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Home / Photo Editing Software guides / RAW vs JPEG, and Which Editor Each One Needs

RAW vs JPEG, and Which Editor Each One Needs

Why RAW matters, which of the eight editors we tested develop it best, and the free options if you only shoot JPEG.

Written by Team RankingRight
September 1, 2026 · 4 min read

What RAW gives you

A RAW file keeps everything the sensor recorded — about 12–14 bits per channel against a JPEG's 8. Exposure, white balance and highlight recovery can be changed after the shot without banding or blotches.

Best RAW developers from our test

  1. DxO PhotoLab — cleanest conversions and noise reduction.
  2. Lightroom Classic — widest support, excellent AI Denoise.
  3. Capture One — best colour and Fujifilm handling.
  4. ON1 Photo RAW — very good, one-time price.

If you shoot JPEG

Affinity Photo, Luminar Neo or GIMP edit JPEGs well. Beginners who shoot JPEG on a phone or a basic camera will get more from Luminar's one-click tools than from a RAW developer they never use.

The middle path

Set the camera to RAW+JPEG. Use the JPEG when it is fine; open the RAW when it is not.

» See the full rankings: Best RAW Photo Editors, Best Photo Editing Software for Beginners .