Life after Photoshop

Photo editing software downloads: links to trial versions listed here

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Photo by Szabo Viktor on Unsplash

Almost all the software applications reviewed and described on Life after Photoshop are available as a free trial, and here are the links. I always recommend using the trial version before making your mind up.

All information was correct at the time of writing. Some publishers do change their links and their offers from time to time and I will update this list as soon as I learn of any changes.

Life after Photoshop does get a small commission for some referrals, but this does not affect the price you pay.

Download Lightroom: 7-day free trial

To get the Lightroom trial you need to choose a Photography Plan that includes it. These include the Lightroom Plan with 1TB, the regular Photography Plan with both versions of Lightroom and Photoshop but only 20GB of storage, and the Photography Plan with 1TB which gives you Lightroom and Photoshop and 1TB storage for Lightroom CC.

Note that you only get a 7-day trial for these Photography Plans, and you will have to give payment information at the start and remember to cancel your subscription ahead of the first payment if you decide not to proceed.

Download Capture One 20: 30-day free trial

Capture One 2020 is a direct rival to Adobe Lightroom, with more sophisticated RAW processing and local adjustment tools, powerful tethered shooting controls and the ability to be used as a catalog or in a ‘sessions’ workflow. It’s extremely powerful, produces wonderful results and can work with external photo editors too. See for yourself by downloading the 30-day trial.

Download DxO Nik Collection: 30-day free trial

Nik Collection icon

The Nik Collection is one of the best regarded plug-in collections ever released. It’s now owned and developed by DxO, and version 3 brings a brand new non-destructive workflow and a new Perspective Efex perspective correction plug-in.

Download DxO PhotoLab: 30-day free trial

PhotoLab icon

DxO PhotoLab offers exceptional RAW processing and lens corrections, and powerful local adjustments too. The Elite edition costs more but it’s the one to get for the superb DxO PRIME Denoise and ClearView haze reduction. If you want perspective correction you’ll also need to get DxO Viewpoint. You have a 30-day free trial to help you make your mind up.

Download Exposure X5: 30-day free trial

Exposure X4 icon

Exposure X is an all-in-one photo browsing, editing and effects tool that specialises in analog/vintage looks but is also a highly effective everyday photo editor with RAW processing, lens and perspective corrections, tone and colour adjustments, retouching tools and local adjustments with layers and masks.

Download ON1 Photo RAW 2021: 14-day free trial

ON1 Photo RAW is another all-in-one photo organiser, editor and effects tool and it goes even further than Exposure X to offer a non-destructive layers workflow for composite images and montages. Which one is best? Both have their advantages – but you can download the ON1 Photo RAW 2021 14-day trial to decide for yourself.

Download Aurora HDR 2019: 7-day free trial

Aurora HDR 2019 icon

Aurora HDR is an extremely powerful HDR application that can merge bracketed exposures or work with single RAW files, and comes with an array of striking HDR effects and presets – but you can modify these or create your own effects from scratch using the program’s extensive HDR, tone and colour adjustments. It even supports image layers.