PicsArt vs Lightroom: Find the Perfect Editing Tool for Your Needs
PicsArt and Adobe Lightroom are among the best and most used photo editing apps on mobile and desktop. They both offer many exciting and fun features for editing photos and making them look more professional.
For example, PicsArt offers features like adding filters and effects, changing backgrounds, adjusting colour contrast, etc. The Lightroom offers similar functionalities like altering the contrast, balancing color, and changing brightness.
However, the main difference lies in the user interface and ease of use. So which one is best for you? Well, that is exactly what we will discuss today in this tutorial, so be sure to read till the end as we compare their features like editing tools, pricing, user interface AI functionality, etc.
What is PicsArt?
PicsArt is one of the most widely used free photo editing software in the current Android mobile market. It has numerous awesome features for editing photos or videos, such as filters, color contrast, collage, text, stickers, GIF maker, and many others. Many users also pair PicsArt Capcut editing techniques—using PicsArt for creative image editing and CapCut for video enhancements—to achieve professional-looking content.
All in all, PicsArt is very easy to use, and first-time users will not have a hard time figuring it out. It also has monthly and yearly subscription options, which open more options, such as filters and editing templates.
What is Adobe Lightroom?
Adobe launched Lightroom, a professional editing software, in 2016. It is cloud-based and offers features like preset customization, categorization, image labels, level adjustments, intelligent image search, RAW photo editing, fine-tuning colors, exposure, sharpness cropping and rotating, focus shifting, and import/export functionality.
Recently Lightroom’s popularity has increased among users who want to edit their photos in a professional way and want more control of their edits. Unlike PicsArt Lightroom has a bit of a learning curve, and therefore you must learn its basics from an expert.
Main Differences Between PicsArt and Lightroom
Now let’s discuss the main differences between the features and functionalities of both tools:
User Interface
PicsArt is well-known for its friendly user interface, which is easy to use and understand even for beginners. All its editing tools are arranged in the main proper menu, from which you can choose any and apply it to the photo. Further, it also has in-app guides and tutorials available if you don’t understand anything.
Lightroom has an entirely different interface that is more suited for professional designers. Unlike PicsArt, which has editing tools arranged on the front menu, in this application, the editing tools are arranged according to the modules.
Editing Tools
PicsArt is well-known for offering a wide range of editing tools for basic and advanced work. These include adding filters, adjusting colours, changing backgrounds, and adding text overlays. It also provides tools for specific needs, like image enhancers, collage makers, sticker makers, AI tools, GIF generators, etc.
Lightroom also offers many editing tools suited for professional photo editing. Its popular tools are clarity tools, texture tools, sharpness tools, graduated filters, tint sliders, and so on.
Filters and Effects
In PicsArt, you can access a wide range of creative and fun filters and effects. For example, artistic filters can improve your photo’s appearance and give it a professional look. Moreover, PicsArt also offers trendy photo effects, like glitch, neon, and vintage. You can unlock more after buying the subscription.
Comparatively, Lightroom provides a more comprehensive set of professional filters and effects designed specifically to improve photo quality. You can also apply presets to specific styles, like color grading and black-and-white conversions.
Raw Photo Editing
There is no RAW photo editing available on PicsArt. It mainly focuses on editing in standard formats like JPG, PNG, and TIFF. RAW editing is used in professional works which requires maintaining the highest image quality.
Meanwhile, Lightroom is well suited for editing RAW photographs and offers a number of tools specifically designed to meet this need. This tool allows you to make major changes to the appearance of photos, such as adjusting exposure, colors, and shadows.
Platform Availability
PicsArt is currently available on every platform that you can think you. Its mobile app for both Android and iOS is used by millions of users worldwide. Additionally, there is a desktop application that you can download on PC.
Lightroom is also available on Windows, MacOS, and other Desktop platforms. It has a mobile app for Android and iOS. More importantly, Lightroom has a cloud-based version that allows you to sync your data anywhere regardless of the device or platform.
Pricing and Premium Plans
PicsArt offers both free and premium plans for its users. The free plan has limited features, and edited works also contain watermarks. However, with the premium plan, you can unlock several features, such as additional filters, effects, and templates.
The Lightroom also has a free plan for mobile and tablet users with limited functionality. By purchasing the premium subscription, you will be able to take advantage of many other features along with the possibility of being able to edit your pictures much more easily.
Here is a detailed look at the pricing plans for both:
| PicsArt | Monthly Subscription | Yearly Subscription |
| PicsArt Plus | $13/Monthly | $5/monthly ($60 yearly) |
| PicsArt Pro | $15/Monthly | Custom Plan |
| PicsArt Enterprise | Custom Plan | Custom Plan |
| Lightroom | Monthly Subscription | Yearly Subscription |
| Lightroom Basic Plan | $9.99/Monthly | N/A |
| Lightroom Photography | $19.99/Monthly | N/A |
| Creative Cloud Plan | $59.99/ Monthly | N/A |
Lightroom also offers student and team plans, which cost $19.99/month and $37.99/month, respectively.
Feature Comparison of Both PicsArt and Lightroom
Here is a feature comparison of both PicsArt and Lightroom:
Table Comparison of PicsArt and Lightroom
Here is a summary of the comparison of both PicsArt and Lightroom:
| Feature | PicsArt | Lightroom |
| Platform Availability | Mobile (iOS, Android), Web | Desktop (Windows, Mac), Mobile (iOS, Android) |
| Ease of Use | User-friendly, intuitive, and designed for casual users | Intuitive, beginner-friendly, with advanced tools for professionals |
| Pricing | Free (with in-app purchases); Premium subscription available | Subscription-based (Adobe Creative Cloud) |
| Key Features | Collage maker, stickers, filters, photo effects, AI tools, video editing | Advanced photo editing, RAW image processing, non-destructive editing |
| Target Audience | Casual users, social media creators | Photographers (amateurs and professionals) |
| Editing Tools | Basic to intermediate (filters, colour contrast, overlays, text) | Advanced photo editing tools (exposure, color grading, tone curves) |
| AI Tools | AI-based filters, background remover, cartoon effects | AI-enhanced editing, auto adjustments, AI-based subject masking |
| Cloud Syncing | Limited cloud storage | Extensive cloud sync for seamless editing across devices |
| File Format Support | JPG, PNG, BMP, WebP | RAW, JPG, PNG, TIFF |
| Creative Assets | Library of stickers, templates, fonts | Limited to photo editing; no stickers or templates |
| Offline Editing | Limited, mostly done online via an internet connection | Available for desktop; offline editing on mobile with synced photos |
| Customizability | Limited Customizations | Highly customizable editing tools, brushes, presets |
| Performance | Lightweight, fast on mobile | Optimized for high-quality photo processing |
| Learning Resources | Online tutorials, in-app guidance | Extensive resources: tutorials, courses, community support |
FAQ’s
Conclusion
PicsArt and Lightroom are distinct apps designed for different audiences and have different purposes. Choosing between both comes down to personal perfection and the editing work required. If you want to make quick edits to a photo to make it look professional, PicsArt is the ideal choice. Further, you can use PicsArt iOS and Android versions on your mobile devices.
Alternatively, if you want professional editing software that allows you to make detailed adjustments and changes to a photo, then Lightroom is the ideal choice.