Skylum’s software, subscription services and pricing explained
Skylum is best known for its Luminar software, but this has recently undergone a sea-change into an AI-driven product quite different to the original. It would be easy to forget that Skylum also has also made one of the best HDR programs to date – Aurora HDR 2019 – which is still available today and is now simply being called Aurora HDR.
Prices were correct at the time of writing but Skylum’s offers and deals are constantly changing so click through to the Skylum site to check the latest deals.
Luminar AI
This is the ‘new’ Luminar, which has stepped away from the more conventional and somewhat more technical ‘old’ Luminar. As the name suggests, Luminar AI focuses heavily on AI-driven automated adjustments and AI-selected Templates (or ‘looks’). It dropped some of the more technical features of the old Luminar, including support for image layers and a number of quite useful filters, as Skylum took aim instead at a broader, less technically-minded audience. Luminar works both as a standalone program and as a plug-in for Photoshop and Lightroom.
Buy Luminar Neo
See the website for the latest license fees, subscriptions, bundles and early bird offers.
Luminar 4.3
This is the ‘old’ Luminar, the last version to be produced before Luminar AI was launched. Luminar clearly wants users to migrate to the AI version, but Luminar 4 is a somewhat more powerful and technical program, so many old Luminar fans may see Luminar AI as a step backwards rather than forwards. May of the Luminar tutorials on Life after Photoshop are no longer relevant or correct for Luminar AI. Luminar 4 is still supported, but an attempt to buy it on the Skylum site takes you to Luminar AI.
Aurora HDR
Originally released back in 2019 (and called ‘Aurora HDR 2019’, this has been sold since then without major updates – not that it needs them. It now looks as if Skylum is now renaming this simply as ‘Aurora HDR’. It’s sold both on its own and as part of a bundle with Luminar AI.
Download or buy Aurora HDR
Aurora HDR is available as a time-limited trial (Click Free Download)
Aurora HDR (5 computers): $99
Use the coupon code LAWTON to save $10/£10 at the checkout
Luminar X membership
This is a paid subscription service which offers Luminar and photography tutorials, exclusive Luminar AI templates (looks), 10 exclusive sky textures, a 15% discount at the Luminar Marketplace and “Additional surprise offers”. Luminar X membership is sold on its own or as part of a bundle with Luminar AI.
• Luminar X membership pricing: $39/year (Basic), $59/year (Pro)
Luminar Marketplace
Here you can buy template bundles, skies, sky objects, textures, e-books and classes. It’s a storefront for all manner of Skylum and third party content to go with Luminar.