HDRMerge

6.8easy start · #7 of 20
in HDR Software

Free to practise onyes
Free trialnot on record
Well documentedyes
Runs where you workyes

Runs on Linux, Mac, Windows.

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HDRMerge is ranked #7 of 20 in HDR software on The Geeks Club. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. There is a free plan.

HDRMerge plans and pricing

All plans

Free Free GPL-3.0-or-later software jcelaya.github.io · 2 Oct 2026

Compared on HDR software

Free plan: Yes
HDR merge mode: both
Batch processing: Yes
RAW file support: Yes
HDR output formats: DNG 1.4
Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux

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The record

Purpose: HDRMerge creates raw images with extended dynamic range by merging exposure-bracketed raw files or multiple exposure-bracketed frames in a single raw file.
Output: It outputs DNG 1.4 images with floating-point data, using less noisy input pixels to preserve shadow detail.
Ghost removal: Its graphical interface lets users edit the merge mask to remove ghosts caused by moving objects between exposures.
Alignment and cropping: HDRMerge can align small translations and crop output to the area shared by the input raw images.
Input compatibility: Input images must have matching size, orientation, Bayer pattern, and black and white levels, which the manual says mostly means they were made with the same camera.
Integrations: The maker says RawTherapee, darktable, and recent Adobe products support the floating-point DNG formats HDRMerge produces.
Tone mapping: HDRMerge handles raw exposure merging; its maker says the resulting image can be tone-mapped later in another program that supports high-dynamic-range raw DNG images.
Platforms: The downloads section lists a Windows installer and macOS DMG for the stable release, and a Linux AppImage for development builds.
Support: The maker directs users to GitHub to file bugs and feature requests and asks them to include the HDRMerge version, full error messages, and a link to sample raw files.
License: HDRMerge is free software distributed under the GNU General Public License, version 3 or any later version.
Intended workflow: The maker describes HDRMerge as a way to bring merged HDR images into a normal raw development workflow.
Price from: Free

Where it ranks on The Geeks Club

Best HDR Software in 2026#7 of 20

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Sources

jcelaya.github.io/hdrmerge/· checked 2 Oct 2026
jcelaya.github.io/hdrmerge/documentation/2014/07/11/user-· checked 2 Oct 2026
jcelaya.github.io/hdrmerge/documentation/2014/05/24/what-· checked 2 Oct 2026