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About RawTherapee

RawTherapee is a free, open-source program for developing RAW photos with great precision. It is known for excellent image quality, detailed control over colour, sharpening and noise reduction, and high-quality demosaicing (the step that turns raw sensor data into a picture).

Editing is non-destructive and works on JPEG and TIFF files too. Instead of a full photo library, RawTherapee uses a simple file browser, so it suits photographers who organise their files themselves or use a separate catalogue program.

RawTherapee runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. Version 5.12 was released in May 2025.

Key features

RAW developmentHigh-quality conversion of camera RAW files
Colour controlDetailed colour, tone and white balance tools
DetailAdvanced sharpening and noise reduction
Non-destructiveOriginals stay untouched
Batch processingApply edits to many photos at once
File browserSimple browsing with thumbnails
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License and price

License type
Free · open source

System requirements

Operating system
Windows, macOS, Linux

Good and keep in mind

Good

  • Excellent image quality
  • Very precise tools for advanced users
  • Free and open source

Keep in mind

  • No full photo library like Lightroom – only a file browser
  • Many technical settings can overwhelm beginners

Frequently asked questions

Is RawTherapee free?
Yes. RawTherapee is free and open source.
What is the difference between RawTherapee and darktable?
RawTherapee focuses on precise RAW development and uses a simple file browser. darktable also includes a photo library with ratings and tags.

Other free alternatives to Adobe Lightroom

darktableThe closest free match to Lightroom · Windows, macOS, LinuxFree · open sourcedigiKamOrganising large photo libraries · Windows, macOS, LinuxFree · open source
GUIDEBest Free Alternatives to Adobe Lightroomdarktable, RawTherapee and digiKam compared: the best free alternatives to Adobe Lightroom for RAW editing and photo organising on Windows, Mac and Linux.