without watermarks or other limitations.

Due to the same reason, we would not recommend Luminance HDR for hardcore professional. On the other hand, if you just want to understand the whole HDR Processing thing, Luminance HDR is the best place to start. It is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

The bottom line

So far, we have seen how all the top six HDR Processor software performed. We tested all these software in a bunch of ways, finally comparing the HDR output image.

Best Free Mac Hdr Software Pc

Considering all these point, we believe Aurora HDR deserves to be at the top position. It brings the best of all words, be it an impressive UI, best-in-class performance or best compatibility.

Best Free Mac Hdr Software Free

So, if you are looking for some real magic in your photographs, make sure you go for Aurora HDR.