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Shotwell vs Adobe Lightroom: catalog facts
Shotwell	Adobe Lightroom
Free Free and open source under the LGPL 2.1.	Paid Sold through Adobe subscription plans.
Linux	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Web
Imports and organises a photo library on the desktop Simple enhancement tools for quick fixes	Combines photo cataloging and RAW editing Library synced across desktop, web and mobile
Linux only Editing is basic compared with dedicated RAW editors	Subscription only Sync depends on Adobe's cloud service
Downloadable app	Downloadable app, Web application, Hosted service
Open source	Closed source
License: LGPL-2.1	License not stated
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 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

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