Overview

Photomator is a photo editor for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. It is best suited to photographers who work within Apple’s ecosystem and want RAW processing alongside AI-assisted selection, cleanup, and color adjustment. Its broad editing toolkit is the draw; its Apple-only reach and subscription options make it a less natural choice for mixed-platform workflows.

Key features

Photomator supports more than 750 RAW formats, including Apple ProRAW, giving photographers flexibility across camera files. Nondestructive controls for brightness, contrast, exposure, curves, and color balance let you refine an image without committing those changes to the original. That combination is well suited to detailed tonal and color work.

AI can select subjects, skies, and backgrounds, while masks and brush selections provide more direct control. The Repair tool handles both small imperfections and larger objects. Machine-learning options include Auto Enhance, Super Resolution, Smart Deband, Denoise, and ML Crop. These tools cover common selection, cleanup, and enhancement tasks, with manual masks and brushes still available when more control is needed.

The app works with the Photos library and Apple File System, and can edit files stored on devices, external drives, and cloud services. Edits sync with Photos or Files, and iCloud Drive supports syncing across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. LUT import and export can help carry color looks between Photomator and other image, video, or graphics apps.

Photomator uses Apple technologies including SwiftUI, Core ML, Core Image, and Metal. Its App Store privacy disclosure says purchase history, crash data, and performance data may be collected without being linked to the user.

Pricing

The Free download is free and includes in-app purchases. It gives newcomers a no-cost way to start, though the free-download label does not mean every photo-editing feature is included without purchase.

The Monthly Subscription costs 7.99 USD per month and provides one license for Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Vision Pro. It suits users who want access across Apple devices without committing to lifetime access. The Yearly Subscription includes Photomator’s photo-editing features, but has custom pricing. Lifetime access also has custom pricing, while the Exclusive Lifetime Offer costs 79.99 USD per once and covers one license across Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Vision Pro. The lifetime choices suit buyers who prefer a one-time purchase; the monthly option has a clearly stated recurring cost.

Platforms

Photomator supports iOS, macOS, and Apple Vision Pro. Requirements are iOS 17 or later, iPadOS 17 or later, macOS 13 or later, and visionOS 1 or later for Apple Vision. Windows and Android users will need another editor.

Who it's for

Photomator is a strong fit for photographers who use Apple devices, edit RAW files, and want a single workflow spanning photo-library edits, external storage, cloud services, and mobile devices. Its masking, repair, color, and machine-learning tools also suit people who want targeted fixes as well as broader image adjustments. It is a poor fit for teams that need a Windows or Android workflow.

Pros and cons

Pro: Support for more than 750 RAW formats, including Apple ProRAW, gives photographers wide file compatibility.
Pro: AI selections, masks, brush selections, and object repair cover both automated and precise editing work.
Pro: Photos, Files, and iCloud Drive integration supports editing across Apple devices and storage locations.
Con: Apple-platform requirements exclude Windows and Android users.
Con: Several plans have custom pricing, so the monthly subscription and Exclusive Lifetime Offer are the only options here with stated purchase amounts.
Con: The free download includes in-app purchases, so it is not a clear signal that the full editing toolkit is free.

Alternatives

Adobe Lightroom is worth considering for a freemium editor with a free trial and support across Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows; its listed plans include 1 TB of cloud storage, with 250 monthly generative credits on Lightroom.

RawTherapee is a free option for Linux, macOS, and Windows users who can work without digital asset management, printing, or uploading features.

ON1 Photo RAW is a paid alternative with a free trial and plans that cover two or three computers.

Hasselblad Phocus offers free RAW processing software for Mac and Windows.

ART is a free, open-source RAW processing program for Linux, macOS, and Windows.

darktable is a free, open-source photography workflow application and RAW developer for Linux, macOS, and Windows.

dcraw is a free option for Linux and Windows users.

Nitro is another paid option for Apple devices, with a 99.99 USD per once lifetime purchase that includes future updates.

For more options, browse RAW Photo Processing Software and Photo Editing Software.

Verdict

Choose Photomator if you want a capable RAW and photo editor that fits into an Apple-device workflow, especially when AI selection, repair, and sync across Mac, iPhone, and iPad matter. Its broad format support and combination of automated and manual controls are the strongest reasons to choose it. Look elsewhere if you need Windows or Android support, or if you want a clearly priced plan beyond the monthly subscription and Exclusive Lifetime Offer.

	IMG.LY Photo Editor SDK	Photomator
Free plan		Yes
Free trial	Yes
Platforms	Android, iOS, macOS, self-hosted, Web	iOS, macOS
Free plan	No
Platform	multi-platform	multi-platform
Layer editing	Yes
Masking tools	Yes	Yes
Batch editing	Yes	Yes
AI retouching	Yes	Yes
RAW photo support		Yes
Cloud sync		Yes

IMG.LY Photo Editor SDK vs Photomator

IMG.LY Photo Editor SDK

Photomator