Lightroom vs. Snapseed: Which One is Best in 2024?

With respect to image editing on our mobile device, we mainly discuss two of the most famous photo editing apps which are Lightroom and Snapseed. But which one is best in 2o24? You can consider this one a race between Lightroom vs. Snapseed or Adobe vs. Google.

 Both Apps have achieved mass following and provide a wide range of premium features and tools. The comparison between Lightroom and Snapseed is a debatable topic. In this article, we will do a healthy discussion on Lightroom vs Snapseed from different perspectives to help us make an informed choice.

Snapseed was released by Nik Software for iPad only back in 2011. Later on, Google introduced it to Androids also. Now, it is handy for both Androids and iOS users, just like Lightroom. But no one can use Snapseed on a Desktop or Windows, unlike Lightroom, which is easily accessible on all platforms.

The most exceptional fact about Snapseed is that it is absolutely free to use. It is easier to handle and utilize than Lightroom and is somehow recommended for newbies. Let’s dive deep into the metaphor of Lightroom and Snapseed.

Snapseed was released by Nik Software for iPad only back in 2011. Later on, Google introduced it to Androids also. Now, it is handy for both Androids and iOS users, just like Lightroom. But no one can use Snapseed on a Desktop or Windows, unlike Lightroom, which is easily accessible on all platforms.

The most exceptional fact about Snapseed is that it is absolutely free to use. It is easier to handle and utilize than Lightroom and is somehow recommended for newbies. Let’s dive deep into the metaphor of Lightroom and Snapseed.

Features	Adobe Lightroom	Snapseed
Goal and target market	Professional image editing software	Easy-to-use mobile editing App
Command-line interface	Little complex with developed tools	Easy to use with natural controls
Tools	Advanced tools for accurate editingSelective editingsDehaze toolHSL toolColor gradientsMaskingsharping	Basic to median tools for swift editsExpand toolText toolPortrait head poseSelective editings
Road map	Non-destructive and RAW photo editing	Non-destructive and mobile-specific editing
platforms	Windows, iPhone, iOS, Androids and macOS	iOS andAndroids
Integration	Adobe Creative Cloud	Google photos
Cost	Subscription-based, free version for mobile	100% free to use
Arrangement Features	Advanced images arrangement	Limited arrangement tools
Export file Options	Wide range of formats and sizes	Simple formats and size
Retouching and Healing Tools	Next-level retouching and healing tools	Basic retouching and healing tools
Presets	Different and fabulous presets are available	Limited and common presets are available
Advanced Editings	Perfect color grading, advanced retouching, and HSL tools	Only portraits and lens blur tools
Correspondence with RAW file	100% supports RAW editing	Limited supports
Accessibility	Need sharp learning skills	Easy to use
performance	Intensive performance	User-friendly performance

The Lightroom interface is difficult and knotty to use. In Lightroom, all the tools are organized at the bottom screen. It has individual segments, like “Library,” where you arrange, and “Develop,” where you can modify images. Every segment has particular editing tools.

 For example, in the “develop” section, you can effortlessly enhance things like brightness and texture. The interface provides a mass of slides, panels, and options for accurate improvements. It’s amazing if you desire to create precise changes in your images.

On the other hand, snapseed, with a user-friendly interface is suitable and easy to use for newbies. Having less number of tools and sections makes its UI less complex. You have to perform some steps to edit your images in Snapseed.

There is a big difference between the editing capacity and tools of both Lightroom and Snapseed. Let’s deep dive to find out the difference.

First of all, we discuss the editing capacity and tools of Snapseed, and then we move to Lightroom.

The text tool is another tremendous feature of Snapseed. You can append text to your image and elegance it as you want. Just choose the tool text and append the text. Now, if you want to edit your image further, use a brush tool and erase some parts of the image to add an untapped look.

If you take more portraits and don’t want to do additional editing in Lightroom, then utilize the easy-to-use feature of Snapseed. This fabulous tool works on the base of AI technology and helps you to do easy and quick edits. People usually adjust their eye brightness and make their skin smooth with the help of this tool.

As it is clear from the name Head Pose tool, it’s all about the adjustments of the head, like adjusting your pose of the head, making your eyes sharp, adjusting your cute and cool smile, and much more. This tool aso works on the base of AI technology.

One of the most magnificent tools of Snapseed is the expand tool. If your picture is small and you want to create a post with your picture on Facebook, add a border around your picture with the help of the expanding tool and make your Facebook post.

Both Lightroom and Snapseed offer selective editing tools, but Snapseed has some limitations.

It is absolutely free and easy to use selective editing tools in Snapseed as compared to Lightroom selective editing tools. If you are a newbie and don’t desire to go into details, Snapseed is excellent for selective editing.

 In Snapseed, click on the subject’s face to place a control point. Then, you regulate the brightness tab upward. This cheers only the face, creating it overhang more. The background remains the same; ensure your subject remains the focal point.

On the other hand, only the Lightroom premium version offers selective editing. You can use adjustments brush, gradient colors, or radial filters to modify your images. Lightroom offers much more control over selective editing, but remember, only professional-grade photographers can use it.

Snapseed also provides Sharpness, but it is on a higher level in Lightroom. By using the combination of masking and sharpness tools, we can alternatively enhance the Sharpness of a special part of an image.

The Dehaze tool is the best-loving tool for photographers. Only Lightroom offers this tool. When people see sky or landscape in their images, they utilize the Dehaze tool to modify and add more clarity to their images.

The HSL tool is an untapped feature of Lightroom which is not available in Snapseed. The HSL tool or panel is an accurate way to enhance and focus colors within your photos. You can amend H(Hue), S(Saturation), and L(Luminance) one by one with the help of sliders. For example, if you have mountains full of green grass in your picture and you want to change the brightness of the gross, you can do it perfectly with the HSL tool. You can read my article about Lightroom MOD APK free and unlocked version over here.

Color gradient is a tool to modify colors and fiddle with color patterns to make your image more good-looking. Lightroom is so over and above in the race of color gradients. You can modify mid-tones, shadows, and highlights with the help of this tool. There is a circular color-changing icon in this app; choose your favorite color and apply it to your picture to make amazing changes.

Presets are pre-defined modifications that can be implemented on your images just with a single chink. The use of presets saves you valuable time and effort. Both Lightroom and Snapseed provide preset options, but they differ in terms of range and adjustments.

Lightroom offers a wide range of inherent presets, classified into various elements such as portraits, landscape, and black & white. These presets can be more classified to outfit your special editing demands. Further, Lightroom authorizes you to import and use out-source presets, growing your options even more. Presets make it an amazing selection for photographers who are looking for a massive bunch of presets.

 On the other hand, Snapseed provides limited options of presets as compared to Lightroom. Even if it may not have as numerous options, Snapseed allows for more accurate adjustments of presets. You can modify the strength of individual adjustments in a preset, giving you full control of outcome results. This can be especially helpful for someone who chooses a more practical method to edit the images.

Another major component to ponder when selecting a photo editing app is its usability. Ultimately, you need an app that lets you edit your images promptly and effectively.

Lightroom provides a wide range of editing tools and modifications arranged consistently. It also provides useful lessons and hints to facilitate you to pick up the most out of the app. Despite that, as Lightroom provides more developed editing abilities, it may have a sharp rate of learning over time.

On the other hand, Snapseed blows away a user-friendly interface that is easy to guide. Snapseed provides a pinch-based editing system, allowing you to promptly make modifications by pinching the left or right of your screen. It also provides a wander of automatic tool-set for editing, which can be less time-consuming for those who choose a practical base editing. Snapseed is well known for its user-friendly interface and editing abilities.

Booth Lightroom and Snapseed provide a range of alternatives in terms of file types, ensuring consistency with various devices and platforms.

Lightroom backs a wide range of file types involving RAW files, JEPGs, PNGs, and TIFFs. This flexibility is a leading benefit for professional photographers who frequently work with RAW files and need the next level of flexibility and command in their editing workflow. Lightroom also lets you send your edited images in different file formats, giving you the right to choose your desired format.

On the other hand, Snapseed is mainly concerned with JPG file editing. Even if it does some aid for RAW files, its practicality is tinier compared to Lightroom. Snapseed is best fitted for easy editing and sharing of JPEG files, making it a public option for smartphone photographers and social media fans.

Lightroom is available on a monthly base subscription for its users. The price is starting from $9.99 per month. The subscription offers entry to full escort of Adobe professional editing tools, making it a useful asset for photographers.

On the other hand, Snapseed is absolutely free to download and use. There are no fees and restrictions on the number of editing tasks you can do. This makes it a charming pick for informal users or those who are on a low budget, even if Snapseed may not offer the same comprehensive editing capacity as compared to Lightroom.

Regardless of the many contrasts between Lightroom and Snapseed, both are amazing and untapped image editing apps, with their pros and cons. Suppose you are a professional-rank or keen graphic designer questing for comprehensive editing abilities, a massive picking of presets, and practicality with RAW and TIFF files. In that case, Lightroom is the photo editing app for you.

On the other hand, if you are a newbie or want an easy-to-use interface, prompt editing tools, or low-budget options, Snapseed is the icing on the cake for you. 60% of people are using Lightroom due to its advanced tools and premium presets, and 40% are using Snapseed due to only one amazing feature(User-friendly interface). Finally, the selection between Lightroom and Snapseed depends on your alternative priorities, demands, and grade of your skills. I suggest using Lightroom.