Luminar AI and Luminar Neo are both products from Skylum, designed to provide intuitive and AI-enhanced photo editing capabilities. While they share many features, there are multiple differences between the two products, or we can say editions.

Let’s dive in to compare the two:

Neo is the latest and most advanced version of Luminar, with many updates in terms of features and tools.

Indeed, Luminar AI is no longer available, and the Neo edition is the only option available. it is obvious to have the latest version with great functionality and performance.

If you are an existing Luminar AI customer looking for an upgrade, you can use this link to upgrade to the latest version of Luminar Neo.

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Luminar AI vs Luminar Neo: 9 Key Differences

First of all, you are here only for two reasons: either you are purchasing a new product or upgrading the plan.

And this becomes important whether you can shift to the Neo edition if you are already an AI user.

We will provide a complete guide covering all aspects of your mind for the best selection.

1. Layer-Based Editing:

One of the most anticipated features, layer-based editing, provides users with the flexibility to create more complex compositions and edits. This feature allows photographers to stack different adjustments and edits non-destructively.

Layer-based editing from Skylum isn’t just a feature; it’s a heartfelt embrace of every photographer’s deepest desires.

It’s like the gentle touch of an artist’s brush on canvas, allowing emotions, stories, and memories to layer atop one another, crafting a masterpiece. With each layer, you’re not just adding effects; you’re pouring your soul, revealing the layers of your passion.

Skylum understands the depth of your creativity and gives you the tools to let your heart speak through every image.

Play around with your images and craft unique effects by merging and concealing multiple layers within a picture.

2. AI Relight Tool:

Luminar Neo introduces a powerful AI Relight tool, which intelligently adjusts the lighting in an image. It can change the mood and feel of the photo without the need for complex masking or selections.

Unlock the magic that’s been waiting within your photos with the Luminar AI Relight Tool.

It’s not just a feature; it’s the whisper of sunrise and the embrace of sunset, all at your fingertips.

Let every corner of your image tell its story, bathed in the perfect light. With Luminar AI, you’re not just editing; you’re crafting a masterpiece, nurturing the spirit of every shot.

The Relight Tool beckons – will you answer the call of impeccable illumination?

Achieve authentic outcomes with complete mastery over brightness. Use Luminar Neo’s photo editing tool to introduce virtual illumination and enhance the luminosity of your pictures.

3. Dust Spot Removal:

Using AI, Luminar Neo can detect and automatically remove sensor dust spots, saving photographers potentially hours of manual cleanup, especially in landscape or sky-heavy photos.

Rediscover the purity in every photograph with Luminar’s Dust Spot Removal.

Let not minute imperfections cloud the true beauty of your memories.

Every moment you capture is a testament to life’s fleeting beauty and should remain unmarred. With Luminar, give your photos the respect they deserve, cleansing them of distractions.

Dive into a world where every pixel resonates with pure emotion and clarity, only with Luminar Neo.

4. Enhanced Sky Replacement:

While Luminar AI introduced the concept of AI Sky Replacement, Luminar Neo takes it further with better blending capabilities, ensuring the replaced sky looks natural in various lighting scenarios.

Luminar’s Enhanced Sky Replacement is not just a tool; it’s the bridge between your imagination and reality.

Gaze up and transform ordinary skies into canvases of dreamy hues and breathtaking drama.

Every photograph you take holds a promise; with Luminar, that skyward promise is limitless. Breathe life, emotion, and stories into each frame, and let the heavens echo your vision. With Luminar, the sky isn’t just the limit; it’s the beginning.

Effortlessly swap out the sky using AI’s capabilities.

5. Portrait Background Removal:

This feature is especially beneficial for portrait photographers. Luminar Neo can automatically detect and isolate the subject, allowing for easy background replacement or adjustments.

Transform ordinary into extraordinary with Luminar’s Portrait Background Removal. Elevate every portrait, making your subject stand out with crystal clarity.

Say goodbye to distracting backgrounds, and let genuine emotions shine through.

Every face tells a story; let Luminar amplify it. Dive deep into the magic of flawless portraits and capture moments that leave an everlasting impression. Make every shot count; unlock the secret with Luminar today.

Removing the background is a technique in photo and video editing that separates the primary subject from its environment.

6. Improved Performance:

Luminar Neo is built on a new architecture, promising faster performance, stability, and load times. This mainly benefits users working with large image libraries or high-resolution photos.

The new, improved modular engine performs well. Earlier, we sometimes faced system heating issues, occupying lots of storage space and ultimately making the PC slower than usual.

Luminar, a household name in photo editing, took the world by storm with Luminar AI, but with the introduction of Luminar Neo, they’ve managed to elevate the game even further. Let’s delve into how Luminar Neo has improved its performance compared to its predecessor, Luminar AI:

1. Faster Processing Speed: One of the standout features of Luminar Neo is its significantly faster processing speed. Whether it’s applying effects, rendering previews, or exporting final images, users will notice a marked improvement in speed and responsiveness.
2. Enhanced AI Capabilities: While Luminar AI brought revolutionary AI-driven tools, Luminar Neo refines and expands on these features, offering more accurate and diverse editing options that adapt to a broader range of photo scenarios.
3. Better Resource Management: Luminar Neo boasts optimized algorithms that ensure smoother operation even on computers with limited resources. This translates to less lag, fewer crashes, and an overall more stable experience.
4. Modular Engine: Luminar Neo’s modular engine is designed for flexibility and future-proofing. As new features and tools are developed, they can be seamlessly integrated without causing disruptions or requiring major software overhauls.
5. Improved User Interface: While Luminar AI was user-friendly, Luminar Neo takes user experience to the next level with a more intuitive layout, clearer icons, and streamlined workflows, allowing both beginners and professionals to navigate with ease.

In conclusion, while Luminar AI was groundbreaking in its own right, Luminar Neo represents a significant step forward regarding performance, flexibility, and user experience.

It’s a testament to Skylum’s commitment to continuous improvement and its dedication to providing photographers with the best tools to unleash their creativity.

7. Enhanced Masking and Selection Tools:

With more sophisticated AI-driven selection tools, users can make intricate selections with less effort, leading to more precise edits.

In photo editing, achieving precision, especially in masking and selection, is often the difference between a good image and a masterpiece.

Enter Luminar Neo’s Enhanced Masking and Selection Tools — an intuitive and powerful arsenal for novice and professional photographers alike.

1. Precision at Your Fingertips: With Luminar Neo, the days of laboriously tracing around objects with a shaky hand are gone. The new tools ensure pinpoint accuracy, making detailed selections smoother and faster.
2. AI-Driven Efficiencies: At the heart of these enhancements is AI technology, which effortlessly understands image structures, distinguishing between foregrounds and backgrounds or between intricate details, eliminating hours of manual labor.
3. Flexibility and Control: Whether you’re looking to isolate a subject, apply selective edits, or blend multiple images, Luminar Neo’s tools offer the flexibility to achieve your vision. Adjust edges, refine masks, or invert selections with a click, granting you total creative freedom.
4. Seamless Integrations: These tools operate in collaboration. They perfectly integrate with the entire Luminar Neo suite, ensuring that selections and masks can be used across all editing modules, from color grading to adding special effects.
5. Consistent Results: One of the hallmarks of Luminar Neo’s enhanced tools is their consistency. Whether working on portraits, landscapes, or complex compositions, you can expect uniform and reliable results every time.

In conclusion, Luminar Neo’s Enhanced Masking and Selection Tools are not just features; they represent a paradigm shift in photo editing.

They empower photographers to transcend the ordinary to turn visions into vivid realities, all while ensuring the process is as enjoyable as the outcome.

With Luminar Neo, the future of photo editing is not just bright; it’s brilliant.

Mask objects in a single click with AI-powered photo masking software.

8. Integration with Luminar Libraries:

Luminar Neo offers a better and more intuitive organizational system, allowing users to manage, categorize, and rate their photos easily.

In the vast world of photo editing, organization is vital. Luminar Libraries offer a sleek and efficient solution to this age-old problem. A core feature of the Luminar ecosystem, these Libraries act as a bridge, seamlessly connecting your vast collection of photos with the powerful editing tools that Luminar offers.

With Luminar Libraries, users can:

1. Centralize Their Collection: No more sifting through scattered folders. All your photos, whether from a vacation in Bali or a simple backyard BBQ, find a home in Luminar Libraries.
2. Efficiently Sort and Categorize: Custom tags, ratings, and color labels ensure you can quickly find the photo you’re looking for, even in a collection of thousands.
3. Quick Edits: Integration means you can jump directly from browsing in the Library to editing in Luminar. This seamless transition ensures a fluid editing experience.
4. Sync Adjustments: Made the perfect edit on one photo and want to apply it to others. With the Libraries, you can effortlessly sync adjustments across multiple images.
5. View History: Luminar Libraries keep track of your edit history. Revisit your creative journey and, if needed, revert to a previous edit in just a click.

In essence, Luminar Libraries are more than just storage. They are a hub, a central point that streamlines your editing process, ensuring that creativity flows uninterrupted.

Integrating with Luminar Libraries means elevating your photo editing experience, making it smoother, faster, and, most importantly, more enjoyable.

9. Luminar Extensions

With the launch of Luminar Neo, another pack of extensions is launched along with the new edition of Luminar.

It gives the choice of selections for the particular extensions required in their editing. Some of the best extensions from Skylum are:

1. Supersharp AI
2. Focus Stacking
3. Background Removal AI
4. Upscale AI
5. Noiseless AI
6. HDR Merge
7. Magic Light AI
8. Panorama Stitching

There is also an option to take advantage of Luminar Membership, where you get all the extensions in one place and use them unlimited. And every future inclusions and upgrades are included.

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Conclusion

If you want to purchase between AI and Neo edition, you must go with Neo only as AI is no longer available.

Also, if you are looking for the best photo editing software, I recommend you go with Luminar Neo.

Lastly, if you are currently using Luminar AI, I recommend you try the Neo edition, as it is a more advanced and better version of Luminar AI or earlier versions.

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FAQs

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