Comparison · Last updated June 2026
Aperty vs Luminar Neo
Aperty and Luminar Neo are both AI photo editors from Skylum, but they solve different problems. Aperty is a specialist portrait and beauty-retouching tool built around face and body mesh technology, while Luminar Neo is a general-purpose editor for everything from landscapes to skies to portraits. The real choice is depth versus breadth.
🏆 Who should choose which?
Aperty
Luminar Neo
Luminar Neo
Aperty
📊 Quick specs
Quick verdict
Aperty wins for photographers whose work is mostly people, where its mesh-based skin and body retouching saves real time. Luminar Neo wins for everyone editing a mix of subjects, and for buyers who want a complete editor at the lowest one-time cost.
Aperty
AI portrait retouching with face and body mesh precision
From $174 lifetime
Full review →
Luminar Neo
All-round AI photo editor with one-time pricing
From $99 one-time
Full review →What is Aperty?
Aperty is an AI portrait and beauty editor from Skylum, built around face and body mesh technology that maps thousands of reference points to drive retouching. It handles skin smoothing, blemish and under-eye fixes, skin-tone correction, makeup, body reshaping, and Studio Light. It runs as standalone desktop software on Windows and Mac and as a plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom, with batch processing and RAW support.
What is Luminar Neo?
Luminar Neo is a general-purpose AI photo editor from Skylum for Windows and Mac, with companion mobile apps. It covers full editing across landscapes, portraits, and more, with AI tools like Sky AI, Relight AI, Enhance AI, automatic masking, and portrait-specific retouching. It works standalone or as a plugin for Lightroom and Photoshop, supports RAW and layers, and is sold as a one-time perpetual license.
Key differences at a glance
Scope: Aperty is a portrait and body retouching specialist, Luminar Neo is an all-purpose editor covering landscapes, skies, and people
Pricing model: Luminar Neo is one-time perpetual only, Aperty offers monthly, annual, or a lifetime option
Entry price: Luminar Neo starts at $99 one-time, Aperty's lifetime is $174 and monthly is $44
Free access: Luminar Neo gives a 7-day free trial, Aperty relies on a 14-day money-back guarantee instead
AI focus: Aperty's mesh maps faces and bodies for retouching, Luminar Neo spreads AI across sky replacement, relighting, and masking
Mobile: Luminar Neo has companion mobile apps on higher tiers, Aperty is desktop and plugin only
Pros and cons
Aperty
Strengths
- Face and body mesh produces natural, detailed retouching fast
- Strong as a Lightroom and Photoshop plugin in an existing workflow
- Batch processing speeds up high-volume portrait shoots
- Specialist tools like Studio Light and body reshape go beyond generic editors
Limitations
- Pricing is high for a single-purpose tool, monthly is $44
- Little value outside portrait and people work
- No free tier, only a 14-day refund window
- Lacks the broad manual and creative controls of a full editor
Luminar Neo
Strengths
- One-time perpetual price, no subscription required
- Broad AI toolkit covers skies, relighting, landscapes, and portraits
- Lowest entry cost at $99 for the desktop license
- Companion mobile apps and a 7-day free trial to test first
Limitations
- Portrait retouching is less specialized than Aperty's mesh approach
- Generative and some advanced tools include only 12 months of updates
- Can be resource-heavy on older machines
- Extra-feature add-ons and tiers can get confusing
Pricing comparison
Aperty Aperty is $44 per month, $194 per year (often discounted to $174 the first year), or a $174 one-time lifetime license. Every plan includes local processing, unlimited edits, and the Photoshop and Lightroom plugin. There is no free tier, but a 14-day money-back guarantee applies. Verified June 2026 from aperty.ai.
Luminar Neo Luminar Neo is sold as a one-time perpetual license with no subscription: Desktop $99, Cross-Device $139, and Max $159 at regular pricing, with seasonal sale list prices around $119 to $165. Each includes 12 months of updates and a video course, plus a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Verified June 2026 from skylum.com.
Luminar Neo is the better value for most buyers: a full editor for a $99 one-time payment with no recurring cost. Aperty costs more and does less in scope, but for a working portrait photographer its retouching speed can justify the $174 lifetime price. For team-by-team cost modelling, use our AI Cost Calculator.
Which tool should you choose?
Choose Aperty if you…
- → Most of your work is portraits, weddings, or beauty
- → You want the fastest path to natural skin and body retouching
- → You already edit in Lightroom or Photoshop and want a retouching plugin
- → You are fine paying a premium for a specialist tool
Choose Luminar Neo if you…
- → You edit a mix of subjects, not just people
- → You want a one-time price with no subscription
- → You want the lowest entry cost for a full editor
- → You want to test free for 7 days before buying
Not sure which fits your workflow? Take our AI Tool Finder Quiz for a recommendation based on your role and needs.
Bottom line: Aperty vs Luminar Neo
For pure portrait and beauty work, Aperty is the stronger tool. Its face and body mesh retouching is faster and more natural than a general editor's, and it slots neatly into a Lightroom or Photoshop pipeline. The cost is the tradeoff: at $44 a month or $174 lifetime, it is a premium add-on that only pays off if people are your main subject.
Luminar Neo is the better default for most photographers. A $99 one-time license buys a complete AI editor that handles skies, landscapes, relighting, and decent portrait work, with no subscription and a free trial to test first. Many users run both: Luminar Neo for general editing, Aperty for detailed retouching, since both come from Skylum.
🔄 Switching? Keep in mind
Because both are made by Skylum and run on Windows and Mac with Lightroom and Photoshop plugins, they coexist easily rather than replace each other. Many photographers do general edits in Luminar Neo and send portraits to Aperty for retouching, so switching is more about adding a step than migrating files.
Frequently asked questions
Is Aperty or Luminar Neo cheaper?
Luminar Neo is cheaper. Its desktop perpetual license is $99 one-time, with Cross-Device at $139 and Max at $159, and no subscription. Aperty costs $44 per month, $194 per year, or $174 for a lifetime license. For a one-time purchase, Luminar Neo's $99 entry undercuts Aperty's $174 lifetime by a wide margin, though Aperty targets a narrower, retouching-focused use case.
Does either tool have a free version?
Neither offers a permanent free tier. Luminar Neo provides a 7-day free trial with full access before you buy, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee. Aperty does not advertise an open free trial across all plans and instead relies on a 14-day money-back guarantee. If trying before buying matters, Luminar Neo's 7-day trial is the more direct way to test the software at no cost.
Which is better for portrait retouching?
Aperty is built specifically for portraits and body retouching. Its face and body mesh technology maps thousands of points to drive skin smoothing, blemish removal, makeup, and reshaping, usually producing more natural, detailed results faster than a general editor. Luminar Neo includes portrait tools too, but if people are your main subject, Aperty's specialized approach gives you more control and speed.
Which is better for landscapes and general editing?
Luminar Neo is the clear pick for non-portrait work. It includes Sky AI for sky replacement, Relight AI, Enhance AI, layers, and broad masking, covering landscapes, travel, and mixed subjects in one app. Aperty is a portrait and body specialist and offers little for landscapes or product work, so general editors will get far more out of Luminar Neo.
Can I use Aperty and Luminar Neo together?
Yes, and many photographers do. Both are made by Skylum, run on Windows and Mac, and work as plugins for Lightroom and Photoshop. A common workflow is general editing in Luminar Neo and detailed face or body retouching in Aperty. They are complementary rather than direct replacements, so running both is a practical setup for portrait-heavy photographers.
Does Luminar Neo still require a subscription?
No. Luminar Neo is now sold as a one-time perpetual license with no required subscription. You pay once, from $99 for the desktop license, and own that version, with 12 months of updates included. Some generative AI features and the Creative Library may need renewal after the first year, but the core editor does not require an ongoing monthly or annual payment.
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