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darktable vs ACDSee Photo Studio: catalog facts
darktable	ACDSee Photo Studio
Free Free and open source, funded by donations.	Paid Paid editions and an ACDSee 365 subscription, with free trials.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS
Fully non-destructive: your original raw file is never modified Professional colour management maintained all the way through to print	Combines library management and editing Several editions for different needs
The project itself says it is not a free Adobe Lightroom replacement A steep learning curve; the module list assumes you know the underlying concepts	Paid software with several editions to choose between Mac version is a separate product
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License: GPL-3.0	License: Proprietary
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.