Photoshop Express vs Lightroom Mobile (2026): Price, Features, and Which to Pick
Both are Adobe apps, aimed differently. Photoshop Express is the quick, effects-led editor: filters, collages, spot heal, text, with a cheaper Premium ($34.99/yr). Lightroom Mobile is the photographer’s tool: RAW, precise sliders, masking and sync with the desktop app. For social-ready edits in a minute, Express; for controlled photo editing, Lightroom.
By Mountain Lion Data · Last updated
Price
Photoshop Express: free core tools; Premium $4.99/mo or $34.99/yr. Lightroom Mobile: free tier; Premium $4.99/mo mobile-only, or the Lightroom plan at $14.99/mo billed annually.
Editing tools
Photoshop Express: looks and filters, basic adjustments, spot heal, red-eye, collage, text and stickers, quick actions. Lightroom: RAW, curves, HSL, AI masking, healing, Denoise, presets, cloud sync.
Who each app is for
Express: casual users making social posts. Lightroom: photographers and anyone who edits RAW.
Photoshop Express vs Lightroom Mobile at a glance
| Photoshop Express | Lightroom Mobile | White Balancer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price model | Free / subscription | Subscription | Free (one-time $4.99 to remove ads) |
| Free tier | Yes (core tools) | Limited | Yes (every editing feature) |
| Subscription | Yes | Yes | No |
| One-time purchase | No | No | Yes |
| On-device / privacy | Edits on device; Adobe account required | Edits on device; cloud sync and many features tied to the subscription and an Adobe account | Yes — 100% on-device, no login, no account, works in airplane mode |
| Account required | Yes | Yes | No |
| RAW editing | Basic | Yes | No |
| Video | No | Limited (Premium) | Yes |
| Uses AI | Yes (AI effects, quick actions) | Yes (AI masking, Denoise, generative tools) | No — traditional image processing |
| White balance fix | Temperature/tint sliders | Eyedropper in the WB panel | White Balance Sampler: tap a neutral point, whole photo rebalances |
Verdict
Both are Adobe apps, aimed differently. Photoshop Express is the quick, effects-led editor: filters, collages, spot heal, text, with a cheaper Premium ($34.99/yr). Lightroom Mobile is the photographer’s tool: RAW, precise sliders, masking and sync with the desktop app. For social-ready edits in a minute, Express; for controlled photo editing, Lightroom.
If all you need is color, there is a one-tap, no-subscription option: what is the best Lightroom alternative? See the full list in Best Lightroom alternatives for iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
Is Photoshop Express better than Lightroom Mobile?
Both are Adobe apps, aimed differently. Photoshop Express is the quick, effects-led editor: filters, collages, spot heal, text, with a cheaper Premium ($34.99/yr). Lightroom Mobile is the photographer’s tool: RAW, precise sliders, masking and sync with the desktop app. For social-ready edits in a minute, Express; for controlled photo editing, Lightroom.
Is Photoshop Express free?
Photoshop Express: Free; Premium $4.99/mo or $34.99/yr. Free tier: Yes (core tools).
Is Lightroom Mobile free?
Lightroom Mobile: Free to download with most sliders and presets; Premium (healing, AI masking, RAW, sync) needs a subscription — a mobile Premium plan or a Lightroom plan from $11.99/mo. Free tier: Limited.
Which fixes white balance more easily, Photoshop Express or Lightroom Mobile?
Photoshop Express: Temperature/tint sliders. Lightroom Mobile: Eyedropper in the WB panel. If the only edit you make is fixing washed-out or tinted color, White Balancer does it in one tap with the White Balance Sampler, for photos and videos, free and without AI.
