Lightroom (Lightroom Desktop) vs Lightroom Classic

I see this question pop up from time to time. Which one is better? Or which one should I use?

First off, lets talk about which one is which...

They are the same editing engine, same core tools, genuinely different philosophy about where your photos live and how you get to them.

• Lightroom (Desktop) IS NO LONGER A CLOUD ONLY VERSION. Does not require you to use the cloud. Does not require any import of your images. It has a "local" option that you just point to your photos, and you can immediately begin working with no import or preview build, saving time and disk space. It doesn't have the organizational tools like Stacks and Collections. Furthermore, it currently has no option for third party plugins, or a way to publish your photos directly from within the app itself. It does sync nicely with mobile, if you have that need and the app looks very similar across mobile and desktop devices.

  
  

• Lightroom Classic Requires you to import your photos into its "catalog". The catalog and the previews it builds can become quite bloated causing you to run low on disk space if you have limited storage options. It has more organizational tools like Stacks and Collections. It offers third party plugins and presets. Allows you to publish Books, Slideshows and print packages directly from the software.

In summary, if you need the organizational tools that Classic offers and don't mind the catalog, importing and disk space issues, you should go with Classic. If you are worried about disk space, want to manage your own file location and aren't too concerned about the organizational tools, then I'd recommend Lightroom (Desktop).

Which one are YOU using?

Which version of Lightroom are you using currently?

• 0%Lightroom Classic
• 0%Lightroom (Desktop)

Which one am I using?

I started using Lightroom for desktop several months ago because I got tired of the Lightroom Classic bloated file structure from catalogs and previews.

I did have to overcome a few trade-offs. I missed the stacks quite a bit. I used stacks to keep my panoramic and HDR files organized. I never really used collections, so that wasn't an issue for me. I never really used the plugins too much, either. So the choice was pretty simple for me. I only needed the editing tool and not any of the other things that Classic offered. I decided it was a worthy trade-off to give up stacks for not having the catalog, previews and the import process.

So which is right for you?

Only you know what you actually use day to day. If Stacks, Collections, or plugins are already part of how you work, Classic's going to an obvious choice. If you've never touched them and just want to get in, edit, and get out then Lightroom Desktop might save you a few headaches of the catalog and import process.

If you are still unsure, and you are already subscribed to the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan, you can try both. If you are using Classic, try downloading Desktop and see if you are able to live without the organizational tools offered in Classic. It costs nothing to try it.

If you still have questions about which one to go with, feel free to drop me a line and we can discuss it further.