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With the ever-increasing number of photos we store on our phones and other devices, using good photo management software is becoming more and more important.
Most people have anywhere from thousands to tens of thousands of photos on their phones and as the years go by, it becomes more and more difficult to sort through, organize, and share photos.
Enter photo management software – a solution to organize and manage all of your photos in one place.
The longer you wait to organize and use tools to manage images, the more difficult the task will be. Thankfully, there is some pretty awesome software out there that will help you do this and even automate a lot of it for you.
What is Photo Management Software?
Photo management software is designed to help individuals and organizations manage, organize, store, and share digital photos with ease.
The best photo organizing software also offers functions such as automatic backups, photo viewing and editing tools, tagging, face recognition, photo sharing options through social media networks or cloud storage platforms, and more.
Additionally, many photo management software programs have powerful search tools that allow you to look for specific images or collections quickly and easily.
There are quite a few options out there, so let’s dive into the options for the best photo management software!
What is the Best Photo Management Software?
1. Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Lightroom is considered by most to be the best photo management software on the market today. It offers users an intuitive and user-friendly interface, allowing you to quickly and easily organize, edit, share, and store photos with ease.
Not only does it offer advanced photo editing tools that allow you to adjust color, tone, sharpness, and more, but it also supports a wide range of file formats. This means that you can easily access photos and manage them from any source, including digital cameras, smartphones, or scanners.
In addition to its photo management features, Lightroom also makes it easy to create stunning photo albums using beautiful layouts and templates.
You can even add captions, keywords, and ratings to your photos for quick indexing and efficient searching.
Adobe Lightroom is a great photo library manager with a huge variety of features and therefore a larger learning curve than some of the other photo-organizing software on this list. That being said, if you can spend a little time getting used to this platform, it’s so worth it.
They also have quite a few tutorials to help you learn the ropes and navigate the software:
Key Features
- Photo Editing
- Photo Storage and Management
- Lightroom Presets
- Share Photos
- Super Resolution
- Video Editing
Pricing:
Adobe Lightroom access is $9.99/month. You can also get a bundle of Adobe Lightroom + Adobe Photoshop for $19.99/month or access all Adobe apps for $54.99/month. All plans come with a free 7-day trial.
2. Adobe Bridge
Adobe Bridge is another powerful photo management software program from Adobe Suite. Similar to Lightroom, it has a user-friendly interface that will help you quickly organize, edit, and share your photos.
One of the great features of Adobe Bridge is its ability to batch-process photos.
This allows you to quickly apply edits or effects such as color correction, resizing, formatting, and more to a large number of photos at once.
Adobe Bridge also offers advanced tagging and organizational features that allow you to easily keep track of your photos. You can add keywords, ratings, and captions for quick indexing or use the built-in search tool to quickly find photos based on specific criteria.
One big difference between Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Bridge is how you edit photos. In Adobe Lightroom, you can edit your photos right within the Lightroom app. With Adobe Bridge, you will be directed to edit photos within Adobe Photoshop.
So if you tend to edit a lot of photos, Adobe Lightroom is probably the better option for you here.
Key Features:
- Photo Organization and Management
- Batch Processing
- Advanced Tagging and Searching
- Share Photos
- Printing and Contact Sheet Creation
Pricing:
Adobe Bridge is $9.99/month and also offers a 7-day free trial. You can also get access to all Adobe apps for $54.99/month.
3. ACDSee Photo Studio
ACDSee Photo Studio is another excellent photo management program that helps you to organize, share, and store digital images.
It offers powerful editing tools as well as support for multiple file types, including RAW files. Additionally, it can be used to quickly batch-process images for quick touch-ups and effects.
The user interface is intuitive and easy to use, making it simple for both beginner and advanced photographers to organize their photo library with ease.
It also offers advanced search tools that allow you to quickly find the photos you need based on keywords, ratings, captions, and more.
In addition to its photo management features, ACDSee Photo Studio also offers printing tools that allow you to easily create stunning prints or contact sheets from your photos.
Key Features:
- Photo Organizing and Managing
- Batch Processing
- Filter Keyword and Category Lists
- Printing Tools
- “Live Text” Compatibility
- Face Detection and Facial Recognition
Pricing:
ACDSee Photo Studio is available for a one-time fee of $99.99. They also offer a free trial.
4. Magix Photo Manager Deluxe
Magix Photo Manager Deluxe is a photo management software program that helps you to easily organize, manage, edit, share, and store your digital photos.
You can also batch-process photos (resizing, renaming, correcting, and more).
Additionally, it offers advanced tagging and organizational features that allow you to keep track of your photos with ease.
You can add keywords, ratings, and captions for quick indexing or use the built-in search tool to quickly find photos based on specific criteria.
Magix Photo Manager Deluxe is a great photo organizing software that is also very beginner-friendly and good for anyone looking for a simple tool without too many complexities.
Key Features:
- Photo and Video Organizer
- Cloud and Smartphone Import
- Photo Editing
- RAW and AVCHD Format Supported
- Filters
- Slideshow Templates and Effects
Pros:
- Intuitive and easy-to-use user interface
- Advanced tagging and organizational features
- Cloud and Smartphone import feature
- Price point is affordable compared to other software programs
Cons:
- Limited sharing options
- No support for collaborating with other users
- No support for facial recognition or geo-tagging features
Pricing:
Magix Photo Manager Deluxe is priced at $49.99 and also offers a free trial.
5. Digikam
Digikam is one of the best free photo management software options on this list. It’s an open-source program for Linux, Mac, and Windows that allows you to easily tag, organize, edit, share, and store your photos with ease.
In addition to its photo management features, Digikam also offers powerful searching capabilities. You can search photos by tags, labels, rating, date, location, and even specific EXIF, IPTC, or XMP metadata information. It can handle RAW images and uses the LibRaw library for decoding these files.
Digikam can also manage video files for cataloging purposes and the application uses FFmpeg and QtAv libraries for decoding.
Digikam is a great option for anyone looking for a powerful photo manager on a budget.
Key Features:
- Photo Organizing and Managing
- Filter Keyword and Category Lists
- Batch Processing for Quick Touch-Ups and Effects
- Advanced Searching Capabilities
- RAW File Support
- Video File Management
Cons
- Some users may find the interface confusing and difficult to use
- Limited features compared to some of the paid options on the market.
Pricing:
Digikam is completely free to use. There are no fees whatsoever!
6. Google Photos
Google Photos is an incredibly useful and powerful photo management software designed for both desktop and mobile use. As a cloud-based system, it offers easy access to your entire photo collection, videos, and albums from anywhere with an internet connection.
The app also has intelligent features like facial recognition, which allow you to easily organize your library based on people, places, and things.
In addition to being a great photo-organizing software, Google Photos also offers advanced editing features like image retouching and filters. Its AI-powered search tool makes it easy to find photos based on keywords or even without any tags at all.
Plus, it integrates seamlessly with other Google services like Google Drive and Google Home, so it’s a great option if you’re already pretty heavily invested in the Google-verse or have other Google devices in your home.
Key Features:
- Organize Your Library with Facial Recognition
- Edit and Retouch Photos
- AI-Powered Search Tool
- Integration with Google Services
Pros:
- Intuitive and easy-to-use user interface
- Advanced tagging and organizational features
- Cloud and Smartphone import feature
- Price point is affordable compared to other software programs
Cons:
- Limited sharing options
- No support for collaborating with other users
- No support for RAW files
Pricing:
Google Photos is free to use until you reach 5 GB of data. From there, you’ll have to choose a Google One plan to upgrade your storage. Plans start at $1.99/month and vary by country.
7. Apple Photos
Apple Photos is a powerful photo management software for Mac and iOS users. It offers a range of features that make it easy to organize, store, and share your photos with ease.
Like with all Apple devices, there is a very easy-to-use and intuitive interface that will let you quickly tag, sort and search for photos based on specific keywords or even without tags at all.
In addition to its photo management features, Apple Photos also offers basic editing tools. With just a few clicks, you can apply filters, retouch images and even add text and graphics to your photos.
You can also share photos directly from the app with friends and family on social media, text, or via email.
Apple Photos is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a powerful photo library manager on Mac or iOS.
Key Features:
- Organize Photos with Tags
- Powerful Editing Tools
- Easy Sharing Options
Pros:
- Intuitive and easy-to-use user interface
- Advanced tagging and organizational features
- Cloud and Smartphone import feature
- Price point is affordable compared to other software programs
Pricing:
Apple Photos is another free photo management software. Similar to Google Photos, you’ll get a limited amount of storage for free. Paid plans start with 50GB for $.99 and vary by country.
8. Movavi Photo Manager
Movavi Photo Manager is an excellent photo management software that makes organizing your photo library a breeze.
It offers powerful features such as customizable tagging and sorting, advanced search capabilities, batch processing for quick touchups, RAW file support, and even video file management.
The app is designed with an intuitive user interface that makes it easy to organize and find your photos. With just a few clicks you can search for images based on keywords or even without any tags at all.
Like many of the other options on this list, you can quickly batch-process your photos to apply effects, filters, or other adjustments.
One other cool feature that this photo editing software and organizer can do is restore old photos.
Key Features:
- Customizable Tagging and Sorting
- Advanced Search Capabilities
- Batch Processing for Quick Touchups
- RAW File Support
- Video File Management
Pricing:
Movavi Photo Manager is available in both a free version and Pro version starting at $19.95/year. The Pro version offers additional features like multi-language support, image conversion, and batch processing.
9. Piktorial
Piktorial is an intuitive and powerful photo management software with advanced search capabilities and a customizable tagging and sorting system. This makes it easy to quickly find photos based on keywords or other tags.
Plus, it allows you to batch-process multiple images at once for quick adjustments or touchups. It also supports RAW files, so you can edit and store your photos in the highest quality.
In addition to its photo management features, Piktorial also offers basic editing tools like filters, retouching options, and more.
It’s easy to share photos directly from the app with friends and family on social media or via email. It also integrates seamlessly with other cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and more.
Key Features:
- Advanced Search Capabilities
- Customizable Tagging and Sorting System
- Batch Processing for Quick Touchups
- RAW File Support
- Powerful Editing Tools
- Integration with Cloud Storage Services
Pros:
- Intuitive and easy-to-use user interface
- Advanced tagging and organizational features
- Basic editing tools with filters, retouching, and more
Cons:
- No support for collaborating with other users
Pricing:
Piktorial is available in both a free version and Pro version starting at $3.99/month. The Pro version offers additional features like unlimited storage and advanced editing tools.
10. Capture One
Capture One is a powerful photo management software that helps photographers and creatives easily organize, edit, and share their images.
It is yet another photo-organizing software that features a customizable tagging and sorting system that makes it easy to find photos quickly using keywords or tags.
The software also offers a range of advanced features such as RAW file support, batch processing for quick touchups and adjustments, tethered shooting support, and more.
Plus, it offers basic editing tools like filters and retouching options to help you perfect your photos.
Capture One also includes sharing features to share from the app to social media or email.
Key Features:
- Customizable Tagging and Sorting Systems
- RAW File Support
- Batch Processing for Quick Touchups
- Tethered Shooting Support
- Powerful Editing Tools
- Easy Sharing Options
Pros:
- Intuitive interface and easy-to-use navigation
- Advanced organizational features
- RAW file support for highest quality images
- Powerful editing tools with filters, retouching, and more
Cons:
- Limited sharing options
- No support for collaborating
Pricing:
Capture One is available in both a free version and Pro version starting at $20/month. The Pro version offers additional features like layer support, custom color profiles, and tethering control.
11. FotoStation
FotoStation is an easy-to-use photo management app that makes it simple to organize and find your photos. It comes with powerful search capabilities, customizable tagging and sorting systems, as well as an intuitive user interface.
You can quickly batch-process multiple photos for quick adjustments or touch-ups.
Plus, FotoStation offers RAW file support and powerful editing tools like filters and retouching options. You can also easily share photos directly from the app.
Key Features:
- Advanced Search Capabilities
- Customizable Tagging and Sorting System
- Batch Processing for Quick Touchups
- RAW File Support
- Powerful Editing Tools
- Easy Sharing Options
Pros:
- User-friendly software
- Variety of photo editing tools
- Convenient online storage
Cons:
- Limited sharing capabilities
- Some features are only available in the paid version
Pricing:
FotoStation is available in both a free version and a Pro version starting at $20/year. The Pro version offers additional features like batch renaming, multi-language support, and image conversion.
12. Phototheca
Phototheca is a powerful photo management software that provides photographers and creatives with everything they need to organize, edit, and share their photos.
It offers an intuitive interface with customizable tagging and sorting systems that make it easy to quickly find photos based on keywords or other tags.
It also includes facial recognition that will help you find photos by name and also organize them into person-specific albums for you.
With Phototheca, you can also easily remove duplicate photos from your photo library.
You can also organize photos into “Smart Albums” automatically by specific criteria that you specify.
Key Features:
- Customizable Tagging and Sorting System
- Batch Processing for Quick Touchups
- RAW File Support
- Powerful Editing Tools
- Integration with Cloud Storage Services
- Easy Sharing Options
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Excellent organization and search capabilities
- Ability to add captions and notes
Pricing:
Phototheca is available in both a free version and a Pro version starting at $3.99/month.
13. Zoner Photo Studio
Next up on our list of best photo management software is Zoner Photo Studio, which provides photographers, creatives, and hobbyists an easy and comprehensive way to organize, edit, and share their images.
Advertised on their website as the “Lightroom and Photoshop alternative.”
This powerful photo library manager provides editing tools, like many others on this list, as well as layers, presets, cataloging, and more.
With layering, you can easily duplicate photos and create beautiful collages.
The video editing function will let you create videos and time-lapses from your favorite photos.
Zoner Photo Studio also allows users to back up their photos easily and provides easy sharing options.
Key Features:
- Customizable Tagging and Sorting Systems
- RAW File Support
- Batch Processing for Quick Touchups
- Tethered Shooting Support
- Powerful Editing Tools
- Easy Backup Options
- Easy Sharing Options
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Wide range of features
- Excellent support resources
Pricing:
Zoner Photo Studio is available in both a free version and Pro version starting at $7.99/month. The Pro version offers additional features like layer support, custom color profiles, and tethered shooting control.
What to Look for in Photo Management Software?
When shopping for the best photo management software, it’s important to take into account what type of photos you’re dealing with and how you plan to use them.
Do you need a way to organize your own personal photos or do you want something that will handle thousands of images in an enterprise setting? Do you need powerful editing capabilities or just basic sorting and labeling?
Here are a few factors to consider and features to look for when selecting the right photo organizing software for your needs.
Storage Space
How much storage space do you need now and what is the maximum capacity you will ever need? Some of the options on this list are free and some charge based on storage needs.
File Formats
Where and how you take your photos determines what kind of file format the photo is in. Look for software that supports the file formats that you need.
Organization
Does the software offer powerful sorting and tagging options? Many programs allow you to search by location, date taken, keywords, etc., so this is an important aspect of photo management software.
Facial recognition and sorting filters and capabilities are important if you have a lot of photos that ned to be organized.
Editing Tools
Many of the options on this list include at least some basic editing tools, with options like Adobe Lightroom including a much larger offering.
If you plan on doing a lot more photo editing, look for software that also offers more powerful editing tools.
Sharing Options
Does the software allow you to easily share and store photos online? Look for programs that offer support for cloud storage platforms such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud.
Otherwise, this will end up being a separate cost for you.
Backup Options
The absolute worst-case scenario when it comes to your digital photos is losing them or even losing access to them. Make sure your photo management software provides an easy way to back up your photos.
You never know what can happen.
5 Tips for Using Photo Management Software
1. Start by organizing your photos.
Sort all your photos into folders or albums and add tags, titles, descriptions, and other metadata so that you can easily find the photos you’re looking for.
This is also a great time to delete photos that you don’t need or care for anymore and go through your duplicates. Make sure to find software that allows for easy detection and deletion of duplicate photos (like Google photos).
2. Use editing tools to enhance the quality of your photos.
Many photo management software options offer professional-level editing features such as cropping, resizing, color correction, and more.
But if you don’t have the time or care to edit your photos individually, you can also use a “Magic” retouch feature like Google Photos and Apple Photos offer for incredible re-touching and enhancing with just one click.
3. Take advantage of cloud storage options.
It’s important to store your photos securely and make sure that they are automatically backed up relatively often. Even if your photo management software doesn’t include cloud back-ups, you should consider adding one like Google photos.
4. Choose the right sharing and exporting options.
This may or may not be of much importance to you but many of the photo managers on this list provide sharing options as well as printing and other export options.
5. Use search functions to quickly find the images you’re looking for.
No one wants to spend 20 minutes looking for the photos that they need. When opportunities for projects come up or you just want to print or share a couple of photos, it should be easy to find them.
Many of these photo managers offer advanced search capabilities that allow you to look for photos based on tags, location, date taken, etc.
Get Started with Photo Management Software
It’s time to start uploading!
Once you’ve chosen the right software, install it on your computer and begin adding photos. Make sure to create folders or albums for better organization.
Additionally, add tags, titles, descriptions, and other metadata so that you can easily find the photos you’re looking for.
Make sure to play around with your photo organizer software before you spend days or weeks organizing tens of thousands of photos. You don’t want to get too far into the process and find out that the software you’re using really just isn’t right for you.
Don’t hesitate to try a couple of options on this list. Just do your due diligence with the flexibility and return policy or any paid plans and take advantage of free trials and free plans when available.
We hope this guide was helpful in finding the best photo management software for you. If you have any further questions or feel that we forgot an important photo manager tool on this list, leave us a comment below!