Luminar Neo vs. Luminar AI: Which Is the Better Photo Editor?

Both Luminar Neo and Luminar AI boast impressive features. But which one should you get?

Luminar Neo is Skylum's second release of a complete AI-operated photo editor. The first one was the wildly popular Luminar AI. Which one is better? More specifically, which one is best for you?

In this article, we'll take a look at the similarities and differences between the two programs so that you can make an informed decision of which one to purchase, or if you're already a Luminar AI user, whether it's worth upgrading.

Where to Get Luminar Neo and Luminar AI

Luminar Neo is available on Skylum's website for $90. Luminar AI is priced at $54. Both offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not happy with the software. Luminar AI also has a free trial if you sign up. It's available for Windows and Mac.

What Do Both Apps Have in Common?

Luminar Neo and Luminar AI share many of the same features, including Sky Replacement, which is a great selling point for those who shoot a lot of landscape images.

Here's a list of the main features that each program has in common, module-by-module.

1. Essentials

Luminar Neo and Luminar AI share much of the same editing modules and layouts. In the Essentials menu, both programs offer Enhance AI, Erase, Light (Luminar Neo has this feature in their Develop menu), Structure AI, Color, Black and White, Details, Denoise, Landscape, and Vignette tools.

It's worth noting that you must be using each program as a standalone in order to access the Crop AI feature. It's not available as a plugin option. Overall, many of the basic editing tools that users will use frequently are included in Luminar Neo and Luminar AI.

2. Creative

Similar to the Essentials menu options, both apps share most of the same features in the Creative menu. Luminar AI has Sky AI (sky replacement), Augmented Sky, Atmosphere AI, Sunrays, Dramatic, Mood, Toning, Matte, Mystical, Glow, and Film Grain. Luminar Neo doesn't have Augmented Sky because objects can be composited into the app via the Layers feature.

3. Portrait

The Portrait menu is exactly the same for either app. This set of features includes Portrait Bokeh AI, Face AI, Skin AI, and Body AI. If you're looking to expand your photo editing horizons, check our article on how to use Luminar AI with Photoshop to make better portraits.

4. Professional

It's in the Professional menu that Luminar AI still holds the advantage for most features. But Skylum has said that Luminar Neo will be offering the same pending a future software update.

Here's what Luminar AI has: Optics, Supercontrast, Dodge and Burn, and Clone. Luminar Neo currently has Optics and Supercontrast.

5. Templates

Both apps come with pre-installed templates. But once again, pending a future update, Luminar Neo doesn't have the ability to save user-created presets as Luminar AI does right out of the box.

The option to purchase additional presets and sky packs is available for both of the apps. If you're looking for a great set of free plugins and templates, we show you how to get a free version of the Nik Collection of Photoshop plugins.

What Are the Differences?

The price difference informs us that apart from being a newer piece of software, Luminar Neo also comes packed with more advanced features along with a completely rebuilt engine that increases overall speed and performance.

1. Layers

The ability to add layers to your edits, much like you can in programs like Photoshop, is a professional badge of honor that Luminar Neo holds over Luminar AI. Not only can you add your own custom images and effects in Luminar Neo, but you can also make use of all the various preloaded lighting effects.

2. Develop

A major difference between Luminar Neo and Luminar AI is the Develop module, the first set of tools found in the Edits section in Luminar Neo. Much like in Lightroom and other photo editors, the Develop module contains a host of basic editing tools that Luminar AI surprisingly lacks.

These tools include Exposure and a host of fine-tuning sliders; Curves, Color, Sharpness, Noise Reduction, Optics, and Transform. Although Luminar AI does have several of these tools in separate modules, it's only in Luminar Neo where the layout conforms to a more traditional and intuitive format.

3. Erase

Luminar Neo also has two useful features that set it apart; Remove Powerlines and Remove Dust Spots. With just a single click, tasks that typically take at least a few minutes to perform in other photo editors just take a few seconds in Luminar Neo. And for complicated images that require further work, there's a brush option that allows you to manually remove power lines and dust spots.

4. Relight AI

Relight AI is another stand-out feature found in the Edits module in the Creative section in Luminar Neo. Users familiar with linear gradients in advanced photo editors will find it useful for making quick lighting adjustments to both the foreground and background of an image. You can also add warming or cooling effects with the sliders in the Advanced Settings.

5. Tools Only Found in Luminar AI (for Now)

As previously mentioned, there are a few tools and features that Luminar AI has that have not been added to Luminar Neo yet. The big one is the ability to create presets. This was left out of the official launch of Luminar Neo and several updates since.

The other set of tools that Luminar AI users have that Luminar Neo users don't (at least for now) are located in the Professional menu at the bottom of the Edits module. The Optics sliders are missing in Neo but are found in the Develop menu. But the features missing in Luminar Neo are Dodge and Burn and Clone, two very useful features for more advanced users.

Which Editor Is Best for You?

There are two questions to consider if you don't already own one of these products. Which is the best, and which is best for you?

The which-is-best question is easy enough to answer, at least considering future updates. Luminar Neo is the easy winner. Packed with more advanced features, it will eventually have all the advantages over Luminar AI.

But if you're the kind of photographer who doesn't like photo editing and doesn't want to spend a lot of money on a desktop app, then Luminar AI could be the better choice for you. If you're only using your phone or a camera that doesn't shoot RAW images (only JPEG), then the extra professional tools and features may not be needed at all.

On the other hand, if you're already using programs like Lightroom and Photoshop, apps that can use Luminar Neo as a plugin, then Luminar Neo is hands-down the best choice for those seeking a fast and efficient creative photo editor.

And yes, if you've already bought a copy of Luminar AI then you would probably want to upgrade to take advantage of the Layers feature and the ability to use Luminar Neo as a re-editable Smart Object layer in Photoshop. You'll be eligible for a customer loyalty discount too.

Luminar Neo vs. Luminar AI: Which One Will You Choose?

Skylum has created two great creative photo editors that many photographers will find extremely useful. Whether you shoot in RAW or JPEG, or both, and no matter how much time and effort you want to put into your photo editing, Luminar AI and Luminar Neo have got you covered. With a 30-day money-back guarantee for both apps, there's no risk if you want to take your photos to the next level.